INTEGRATED SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
A Holistic Perspective
Assets are collections of independent systems built by different vendors. Each of these systems is comprised of subsystems assembled by different suppliers.... you get the idea.
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As complexity increases, it is not enough to ensure each system is operating independently. You need to make sure that the systems work together as a unit.
A group of star players is not a team until they learn to work together. Do not assume your systems will naturally.
Design
Engineering for Success
Meeting operational requirements does not mean your system is complete.  You have to consider how it will be used, who will be using it, and under what conditions.  The most advanced equipment can still be rendered useless if it cannot be controlled reliably.
Integration
Interfaces Hold The Key
Like the engine in the picture, how you integrate the components is just as important as how well you design each one of them. Every discipline has to seamlessly come together to ensure the asset is ready for operation.
Automation
Mechanization and Streamlining
It may sound counterintuitive, but automating an operation does not happen automatically.  In order to reap the benefits of improving quality, accuracy, and precision while at the same time saving resources requires in-depth understanding of the process itself and how it is affected by external stimuli.  Automation done wrong can turn out to be riskier and more expensive than "doing things the old-fashioned way".
