The discipline of system engineering (SE) has developed over recent years as a significant benefit in conducting major projects, especially in technological fields. In aeronautics, space, and weapons projects, and in many detailed commercial R&D studies, SE plays a major role in their successful completion. This paper explores the role of SE in three areas: early definition and preliminary design, control of changes, and the final phase of test, verification, and validation. It is shown that, to conduct a large project in a truly systematic manner, SE should be included as a part of the program office structure.
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