Processes and beyond

Abstract

Systems engineering is about coordination. To coordinate is to bring the different elements of a complex activity or organization into a harmonious or effective relationship as a whole system. This paper views coordination in the context of unprecedented or innovative systems and attempts to focus some attention on important social issues relating to how work gets done. A framework of coordination mechanisms is developed. Coordination can be performed using processes, work products, skill/knowledge and mutual adjustment (personal or group communication). Under conditions of high task uncertainty, high task interdependence and dynamic environments, mutual adjustment is favored as opposed to process. Under these conditions this is not a choice. Most methodologies use some combination of the basic coordination mechanisms. The paper presents a case study illustrating some aspects of coordination