5.1.1 THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER IN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Some engineers regard the project manager as an obstacle to overcome in the systems engineering process. Their view is that the manager's obsession with program costs, concerns about making timely delivery, and interpretations of customer nuances work against the process. This paper suggests that, far from being an impedance, the project manager can be a facilitator of a balanced systems engineering approach. At the same time, engineers must appreciate and understand the project manager's role and work with him to avoid adversarial relationships. This paper reviews the role of the project manager in the systems engineering process and explores ways that he and the project engineers can work together to ensure application of good systems engineering practices in the development of the product while giving attention to the project manager's concerns. © 1995 The Authors.