Dr. Ralph R. Young

Integrating Program Management and Systems Engineering


A new book has just been released: Integrating Program Management and Systems Engineering (IPMSE). This book was five years in the making, provides insightful new research, and is a collaboration of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Consortium for Engineering Program Excellence (CEPE) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Every once in a great while, a book comes along that is destined to have a huge impact.

I have invested a considerable amount of time over the past month carefully reading this book, digesting it, exploring references, and starting to act upon new knowledge. I believe that this book has the potential to significantly improve program results. Commitment is needed from program managers and systems engineers to build collaboration. I ask your consideration in becoming part of the initiative to strengthen collaboration and change mind sets.

"The Book" has features that are useful and content that is thought-provoking (for example, in considering the impact of making changes in your program, on your project, and at your organization):

Part I: In Search of Integrated Solutions

Part II: Building Capabilities to Effectively Execute Complex Programs

Part III: Developing Organizational Competencies in Your Organization

Part IV: Calls to Action:

  1. For Academia: Help Budding Professionals Learn to Adapt
  2. For Enterprise: Build the Right Engine for Strategy Implementation
  3. For Policymakers: Refocus Oversight and Accountability in the Right Ways
  4. For Industry and Professional Societies: Take an Interdisciplinary View
  5. For Researchers: Explore Interdisciplinary Systems

The Introduction describes the background that led to the collaboration of INCOSE, PMI, and MIT's CEPE; to creation of The Guide to Lean Enablers for Managing Engineering Programs (Oehman, 2012); and to the writing of the book. The research basis for the book unfolded through four distinct phases over a period of three years. The initial research results from analysis of the data were informative, but raised more questions than they answered. The initial findings just scratched the surface of what appeared to be an important but largely unaddressed area. A four-phase research program emerged. In Phase I, an invitation to participate in a joint PMI and INCOSE survey in 2012 was sent to approximately 3,000 INCOSE members (systems engineers) and 5,000 PMI members (program managers). While a number of useful insights emerged from this analysis, the connection between integration, unproductive tension, and overall program or organizational performance remained unclear at this stage. The action mechanisms for enabling greater levels of integration were likewise unclear. The survey provided a good starting point to understand high-level issues associated with integration of program management and systems engineering. In order to clarify the mechanisms of integration and the impact of integration on performance, additional information about how integration actually occurred in organizations was needed and led to the Phase II and III studies. Phase II of the research focused on those organizations that experienced little or no unproductive tension between program management and systems engineering. Phase III involved a separate sample of respondents that indicated high levels of unproductive tension in their organizations. This study was inductive, with effort primarily focused on identification of the key factors that drive overall behavior. Analysis of the data produced more formal definitions of integration and unproductive tension. The Phase IV study involved an online survey and sampled 157 participants from around the world and included program managers and systems engineers. The results provided a better understanding of what factors contribute to integration. While much has been learned, research on the integration of program management and systems engineering should be considered at this point in the early stages of theory development and understanding. An Integration Framework was developed that lays out learnings (factors) that seem to provide integration.

  1. An introduction that places the topic of the chapter in context: how it impacts the integration of program management (PM) and systems engineering (SE).
  2. Carefully developed figures and tables that provide rich amplification of the text.
  3. References to other chapters (not surprisingly, the book itself is integrated!).
  4. Bulleted lists that provide specific takeaways.
  5. A summary that provides a concise explanation of the importance of the topic of the chapter.
  6. A list of Discussion Questions that encourage the reader to reflect on his or her own experience and perspective to reinforce learning and to open possibilities for new thinking.
  7. A list of applicable References – the references are on-topic and provide extensive examples and opportunities for further research and understanding. *You will be surprised to learn of the availability of insightful publications both very recent (many of them written to report on research undertaken to answer questions for this book) and not-so-recent but apropos.*
  8. A short list of Additional Resources that serve as icing on the cake of learning opportunities.

As is my habit, I took copious notes while reading The Book. One form of those notes is a Table that summarizes the content of the book. The table is attached – it addresses what is different about an integrated approach from that which is often used today, termed “Less Successful Approaches”. Many complex programs have been successful and the book provides examples and case studies concerning them as well as exhaustive research concerning what can be done to further strengthen and improve the practice of systems engineering going forward.

I hope that (if you haven't already) you will join the movement to continue efforts to transition to an integrated approach. As you likely already understand, it is going to take time and concerted efforts on the part of program managers and systems engineers to implement needed change. Strategy Implementation is defined as the collective organizational effort to execute strategy by investing in the right initiatives to deliver desired business benefits.

The bottom line is that the current situation [today's program management and systems engineering implementation] is not sustainable. At the top level, the following are some of the things that are needed:

Download PDF "What's Different about an Integrated Approach?"



Dr. Ralph R. Young

Dr. Ralph R. Young (CSEP, http://www.ralphyoung.net) has invested his career in assisting individuals, projects, and organizations to improve and helping others to grow. He has a wide diversity of experience, including private sector, Federal Government, local government, military, and oversight of programs. He consults and speaks frequently concerning project management, requirements development and management, and process improvement. Ralph has written a series of five books to date: Effective Requirements Practices (that describes what to do); The Requirements Engineering Handbook (that describes how to perform requirements-related work); Project Requirements: A Guide to Best Practices (which is written for program and project managers, to communicate the importance and value of incorporating good requirements practices); Performance-Based Earned Value (with Paul Solomon), which proposes a change to industry earned value management practices; and How to Save a Failing Project: Chaos to Control (with Steve Brady and Dennis Nagle) that provides guidance and insight based on multiple efforts in changing the direction of failing projects and also for projects that desire to perform well.. Ralph contributed to another book, The 77 Sins of Project Management, written by a large number of contributors selected by the publisher, that describes sins, danger signs, suggested solutions, and tips for 77 aspects of project management – thoughtful, considered advice. Ralph enjoys the outdoors, boating, reading, writing, and family activities, especially six grandchildren. He wants to write another book, concerning leadership. He resides on Kent Island, Maryland USA. He welcomes comments and feedback and can be reached at ryoungrr@aol.com.