GCRI · Engineering
Systems engineering
Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary approach to designing and managing complex systems over their life cycle. It focuses on requirements, interfaces and interactions so that the whole performs as intended. Systems Science and Modelling stewards this page for the Nexus Consortium.
01Workspace
The workspace for systems engineering.
GCRI · GCRI · Network analysisIllustrative
Network analysis
The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI) · Systems engineering · Run R-0424 · Example interface, not a record
Single point of failureGCRI · GCRI
Dependency graph
nodes: assets · edges: dependencies
Most central nodes
| N3 | 0.19 | 11 | Critical |
| N4 | 0.27 | 6 | Normal |
| N5 | 0.41 | 3 | Normal |
| N6 | 0.22 | 9 | Normal |
Cascade size under removal
GCRI · Network analysis. Network analysis: example names and illustrative values, not a record.
02The method
What systems engineering covers.
- 01
Core methods
requirements engineering; functional decomposition; interface management; model-based systems engineering; trade-off analysis; verification and validation planning.
- 02
Data and instruments
requirements databases; system architecture models; test records; configuration management records; operational performance data.
- 03
Validation
Each requirement is traced to verification evidence from analysis, inspection, demonstration or test. Independent reviews check completeness at life cycle gates.
- 04
Limits
Emergent behaviour in open or socio-technical systems may not be captured by requirements. Rigid processes can slow adaptation to change.
- 05
Use in risk decisions
Systems engineering exposes interfaces where failures propagate between components and organisations. It supports designing interconnected infrastructure with explicit dependency management.
03Reference practice
Systems engineering is codified in life-cycle standards.
| Reference | What it sets |
|---|---|
| ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288 | System life-cycle processes |
| INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook | Practice guidance |
| Model-based systems engineering (SysML) | Formal system models |
04Process
How the process runs.
Process
Systems engineering: Cascade across systems
An initial hazard can trigger later risks and events; this illustration draws one cascade across systems such as energy, water, ICT, health and transport.
01 Hazard
- 01Initiating hazardDataset · National DeskCascading risk is the risk that hazard events trigger later risks and events, through chains of interrelated hazards or impacts.
02 First-order systems
- 02Example system: energyModel · System operatorAn example of a system a hazard can hit first. What depends on it is set by a dependency survey.
- 03Example system: waterModel · System operatorA second example of a system a hazard can hit first. Its links to other systems are shown as examples only.
03 Second-order systems
- 04Example system: ICTModel · System operatorAn example of a system that may depend on others, for example on backup power. Survey data set the real dependencies.
- 05Example system: health servicesModel · System operatorAn example of a system that may depend on water, power and data. Survey data set the real dependencies.
- 06Example system: transportModel · System operatorAn example of a system that may depend on ICT, fuel and logistics. Survey data set the real dependencies.
04 Limiting the cascade
- 07Buffers and redundancyStep · National DeskBuffers, redundancy and restoration can limit how far an impact spreads. The OECD report moves from single assets to system resilience.
- 08Restoration prioritiesDecision · National DeskThe responsible party sets which services are restored first, under its own rules.
Outline of an external standard or method, from its public sources. It describes what the framework says, not a record of any run. It does not show that Nexus or any partner performs, certifies or approves a step. A gate is a step of the method, never a Nexus approval. The dependencies are examples. A dependency survey for the place sets them.
05In systemic risk work
Requirements, interfaces and emergent behaviour.
Systems engineering manages the interfaces where components meet, which is where systemic failures occur. Applied to risk, it means specifying what a system must do under stress, tracing requirements to tests, and examining emergent behaviour that no component specification captures.
- Specify requirements for degraded operation.
- Trace each requirement to verification evidence.
- Use interface analysis to find hidden dependencies.
- Applications on Systems Modelling and Foundry.
07Stewardship
Who maintains this page.
Systems Science and Modelling stewards systems engineering: it keeps this description current and reviews how the method is applied across the platforms.
08Sources
Where this page’s references lead.
The bodies and documents this page is read against. Status and editions change; each link goes to the issuing body.
09Questions
Questions and answers.
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