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3.5.0 Can We Engineer the Emergent Behavior of A System‐of‐Systems?
Author(s) -
Hsu J. C,
Axelband E.,
Madni A. M.,
Dagli C.,
McKinney D.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
incose international symposium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2334-5837
DOI - 10.1002/j.2334-5837.2009.tb00969.x
Subject(s) - systems modeling language , system of systems , computer science , interoperability , architecture , risk analysis (engineering) , agency (philosophy) , plan (archaeology) , systems engineering , viable system model , complex system , unified modeling language , process management , knowledge management , management science , engineering , artificial intelligence , cybernetics , software engineering , systems design , business , art , philosophy , archaeology , epistemology , visual arts , history , programming language , operating system , software
Emergent behaviors exist in biological systems, physical systems and human performance. It is an inherited nature of a System‐of‐Systems (SoS). SoS displays a global complexity that cannot be adequately managed by hierarchical structures and central control; therefore, traditional systems engineering and management approaches are necessary but insufficient for a SoS. Little is currently known about constructing an interoperable network of systems and the incorporation of emergent behaviors. The purpose of this panel is to explore the possibilities of developing an architecture model including the emergent behavior. The challenge is how to understand the initiation mechanisms of the emergent behaviors for a particular system architecture model so that the resident beneficial or harmful emergent behaviors can be enhanced or mitigated with selected changes in the model. Is model‐based the only feasible approach to develop the architecture model with emergent behavior? If this is the answer, what kind of modeling methodology? Should it be solely based on agent‐based modeling or a combination of SysML and agent‐based? Is SysML ready to deal with emergent behavior? For a non‐modeling consideration, can we plan for the beneficial or harmful emergent properties? How do we overcome development friction that is bound to arise when there are complex, independent, overlapping governances, for example, the customer requirements for a SoS evolve over time, etc.? There may only be SoS modeling at the level of the government agency, which actually procures but does not build, and not at the level of contractors who build the next generation of technologies.