The Science of Systems Engineering

The Science of Systems Engineering

Where is the Science for Systems Engineering? Every engineering discipline has its science — Electrical Engineering has its Ohm's law — Mechanical Engineering has all of Newtonian Physics — Civil  Engineering has Material Science — Chemical Engineering  has its periodic table of elements — and so on and so forth. But what about Systems Engineering? Where is our science?

Failure and the Importance of Lessons Learned

Failure and the Importance of Lessons Learned

As a society we tend to stigmatize and ostracize failure. But why? It is an essential step to success! We are so focused on winning that we forget the process includes failures as well. It is one of the most important lessons from our “Lessons Learned.”

Modeling and the Systems Engineer

Modeling and the Systems Engineer

On July 27, 2015, I gave a Keynote Address to the Summer Simulation Multi-Conference for the Society for Modeling & Simulation International (SCS). I talked about micro-verse, the Incredible Hulk, the history everyday reality, Internet of Things, the Science of (or lack there-of) Systems Engineering, the concept of Emergence, and M&S. It ended with a big heartfelt thank-you to all the modelers present.

Here are my slides and references for those who want more detail on my lecture. Enjoy.

The Cloud: Why should we care?

The Cloud: Why should we care?

Is this cloud thing another new fangled fad  fleeting about in the firmament only to burn out as more people discover it's just a fancy figment of some marketers imagination?  Fads fade fast when their promises are greater than reality — I’m looking at you AI and TQM.

But a lot of serious technologist feel this cloud thing is a concept that is here to stay. Let's do some scholarly research into all this Cloud nonsense and find out if it really matters.

When Models and Metaphors are Dangerous

When Models and Metaphors are Dangerous

I just finished watching the documentary "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace" by Adam Curtis. The entire series of three 1 hour shows is a real challenge. I say this because of the way Mr. Curtis makes such seemly tenuous connections between people and the flow of their ideas across modern history. His assertion is that these ideas together have forged our present day perception of reality. False perception is more like it.  

This "documentary" is very thought provoking piece of media. And when my thoughts get provoked I strike back with a long and pretentious blog.