Systems Engineering: Using Systems Thinking to Design Better Aerospace Systems

Abstract As aerospace systems have become more complex, the ability of the aerospace community to deliver a working system on‐time and on‐cost has diminished. Indeed, a review of major aerospace programs at the start of the twenty‐first century shows most to be late and over budget. There are many reasons why these programs have faltered yet there is a unifying thread that provides a rational basis for understanding the issues. That thread can be exposed by adopting a systems approach, moreover, it leads to a solution and this introductory chapter argues the case for a systems approach to the design of aerospace systems as the only realistic option to address the increasingly poor program performance. A lack of understanding of systems, Systems Thinking, Systems Approaches and Systems Engineering is cited as one of the major factors contributing to program performance. Accordingly this introductory chapter aims to: introduce the concepts and benefits of Systems Thinking and of a Systems Engineering approach to the development of complex aerospace systems show how Systems Engineering is the systematic application of Systems Thinking to the creation of a system show that Systems Engineering demands the integration of people, processes and tools.