Emergence: The Mystery of Systems Engineering

It’s a well know cartoon. Two scientists are gazing at an eminence blackboard filled from top to bottom with a complicated formula filled with mathematical equations and process jargon and symbols. One of the scientists points to an area of the blackboard where the process states, “Then a Miracle Occurs.” He explains to his partner, “I think we need to be more explicit here in step 29.” I can’t but laugh every time and yet it’s so profoundly true it makes me shudder.

Our whole Systems Engineering profession is build around decomposition, implementation, integration and verification. And so this mystery (or miracle) of emergence is just assumed or taken for granted. I teach this stuff at the graduate level and even I am unsure how to explain why properties and/or capabilities will emerge when you put together components of a system. Even though these various individual pieces have none of the properties and/or capabilities of the larger system. It just happens.

My interest in emergence came about when I was exploring the phenomenon of "Unintended Consequences." I wanted to know if there was a way we could plan and manage these unexpected results of our system development efforts. “Unintended Consequences” are basically unwanted emergent properties. And just like the senseless task of looking for an “unknown, unknown” risk, how can you predict the unpredictable?

You can’t, but you can at least appreciate the mystery unfolding before your very eyes.

There is an excellent book appropriately called, Emergence, by Steven Johnson which explores this topic in detail from a more societal point of view.

By the way, another really great exploration of Emergence was also done by one of my favorite radio show and podcast, “Radio Lab.” It's well worth a listen.

The Value of Failure

I have two iconic images which depict failure in a positive light. (1) A scene from the movie Meet the Robinsons: The protagonist has just had an experiment blow up in his face and as he dejectedly faced his family he is surprised to find them celebrating his failure with enthusiasm usually saved for birthdays. They explained that failure was the sure sign you're getting closer to the solution. (2) One of my favorite demotional poster: A ship is sinking, bow up and two thirds in the water. Caption reads - “MISTAKES: It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.”

Both of these cultural ditties push the one aspect of failure which makes it an important part of our lives ... it’s the “lessoned learned” which informs us of what NOT to do ... it’s the Feddback Loop into our lives, allowing us to eventually succeed.

As Systems Engineers we face failures every time we take our product in the evaluation phase of its development cycle. Will it meet the requirements, both technical and operational? And of course we’re the ones who need to evaluate the impact these failures will have on the overall project. The cost, schedule and performance issues must be addressed in a creative and resourceful way. Such is the burden and responsibility of the Systems Engineer.

Of course failures come in may sizes. Small ones from your test events that can be worked off as a “lien” against the product acceptance. Or the large failures which occur after the product has been deployed and during its operation. Lives and the environment can be ruined as a result. Just look at BP oil spill in the gulf. But no matter the size or enormity of the failure it’s still there as a “warning.” Don’t make the same mistake, learn from the lesson, embrace the failure as a part of the price to be payed towards the road of a positive outcome. It’s OK to fail, just don’t let it stop you from going forward.

The girl engineer in my life

There's a confluence of two celebrations this month that for me personally hit home.

The first: The well regarded and well know celebration of my chosen profession, National Engineer's Week. A week long celebration that makes New Orleans celebration of the Saint's Superbowl victory look like a picnic. We're talking about Future City Competitions and School presentations and other neat stuff, which I can't think of right now.

But the best part of the whole holiday is today's "Introduce A Girl To Engineering Day, February 19, 2009"

Which actually brings me to the second celebration. The less well know celebration of an obscure monk named Valentine. You may not be aware of this tradition of blessing the loved ones in your lives with cards, flowers and candy but I am one a few who know and follow the old ways.

One of my loved ones is my daughter Stephanie who is in her third year at University of Maryland, College Park, on her way to an Engineering degree. She's smart, beautiful and an absolute gem.

So I'm posting today in order to tell my favorite women engineer in my life, "I love you and couldn't be prouder. Keep up the good work."