CSE-I: Integrating Cognitive Systems Engineering Within the Systems Engineering Life Cycle

Cognitive Systems Engineering (CSE) extends the concept of Systems Engineering (SE) with the intent of presenting a framework for engineering systems to support and extend human cognitive capabilities. Unfortunately, the two disciplines, CSE and SE, are rarely coordinated in practice. Both share a common goal of designing and developing complex systems of people and technology that get the job done well. Having been developed to this point by different communities, these endeavors have focused on different priorities. There is some overlap in concerns, processes, tools, and representations, but not yet a pleasing harmony. We will integrate CSE approaches into the appropriate phases and products of the Systems Engineering lifecycle. We will begin by refining our initial list of barriers to the integration of CSE within SE, assessing best practices of the current CSE approaches on the market, and developing a model process for integration which features the constant coordination and iterative change management principles of Agile Development (AD). We have assembled a team well-versed in a variety of CSE approaches, systems engineers from Northrop Grumman Information Technology (NGIT) which holds SEI CMM-I level 5 certification, and Dr. Alistair Cockburn, an expert methodologist and pioneer in AD to create an innovative multi-disciplinary team.