8 System of Systems Management

Abstract: Knowledge for the engineering of systems is advancing rapidly but in recent years has failed to keep pace with the increasing complexity and integration of the systems themselves. While we may be able to measure and possibly predict the advancement of technology intensive systems, we are unable to effectively measure or predict the pace at which we correlate or advance our management practices of these systems. Only in the last ten years have time-honored organizations such as the Project Management Institute (PMI), the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) begun to provide fundamentally accepted guidance in how we perform project management or systems engineering. The study of SoS has moved many to support their understanding of these systems through the groundbreaking science of networks. Our understanding of networks and how to manage them may give us the fingerprint which is independent of the specific systems that exemplify this complexity. The conceptual foundation of complexity is paradox, which leads us to a paradigm shift in the SE body of knowledge. Paradox exists for a reason and there are reasons for systems engineers to appreciate paradox even though they may be unable to resolve them as they would a problem specification into a system solution. It is our ability to govern, not control, these paradoxes that will bring new knowledge to our understanding on how to manage the emerging complex systems called System of Systems. This chapter will challenge the traditional paradigm to establish some key concepts that make the management of SoS different from our fundamental practices, present an intellectual model for how we classify and manage a SoS, appraise this model with an established SoS, and conclude with grand challenges for how we may move our understanding of SoS management beyond the foundation.