write a critical review on this paper \"THE INFLUENCE OFARCHITECTURE IN ENGINEERING SYSTEMS\" Engineering SystemMonograph

ENGINEERING SYSTEMS MONOGRAPH

The ESD Architecture CommitteeEdward Crawley, Olivier de Weck, Steven Eppinger, ChristopherMagee, Joel Moses, Warren Seering, Joel Schindall, David Wallace,Daniel Whitney (Chair)

THE INFLUENCE OF ARCHITECTURE INENGINEERING SYSTEMS

The ESD Architecture CommitteeEdward Crawley, Olivier de Weck, Steven Eppinger, ChristopherMagee, Joel Moses, Warren Seering, Joel Schindall, David Wallace,Daniel Whitney (Chair)

ABSTRACT

The field of Engineering Systems is distinguished fromtraditional engineering design in part by the issues it brings tothe top. Engineering Systems focuses on abstractions likearchitecture and complexity, and defines system boundaries verybroadly. It also seeks to apply these concepts to the process ofcreating systems. This paper summarizes the role and influence ofarchitecture in complex engineering systems. Using the researchliterature and examples, this paper defines architecture, arguesfor its importance as a determinant of system behavior, and reviewsits ability to help us understand and manage the design, operation,and behaviors of complex engineering systems.

A. INTRODUCTION

Typical engineering design education focuses on specific aspectsof design, such as the technical behavior of a set of elementsinterconnected in a certain way. By contrast, Engineering Systemsfocuses on a number of abstract concepts first because they providea general framework for guiding the development of many diversekinds of systems, so that these systems will provide the desiredfunctions in the desired ways. Among these abstract concepts isthat of system architecture. In this paper, we explore this conceptand provide a number of ways of appreciating systemarchitecture