ABSTRACT
Understanding the characteristics that distinguish mega-systems from other, ◾ more traditional notions of systems Exploring and extending our understanding of how to engineer and ◾ acquire them
4.1 Basis for the Framework This framework builds on two fundamental tenets. The first recognizes that projects that require systems engineering, even those of similar types, exhibit fundamental
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differences that can be identified and described. In fact, we believe that a project should be characterized along multiple dimensions, including not only what is being engineered, but also the context in which it is being engineered and acquired and the context in which the resulting system will operate or be used. The second tenet builds on the first. It asserts that these fundamental differences among systems and projects may warrant different engineering and acquisition strategies and approaches.
