I'm working two proposals now (just one yesterday). One is for a public agency IT Program Management Office, the other is for a federal (military) supplier. The notion of systems engineering as the basis of all project processes is common in the defense and space business. It is completely missing in the IT world.
The concept of "engineering a system," is at the heart of all complex projects. All project, and especially complex projects are "systems." Managing the design, development, and deployment of these systems is the role of Systems Engineering.
Here are the 11 roles of systems engineering
- Requirements owner
- System designer
- System analyst
- Validation and verification engineer
- Logistics and operations engineer
- Interface management engineer
- Customer interface
- Technical manager
- Information manager
- Process engineer
- Coordinator
These roles are critical to the success of any complex project. They can e performed by one person. Or they can be performed by a team of people for each role. But they must be performed.
The eleven roles is found in Twelve Systems Engineering Roles, Sara A. Sheard, Third Millennium Systems, Software Productivity Consortium, 1996