Postgraduate Course: Systems Engineering: Thinking and Practice (MSc) (PGEE11250)
Course Outline
| School | School of Engineering |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Systems Thinking is a way of thinking used to address complex and uncertain real world problems. It recognises that the world is a set of highly interconnected technical and social entities which are hierarchically organised, producing emergent behaviour. The idea of a system as 'a set of parts which, when combined, have qualities that are not present in any of the parts themselves' is a very productive way of looking at the world - which turns out to be full of systems. Large engineering endeavours are nearly always complex systems which include, for example, people, processes, information, organisations and services, as well as software, hardware and complex products. In order to understand and manage these activities it is essential that a systems approach is taken to ensure that all aspects are understood, and their interactions are optimised to ensure successful delivery.
A characteristic of complex systems is that of 'emergence'. Emergent behaviour arises when system elements interact with each other and their environment, and indeed only exist when the components of a system are able to interact. Emergence brings with it the risk of unintended consequences - a major cause of embarrassing system and project failures - but it is also possible for skilled systems engineers to create higher value for less cost by using emergence to deliver desired system qualities. The course will build on this systems Thinking to show how the techniques of Systems Engineering can be used, and where the limitations of traditional methods become apparent and new data-driven approaches are needed. |
| Course description |
This course examines systems thinking and managing socio-technical complexity from a pragmatic point of view. Reviewing some of the critical literature in this field, the course focuses on the practical tools and processes that allow for coherent decision making in the face of managing emergent system behaviour through controls and feedback loops. Grounded in best practice in systems engineering and taking a broad approach covering both technical and social dimensions of systems, students undertake a mini group project developing a proposal for a new complex system, looking at requirements, design solutions and system architecture(s).
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 35 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 12,
Online Activities 8,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 8,
Revision Session Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
68 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework 100% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Developed understanding of systems thinking to enable them to take a systematic, evidence/data-led approach to management of complex systems;
- Understood the implications of emergent properties of systems, and developed a critical perspective on how this may have both beneficial and adverse consequences;
- Learnt lessons about how large and complex projects and programmes can go wrong and analyse what can be done through systems thinking to avoid cost and time over-runs and failure to meet objectives;
- Examined how the techniques of systems engineering can contribute to the successful delivery of large and complex projects and programmes;
- Demonstrated how to make the appropriate choice of systems engineering tools tailored to the characteristics of the challenges at hand, working individually and as part of a team.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Programme Management,Systems Thinking,Complexity,Systems Engineering,Emergent Properties |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Matjaz Vidmar
Tel: (0131 6)50 7792
Email: Matjaz.Vidmar@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Tom Lawford-Groves
Tel: (0131 6)50 5687
Email: t.lawford-groves@ed.ac.uk |
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