INSIGHT Special Feature on Natural Systems
Edited by Dr. Lawrence D. Pohlmann, Owner, Strategics
Abstract
The NSWG focuses on helping the systems engineering community understand why, how, and when to ask: “What would Nature do?” The primary goal of the group is to influence systems engineering processes to appropriately consider natural systems data and solution concepts as sources of process and design inspiration.
Toward this end, the NSWG developed a feature issue of INSIGHT that addressed natural systems. This approach would potentially reach the entire INCOSE community. The result was the April 2016 issue.
A group of 13 articles was developed. They discussed wide ranging perspectives on ways the systems engineering community may draw inspiration from nature.
This presentation provides a brief introduction and overview to each of the articles in the issue. Of special note is the article by George Studor, the NSWG founder, on the extensive and diverse interests in and inspirations from natural systems by the US National Aerospace and Space Administration.
Biography
Dr. Lawrence D. Pohlmann is a founding member of INCOSE (membership #9) and has served in several elected and appointed positions. He was the appointed “technical director and board' from 1991 to 1993 and helped to initiate and direct efforts for the first 10 working groups. He wrote the Council's first Strategic Plan in 1996. He was the INCOSE Founders Award recipient in 2000.
His work in academia, government, and small and large business industry settings included engineering and management positions in systems engineering, software engineering, ergonomics, and business development. He has led or participated in process improvement in several contexts.
Pohlmann has published and presented extensively. He continues to write for a living by helping clients to develop proposals for large contracts.
Since 2013, he has largely focused his INCOSE efforts on participation with the NSWG. During 1914-15, he was the coordinator of the NSWG Webinar Series.