Systems Thinking: Foundations for Enhancing System of Systems Engineering

This paper explores Systems Thinking (ST) as an essential foundation for more effective System of Systems Engineering (SoSE). ST is explored as a particular worldview grounded in appreciation of system behavior (performance) stemming not from system elements, but rather from the interaction of the elements. Following a short introduction, three primary avenues are explored in this paper, including: (1) examination of the nature of ST with emphasis on the central tenets of the field, (2) identification of the contributions and role of ST for SoSE, and (3) exploration of thirteen points defining a ST worldview and their implications for SoSE. The paper closes with a set of implications for practitioners and challenges for advancing the SoSE field through further inclusion of ST.