Effective and Efficient Preparation for the Unforeseeable

ABSTRACT This paper hypothesizes that a system‐of‐systems (SoS) that is not fit for purpose is so because it cannot implement the correct, timely, and complete transfers of material, energy, and information (MEI) between its constituents and with its external environment that are necessary to achieve a particular result. This research addresses the problem of maintaining a SoS fit for purpose after unpredictable changes in operation, composition, or external factors by creating a method, implemented as an engineering process, and supported by an analysis technique to enhance the affordance {“Features that provide the potential for interaction by affording the ability to do something” (Norman 1999)} of SoS constituents for MEI transfer and reveal potential undesirable transfers.