Major Challenges Facing the Practising Systems Engineer

Synthesis from Modular Components The prevalence of synthesis from modular components is no longer true just for aerospace, defense and large government contracts (systems engineering started with Aerospace Engineering). Instead it is required in all commercial designs and operations. Figure 1. Top-down decomposition and bottom-up synthesis coupled to reuse of objects/sub-systems. This so-called ``systems integration'' has become key and perhaps the most profitable engineering practice.

Section 3-2: April, 2003.