Systemengineering

System engineering, commonly written as "systems engineering," is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the design, realization, and management of complex systems. It seeks to align technical performance with stakeholder needs across the entire life cycle, from concept through retirement. It emphasizes the system as a whole, integration of multiple disciplines, and disciplined decision making under uncertainty.

Core activities include capturing and managing requirements, defining architectures, performing design and integration, and verifying and validating that the system meets its objectives. It also covers risk management, life cycle cost analysis, interface management, and configuration management. Model-based approaches, simulations, and systems modeling languages are increasingly used to communicate structure and behavior and to support traceability.

System engineering is guided by standards and best practices such as ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 for system life cycle processes and INCOSE guidance. Many practitioners use model-based systems engineering (MBSE) with SysML or similar languages to improve clarity, reuse, and collaboration across multi-organizational teams.

It spans industries including aerospace, defense, automotive, telecommunications, energy, healthcare, and information technology. Education and certification programs, such as INCOSE certifications, recognize proficiency in requirements engineering, architecture, integration, and management. The field continues to evolve with emphasis on sustainability, ethics, rapid digital change, and increasingly complex supply chains.