Enabling Systems Engineering in an Unsupportive Environment

In an ideal world, systems engineers would work in organisations that fully embrace and support best practices in their field. However, the reality is often quite different, with many engineers finding themselves in environments that are unsupportive or even hostile to effective systems engineering practices. Eileen Arnold and Dorothy McKinney, two experienced systems engineers, have devoted their careers to helping fellow engineers navigate these challenging situations and make a positive impact despite organisational obstacles. Their insights and strategies provide a roadmap for success in even the most difficult circumstances.

The Value of Systems Engineering

Systems engineering is a transdisciplinary approach that enables the successful development, use, and disposal of engineered systems. By applying systems principles, concepts, and scientific, technological, and management methods, systems engineers can deliver systems that are fit for purpose, safe, affordable, timely, and of acceptable quality.

Numerous studies have documented the significant return on investment in systems engineering. For example, a study by the National Defense Industry Association found that projects with strong systems engineering practices were 50% more likely to meet schedule and cost targets than those with weak practices. However, not all organisations recognise the value of this approach. Some may be unaware of what systems engineering entails, while others consider it too expensive, time-consuming, or bureaucratic.

Diagnosing the Organisational Environment

Eileen Arnold and Dorothy McKinney understand the challenges faced by systems engineers working in unsupportive environments. They emphasise the importance of diagnosing the organisational environment to determine the level of top management support for systems engineering and the extent to which the organisation’s culture supports the implementation of effective practices.

The researchers provide a framework for characterising the environment along two axes: the strength of top management support for systems engineering and the supportiveness of cultural practices in the organisation. Top management support can range from strong belief in the value of systems engineering to active hostility towards the approach, with ‘lip service’ support and no belief falling in between. Cultural support can range from strong practices that enable effective systems engineering to active opposition, with weak or no support in the middle. By understanding where their organisation falls on this spectrum, engineers can develop strategies to implement effective systems engineering despite environmental and organisational constraints

Strategies for Success

The researchers offer a range of strategies for systems engineers to succeed in unsupportive environments. One approach is ‘covert systems engineering’, where engineers implement best practices without explicitly labelling them systems engineering activities (instead calling them ‘common sense’). This can be particularly effective when top management is hostile to systems engineering, but the engineering culture is supportive. By using language that resonates with the organisation’s values and priorities, engineers can introduce systems engineering practices in a way that is more likely to be accepted.

Another strategy is to leverage failures as learning opportunities. By highlighting the negative consequences of inadequate systems engineering practices, engineers can persuade management and colleagues of the need for change. The researchers provide a case study where a systems engineer prepared a briefing on how a proposed change could significantly improve product quality, and months later, when a major customer threatened to discontinue contracts due to quality issues, the engineer was able to present the briefing and gain support for implementing the change. This example illustrates how engineers can use crises as opportunities to advocate for better practices.

The researchers also emphasise the importance of influencing skills, such as listening, tailoring approaches to individual decision-makers, and giving credit to executives for good ideas. They provide examples of how engineers can frame suggestions in ways that are more likely to be accepted by management, such as presenting multiple options and asking executives to choose the best approach or framing a suggestion as coming from the executives themselves. These ‘soft skills’ are often just as necessary as technical expertise in driving organisational change.

Figure 1. Effects on Organisational Environment on Systems Engineering. Credit TBC.

Cultivating a Systems Engineering Culture

While individual engineers can make a difference, Eileen Arnold and Dorothy McKinney recognise that sustained success requires a supportive organisational culture. They discuss how engineering cultures can support or hinder the implementation of effective systems engineering practices and provide examples of key practices and cultural factors that can help or hinder each. For example, a culture that values routine involvement of customer representatives in requirements discussions and uses patterns and learning from previous projects is more likely to support effective requirements clarification than one that assumes the developing organisation knows better than the customer what they need. Similarly, a culture that expects multiple design options to be presented and debated is more likely to support effective trade studies than one that leaps quickly to point solutions.

The researchers encourage engineers to start book clubs, mentoring circles, and other initiatives to promote systems thinking and best practices among their colleagues. They recommend books like ‘The Unicorn Project’ that illustrate the benefits of systems engineering without using specialised terminology. These initiatives can help build a community of practice within the organisation and gradually shift the culture towards greater support for effective engineering practices.

The importance of patience and persistence in driving organisational change is also highlighted. The researchers note that it can take years for a company to reach a reasonable level of systems engineering practice implementation and that engineers must be prepared for setbacks and slow progress. However, they emphasise that even small victories can make a difference over time and that engineers should celebrate successes along the way.

Empowering Engineers to Be Change Agents

Eileen Arnold and Dorothy McKinney’s work is a practical guide for systems engineers and a powerful reminder of the importance of individual agency and the potential for bottom-up change. They show that even in the most challenging circumstances, committed professionals can make a difference through persistence, strategic thinking, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

Ultimately, this is a message of empowerment. The researchers believe that individual engineers can be powerful change agents regardless of their position in the organisation. Systems engineers can make a significant impact even in the face of organisational obstacles by understanding their environment, employing strategic approaches, and persistently advocating for best practices.

The researchers draw on their decades of experience in the aerospace industry and beyond to provide practical guidance and inspiring case studies. They demonstrate that with the right mindset and strategies, systems engineers can be a force for good in their organisations, delivering successful systems and driving positive change. They also emphasise the importance of self-care and maintaining a support network, as working in an unsupportive environment can be emotionally and professionally challenging.

A Call to Action

This research is a call to action for systems engineers everywhere. They encourage engineers to embrace their role as change agents and to persist in the face of challenges. They also urge the systems engineering community to continue educating the wider world about the benefits of their approach and to bring these benefits to more industries and organisations.

The need for effective systems engineering has never been greater as the world becomes increasingly complex and interconnected. By empowering engineers to succeed in unsupportive environments, Eileen Arnold and Dorothy McKinney are helping to ensure that the systems of tomorrow will be safe, reliable, and fit for purpose, no matter the organisational challenges involved in their creation.