3.0

Average Course Rating

Traditional systems engineering is usually applied to closed, precise, and recursive systems with the assertion that the methodologies used can be scaled up to more elaborate systems of systems. This course addresses the more realistic and emerging field of complex systems, where multiple current development efforts with disparate and nonlinear attributes characterize the system components. Managing complex systems must account for the likelihood of multiple disciplines, differing scales, often unpredictable future states, irreducible uncertainty, and nonlinear behavior. Customers, corporations, governments, technologies, and systems now must be considered on a global scale with a mix of new and legacy systems. The student will be encouraged to think differently and creatively about the approaches to managing complex systems and to use adaptive strategies and tools. Special attention will be given to risk assessment and management for dynamic systems. Case studies and examples will be drawn from commercial industry and DoD/government systems. Students will be expected to discuss several readings and complete academic papers to explore in depth one or more of the concepts discussed.