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Historical Trends in Systems
and Systems Engineering

Some consider systems engineering to be a young ers are demanding and the advancement in tech-
discipline, while others consider it to be quite old. nologies that enable these capabilities.
Whatever your perspective, systems and the prac- Other factors have impacted systems engineering.
tice for developing them has existed a long time. Advancements in technology not only impact the
The constant through this evolution of systems is kinds of systems that are developed, but also the
an ever increasing complexity which can be ob- tools used by systems engineers. System failures
served in terms of the number of system functions, have provided lessons that impact the practice,
components, and interfaces and their non-linear and factors related to the work environment
interactions and emergent properties. Each of remind us that systems engineering is a human
these indicators of complexity has increased dra- undertaking. A look back in time can provide
matically over the last fifty years, and will continue insight into the factors and trends that will impact
to increase due to the capabilities that stakehold- the future directions of systems engineering.

Number of Components
Number of Functions
Number of Interactions

Systems Engineering Tools

A LOOK AT
THE PAST
SHEDS LIGHT
ON THE
FUTURE

5000 BC 1200 AD 1750 AD 1850 AD 1900 AD 1980 AD

16 • The Current State Copyright 2014 International Council on Systems Engineering