Spectrum and Evolution of Systems Engineering's Guiding Propositions

ABSTRACT Systems engineering's practice is informed by many hundreds of guiding propositions, but their diverse nature and inconsistent categorization hinder systematic aggregation and refinement. This paper introduces a framework for understanding the origins and evolution of these propositions and proposes a unifying classification scheme. We propose a maturation model that assesses guiding propositions in terms of measures we call scope, authority, and capability. These measures jointly determine the maturity of a guiding proposition. We describe a strategy for systematically improving the maturity of propositions, advancing them from context‐specific patterns to becoming generally applicable principles. We show how the maturation process supports the evolution of greater engineering elegance and greater transdisciplinarity. We argue that such advances will be needed for SE to effectively address the unprecedented challenges likely to emerge in Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0.