SYSTEMS ENGINEERING RESOURCES

TRAK Enterprise Architecture Framework

TRAK is a pragmatic, simple, general, systemcentric enterprise architecture framework. It’s simple, user-friendly, pragmatic, and not limited to IT. TRAK was released under opensource licenses and won an INCOSE Working Group award in 2010. TRAK allows one to describe a system, its parts (which can include people, software, other systems, and physical things), and how it relates to the outside world. TRAK covers everything from the enterprise and its goals to its conceptualization, to the procurement of its solution via projects, to its introduction and withdrawal from service.

TRAK was based on the ISO/IEC/IEEE-42010 standard of architecture-description and tied to the systems-engineering lifecycle defined in ISO/IEC-15288. Although the original intent was to develop a rail-specific architecture framework, any domain-specific content was removed, and the resulting metamodel and viewpoints enable the representation of any complex system. View its Wikipedia article here. Visit its SourceForge project here.

Systems 1: An Introduction to Systems Thinking

The first textbook on systems thinking for a broad audience, now updated for the modern reader, Systems 1 is a perfect introduction to the complex systems making up the world around us. Originally written in 1980, Systems 1 has remained a classic and mainstay of workshops and classrooms around the world for 40 years. It has been used in courses for gifted middle schoolers as well as for graduate programs. It is the introductory text in the MIT course on systems theory for educators, and it has been incorporated into many business and military training programs. It begins with a basic summary of systems theory, then proceeds through simple steps to help the reader understand the more complex systems with which we deal every day. It concludes with “Kauffman’s Rules,” 30 proverbs that every systems thinker needs to know. The 4th edition has been completely updated, with an added chapter on exponential growth. See this book on Amazon.

Critical Systems Thinking and the Management of Complexity

The world has become increasingly networked and unpredictable. Decision-makers at all levels are required to manage the consequences of complexity every day. They must deal with problems that arise unexpectedly, generate uncertainty, are characterized by interconnectivity, and spread across traditional boundaries. Simple solutions to complex problems are usually inadequate and risk exacerbating the original issues. Systems thinking is an essential leadership skill for managing the complexity of the economic, social, and environmental issues of today’s world. Decision-makers must utilize critical systems thinking, through understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various systems-

thinking approaches and learning how to employ them in combination. Making use of over 25 case studies, this book traces the development of systems thinking and of major efforts to apply the approach in real-world interventions. Further, it encourages the widespread use of critical systems practice as a means of ensuring responsible leadership in a complex world. See this book on Amazon.

Simple_Complexity: A Management Book For The Rest of Us: A Guide to Systems Thinking

Every manager knows that their business is a system, yet very few have studied systems thinking or system dynamics. This is a critical oversight. Simple_Complexity reveals the fundamental system archetype at work in an enterprise, and it prescribes new and exciting ways to reinvigorate management thinking. Picking up where the greats in management thought leave off, Simple_Complexity provides a systems context that powerfully enriches traditional management thought and practice. See this book on Amazon.

BOOK: Thinking in Systems: A Primer

Thinking in Systems –is the classic, concise, and crucial book on systems thinking, offering insight for problem-solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global. It brings systems thinking out of the realm of computers and equations into the tangible world, showing readers how to develop the systems-thinking skills that thought-leaders across the globe consider critical for 21st-century life. Some of the biggest problems facing the world are essentially system failures: they cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others, because even seemingly minor details have enormous power to undermine the best efforts of too-narrow thinking. While readers will learn the conceptual tools and methods of systems thinking, the heart of the book is grander than methodology. Donella Meadows was known as much for nurturing positive outcomes as she was for delving into the science behind global dilemmas. She reminds readers to pay attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable; to stay humble; and to stay a learner. In a world growing ever more complicated, crowded, and interdependent, Thinking in Systems helps readers avoid confusion and helplessness, the first step toward finding proactive and effective solutions. See this book on Amazon.

PPI SYSTEMS ENGINEERING GOLDMINE

The PPI Systems Engineering Goldmine is a free resource that contains a wealth of reference information relevant to the engineering of systems. SE Goldmine features include:

• Thousands of engineering and projectrelated downloadable documents (4GB+) • Searchable database by description, title, keywords, date, source, etc. • Extensive library of standards, and links to standards • Searchable systems engineering-relevant definitions, 7800+ defined terms Registration is required for access to these resources. Get more information here.

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