Accelerating the Development of Senior Systems Engineers

Abstract

As more senior systems engineers are needed to handle the increasing complexity of contemporary systems, there is an increasing need to accelerate the development of these senior professionals. However, the process of efficiently developing a senior systems engineer is not well-understood. To compact this problem, the skill set needed by senior systems engineers continues to broaden as system complexity increases and as system boundaries expand. In order to better understand the mechanisms that most effectively and efficiently develop these individuals, this article discusses enablers, barriers, and precursors to this development process. In addition to reviewing related literature, specific interventions currently used to accelerate systems thinking development are discussed. Findings from ongoing research related to this topic provide preliminary information about current understanding and practice. Better understanding of systems thinking development provides a foundation for educational interventions and employee development in systems thinking for engineering professionals across industry, government, and academia.