Alexander Kossiakoff - Systems Engineering Pioneer - Feb 2025
Alexander Kossiakoff, known as "Kossy," was a giant in the field of systems engineering. His 60-year career at Johns Hopkins' Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) was a testament to his passion for innovation, leadership, and mentorship. From pioneering solid propellant rocket technology to building satellites and radar systems, Kossy's contributions to national security and technological advancement are immeasurable. He served as APL's director for 11 years and continued working as chief scientist until his passing at the remarkable age of 91 in August 2005
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Relaunching INCOSE-CC History Blog - January 2025
Relaunch the INCOSE Chesapeake Chapter's history blog in 2025!
This collaboration is an opportunity to revisit the insightful and informative posts that have been shared over the years, and to gain knowledge from the experiences of our chapter members.
If you have an idea for a history blog post email communications or danoneilmn@gmail.com
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My Life with the XK-E - Part 2
George Anderson, ESEP, takes a reminiscent look at owning and supporting a 1968 Jaguar XK-E fixed head coupe (FHD). A lesson in participating in the inner workings of a Systems Life-Cycle, particularly the Utilization, Support and Retirement Stages. Part 2 George details his efforts in putting this car through the Maintenance, Logistics, and Disposal processes.
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My Life with the XK-E - Part 1
George Anderson, ESEP, takes a reminiscent look at owning and supporting a 1968 Jaguar XK-E fixed head coupe (FHD). A lesson in participating in the inner workings of a Systems Life-Cycle, particularly the Utilization, Support and Retirement Stages. Part 1 George details his initial impressions in putting this car through the Verification and Operations processes.
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Flying a Historic Cessna 195
George Anderson applies the Systems Engineering Operations Process described in the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook and ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288, and relives his flight of a historic Cessna 195 during some daunting operational challenges while piloting the thing for a short 70 mile flight.
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Do you have the Knack for Effective Troubleshooting?
Systems engineers are potentially the best candidates for being or becoming good troubleshooters. The INCOSE Handbook identifies maintenance as a technical process. Within this framework fault identification or troubleshooting is included as a sub-activity. Troubleshooting is a form of problem-solving that requires experience and often special skills like forensic engineering. George has some great stories about using Systems Engineering while troubleshooting. [image from AB Electrical & Communications Ltd — https://www.abelectricians.com.au/ - used by permission]
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Who said “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts”?
The phrase “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts” is well known and important to Systems Scientists and Systems Engineers alike. It’s like a short pithy definition of Emergence. And it is almost always automatically attributed to Aristotle. But what I want to know is this - Did he say it? Why did he say it? And in what context?
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CYBERTOPICA
George Anderson looks at our present day paranoia surrounding the lack of Cybersecurity and compares it to the history of the telegraph and ancient lock mechanisms.
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The Slide Rule—A Pathway to Powers
George Anderson makes the case that with the demise of the slide rule because of the invention of the calculator in 1972, engineers began to lose something that we will always need. That is a working understanding of math fundamentals.
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Lost at Sea: Latent Design Flaws in a USAF HC-130P Aircraft, Call Sign King 56
Systems thinking and the application of Systems Engineering (SE) processes are both necessary elements in the discovery and description of technical failures associated with some fatal aircraft accidents. The King 56 aircraft investigation was a fascinating search for forensic truth and George was part of the investigating team
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My First Transistor Radio- A Disruptive Techno-Social Experience
George Anderson reminisces about his first real engineering project - building a single transistor radio - and it's impact on his grandfather.
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Modeling the Mechanical Watch using The Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF)
George Anderson looks at watch making from a Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) point of view - with interesting results.
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How I was able to become part of the exclusive CSEP club
Paul Martin’s 2006 - 2007 experience in becoming an INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional. Was it hard? You bet. Was it worth it? You bet. Read about his 9 months and 11 day journey to SEP Certification. [Note: © SE Scholar 2007, reprinted by permission from the http://se-scholar.com/blog]
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A 19th Century Process called: Robert’s Rules of Order
While a lot of people have written guidelines on proper conduct of meetings, Robert’s Rules of Order (RRO) is unquestionably the most successful de facto standard ever published on this subject.
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What Does It Mean?
How do Systems Engineers deal with their complicated technical possessions?
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Systems Engineering in the Roman Empire
George Anderson highlights the work of a Roman citizen named Flavius Vegetius Renatus as he considers a process improvement proposal for the Emperor Valentinian to increase the Roman Legion military readiness levels.
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Emergence: The Mystery of Systems Engineering
Paul Martin explores the concept of Emergence - which is an immense mystery for the scientist and the systems engineer alike.
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Getting on the Step
The words of the pilot’s handbook describe the process of flying a heavy jet transport category aircraft to cruise altitude in a deceptively straightforward and uncomplicated manner. But George Anderson explains the actual complications involved.
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