System-of-Systems Navigator: An Approach for Managing System-of-Systems Interoperability

We have crossed a threshold where most of our large software systems can no longer be constructed as monoliths specified by a single, focused, and unified team; implemented as a unit; and tested to be within known performance limits. They are now constructed as groups of interoperating systems (as systems of systems) developed by different but sometimes related teams and made to interoperate through various forms of interfaces. Unfortunately, while we can easily conceive these large systems of systems, we have trouble building them. Software engineering practices have not kept pace, and the problem will only get worse as the community begins to build Internet-scale systems of systems like the Global Information Grid. This technical note introduces the System-of-Systems Navigator (SoS Navigator), the collection and codification of essential practices for building large-scale systems of systems. These practices have been identified through the work of the Integration of Software-Intensive Systems Initiative at the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute. SoS Navigator provides tools and techniques to characterize organizational, technical, and operational enablers and barriers to success in a system of systems; identify improvement strategies; and pilot and institutionalize these strategies.