Enabling Systems Engineering in an Unsupportive Environment

Engineers may find themselves in an organization which does not value systems engineering, or worse, in an organization which is hostile to systems engineering practices.

The purpose of this presentation (and the paper on which it is based) is to help such engineers do effective systems engineering despite the lack of support. We offer a description of the variation found in top management beliefs and engineering cultures to aid in a diagnosis of the workplace environment. We then offer suggestions for appropriate actions suitable to each combination of top management belief and cultural support or hindrance for systems engineering practices. These actions may help individual engineers to implement effective systems engineering despite hindrances from the organizational culture or top management. 

Several case studies are included to illustrate how the approaches described have been implemented from the authors’ own experience.

Presented by: Eileen Arnold and Dorothy McKinney