Beyond cost, schedule and performance: Managing system-of-systems programs

Project management theory has not advanced beyond that developed in the mid-20^th century, even as project management practice struggles with managing complex systems development. Cost, schedule and performance are insufficient management focal points in the challenged world of system-of-systems development. Acknowledging the systems aspect in managing projects, and the problem solving methodologies of systems engineering provides a basis rooted in engineering to address the challenges of the system-of-systems program management. This paper is a survey of systems, management and the cognitive sciences. The intent is to identify system-of-systems management focal points that go beyond the methodism approach to project management prevalent today.