Blog Posts
Why Software Architects Must Be Involved in the Earliest Systems Engineering Activities
Today's major defense systems rely heavily on software-enabled capabilities. However, many defense programs acquiring new systems first determine the physical items to develop....
• By Sarah Sheard, Suzanne Miller, Bill Nichols, Donald Firesmith, Mike Phillips
In Software Architecture
An Appraisal of the Systems Engineering Journal's Treatment of Software Over the Last Two Decades
Systems engineers working today face many challenges, both in building the complex systems of systems of the future and in building the complex systems of which they are composed....
• By Sarah Sheard
Aircraft Systems: Three Principles for Mitigating Complexity
This post is the first in a series introducing our research into software and system complexity and its impact in avionics. On July 6, 2013, an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 …
• By Sarah Sheard
The Changing Relationship of Systems and Software in Satellites: A Case Study
The role of software within systems has fundamentally changed over the past 50 years. Software's role has changed both on mission-critical DoD systems, such as fighter aircraft and surveillance equipment, …
• By Sarah Sheard
Needed: Improved Collaboration Between Software and Systems Engineering
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently reported that acquisition-program costs typically run 26 percent over budget, with development costs exceeding initial estimates by 40 percent. Moreover, many programs fail to …