The Business Case for Systems Engineering Study: Results of the Systems Engineering Effectiveness Survey
• SEI Report
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-2012-SR-009DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
10.1184/R1/6585080.v1Topic or Tag
Abstract
This report summarizes the results of a survey that had the goal of quantifying the connection between the application of systems engineering (SE) best practices to projects and programs and the performance of those projects and programs. The survey population consisted of projects and programs executed by system developers reached through the National Defense Industrial Association Systems Engineering Division (NDIA-SED), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (IEEE-AESS), and the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). Analysis of survey responses revealed strong statistical relationships between project performance and several categories of specific SE best practices. The survey results show notable differences in the relationship between SE best practices and performance between more challenging and less challenging projects. The statistical relationship with project performance is quite strong for survey data of this kind when both SE capability and project challenge are considered together.
Part of a Collection
The Business Case for Systems Engineering
Cite This SEI Report
Elm, J., & Goldenson, D. (2012, November 1). The Business Case for Systems Engineering Study: Results of the Systems Engineering Effectiveness Survey. (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2012-SR-009). Retrieved August 15, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585080.v1.
@techreport{elm_2012,
author={Elm, Joseph and Goldenson, Dennis},
title={The Business Case for Systems Engineering Study: Results of the Systems Engineering Effectiveness Survey},
month={Nov},
year={2012},
number={{CMU/SEI-2012-SR-009},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
doi={10.1184/R1/6585080.v1},
url={https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585080.v1},
note={Accessed: 2026-Aug-15}
}
Elm, Joseph, and Dennis Goldenson. "The Business Case for Systems Engineering Study: Results of the Systems Engineering Effectiveness Survey." (CMU/SEI-2012-SR-009). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, November 1, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585080.v1.
J. Elm, and D. Goldenson, "The Business Case for Systems Engineering Study: Results of the Systems Engineering Effectiveness Survey," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, SEI Report CMU/SEI-2012-SR-009, 1-Nov-2012 [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585080.v1. [Accessed: 15-Aug-2026].
Elm, Joseph, and Dennis Goldenson. "The Business Case for Systems Engineering Study: Results of the Systems Engineering Effectiveness Survey." (SEI Report CMU/SEI-2012-SR-009). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Nov. 2012. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585080.v1. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.
Elm, Joseph; & Goldenson, Dennis. The Business Case for Systems Engineering Study: Results of the Systems Engineering Effectiveness Survey. CMU/SEI-2012-SR-009. Software Engineering Institute. 2012. DOI: 10.1184/R1/6585080.v1. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585080.v1