A Review and Framework for Modeling Complex Engineered System Development Processes

Developing complex engineered systems (CES) poses significant challenges for engineers, managers, designers, and businesspeople alike due to the inherent complexity of the systems and contexts involved. Furthermore, experts have expressed great interest in building a foundation of “theories” that describe the patterns underlying how development process qualities shape system outcomes. This article contributes to that foundation in two ways. First, it identifies the core elements of CES development processes (CESDPs) through a literature review. Then, it proposes the ComplEX System Integrated Utilities Model (CESIUM), a novel framework for exploring how numerous system and development process characteristics may affect the performance of CES. CESIUM creates abstract representations of a system architecture, the corresponding engineering organization, and the new product development process through which the organization designs the system. It does so by representing the system as a network of interdependent artifacts designed by agents. Simulated agents iteratively design their artifacts through optimization and share information with other agents, thereby advancing the CES toward a solution. Hence, this article makes it possible for researchers to compare how development process characteristics shape system outcomes.