System Engineering

Summary form only given. All large undertakings must be divided and subdivided into parts of suitable size tor application of group and individual effort if they are to be brought to successful conclusion. This, at necessity, develops specialists who are expert in relatively narrow fields. Communication engineering is no exception to this rule and we find an ever-growing specialization with many engineers working in increasingly narrow fields. The very existence of the professional groups of the IRE is evidence of the growth of specialization. Important as this process of subdivision is, the success of a large undertaking cannot be achieved unless these parts are again integrated into an orderly entirety. These parts are but the links of the chain and to be useful they must be joined in a proper manner. In the communication field there is an important body of engineers concerned, not with the design of individual circuit elements or apparatus items, but with the combination of these elements to provide needed communication facilities. These men are not only engaged in the engineering of communication systems using available elements, but are also analyzing communication projects to subdivide them into parts of manageable size for attack by groups of speclalists. They coordinate the work of specialists and integrate the product to provide complete cormnunication systems. The Professional Group on Conmnmieatlons Systems (PGCS) should be especially valuable to these engineers.