Integrating system and software engineering processes using the views and viewpoints of a new discipline

This paper presents the case that a new specialized system engineering discipline is needed on complex software intensive projects, in addition to the overall systems engineer, to bridge the fields of systems engineering and the computer-related downstream disciplines. Engineers in the new discipline are specialists in computing aspects of a system including software, computer, and communications engineering and work closely with engineers who specialize in each of these disciplines. The position presented in this paper is based on the author´s project experience and on discussions with members of the IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee (TC) on the Engineering of Computer Based Systems. The author was the founder and served in many positions, including Chair of this TC.