Addressing Common Obstacles to Digital Engineering

Digital engineering holds great promise for defense organizations-if they can implement the discipline. But for some organizations, that has been an elusive goal.

While digital engineering tools are getting better than ever, many engineers are reluctant to use them, still preferring more conventional system engineering approaches. Others use the tools, but in inconsistent and inefficient ways. These problems are making it difficult for defense organizations to get the breakthrough benefits of digital engineering-including a much greater ability to keep pace with rapid changes in missions, user requirements, and emerging technologies.

It doesn't have to be this way. By adopting clear and consistent digital engineering strategies, defense organizations can encourage systems engineers and others to use digital tools, and use them in the right ways. Such strategies-particularly those governing clear use cases, tools usage strategy, and common lexicons and taxonomies-will help organizations get the full value of digital engineering.