To maintain a competitive advantage, organizations developing complex products and systems must react quickly and effectively to changing market forces. Functional differentiation through software can boost both innovation and flexibility, but software can also bring complexity to both products and development.

Today, systems engineering is about connecting engineering disciplines to deliver innovative products and systems. This paper shares ideas on what systems engineering is, its relevance and best practices.

This white paper is based on a webcast presentation to the Global Rational User Community hosted by the Virtual Rational Systems Enlightenment User Group. The webcast was titled: 'Systems Engineering: What is it? Why do it? How to do it?’ and was presented by Dr. Graham Bleakley, Solution Architect for IBM Rational.