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1.4.3 Challenges in the Development of Systems Engineering as a Profession
Author(s) -
Dixit Indrajeet,
Valerdi Ricardo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
incose international symposium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2334-5837
DOI - 10.1002/j.2334-5837.2007.tb02862.x
Subject(s) - existentialism , engineering ethics , context (archaeology) , professionalization , key (lock) , body of knowledge , management science , computer science , knowledge management , epistemology , engineering , sociology , social science , computer security , paleontology , philosophy , biology
This paper explores a fundamental and important question: is Systems Engineering a profession? It is fundamental because of the current existential crisis in the discipline and it is important because it helps in defining our role in the context of the greater technical community. By observing systems engineering through the theoretical lens of the professionalization literature rooted in sociology, we propose five key challenges to systems engineering as a profession. Firstly, defining the problem space, secondly, understanding the state of the body of knowledge, thirdly, the impact of lifecycle perspective, fourthly, the falsification of systems engineering theories and lastly, the question of standard of proof for systems engineering. The need for our thesis is motivated by understanding the current body of knowledge and proposing a direction that will enable the profession to overcome key challenges.