Should IT Systems Engineers Adopt Systems Engineering Tools and Methods?

IT infrastructures are designed and supported by staff that often hold the title of “systems engineer,” but these engineers are generally not formally trained in the processes, methods, and tools of systems engineering (SE) as defined by the International Council on Systems Engineering. IT infrastructure engineers rely on document-driven methods for design activities with varying local idiosyncratic practices of notation and often struggle to determine which document represents “the current truth.” This reduces quality and efficiency throughout the design phase and in support. Adopting SE practices and methods within the IT infrastructure, including model-based SE, can address some shortcomings and enable clear information sharing between IT domains, but the value must outweigh the barriers of cost and complexity. This article attempts to provide more concrete insight into the potential for adoption in IT infrastructures.