Thomas Munster

SIG

Advancing Systems Engineering in the Infrastructure sector

Bio.
Thomas Munster is senior advisor in systems engineering and project-based working at the Province of North Holland for eight years, focusing on infrastructure projects. He is involved in projects concerning the renewal of roads, waterways, bridges and similar assets. His work includes implementing systems engineering processes and the development of analysis methods, such as TOMs, context analysis and the requirements management application.

Thomas holds a master’s degree in Construction Process Management from the University of Twente. He worked for nine years at the Municipality of Amsterdam in various roles, concerning Amsterdam’s first projects using UAV-GC contracts. In this capacity, he played a central role in implementing UAV-GC and requirements engineering in Amsterdam.

Abstract.

Twenty years after the publication of the first Dutch Guideline for Systems Engineering in the Civil
Engineering sector, Systems Engineering (SE) has become widely adopted. Concepts such as
stakeholder requirements, functional decomposition, specifications, object breakdown structures,
verification, and validation are now an integral part of infrastructure projects.
Yet despite this widespread adoption, many projects still struggle to realize the full value of
Systems Engineering. SE processes are often implemented inefficiently, creating unnecessary
overhead instead of enabling better project outcomes. In practice, the original intent of Systems
Engineering can become obscured by misconceptions, organizational boundaries, contractual
interfaces, and differing interpretations between clients and contractors, to name a few reasons.
The Infrastructure Special Interest Group (SIG Infrastructure) of INCOSE-NL believes that
Systems Engineering in the infrastructure sector is ready for its next step in maturity. Our
ambition is to improve the effectiveness of SE application, enabling project teams to achieve
better results, work more efficiently, and reduce misunderstandings between contracting and
contracted parties.
To support this ambition, we have launched an initiative consisting of three steps:
1. Identifying and collecting successful examples of SE application in infrastructure projects.
2. Uncovering and discussing common misconceptions about Systems Engineering.
3. Defining opportunities for the further development and maturation of SE practices in the
infrastructure sector.
During the past months, the SIG Infrastructure conducted a survey within the professional
community to gather success stories of Systems Engineering in practice. In this interactive
workshop, we will present the first findings and explore the key lessons together with participants.
Building on these insights, we will take the first steps into the second phase of the initiative:
identifying the misconceptions that continue to limit the effective use of Systems Engineering.
Through facilitated discussions, participants will help determine which misconceptions have the
greatest impact and where the community should focus its efforts to drive improvement.
Are you curious about the factors that help Systems Engineering succeed in infrastructure
projects? Do you recognize persistent misunderstandings that prevent teams from realizing its full
potential? And would you like to contribute to shaping the future development of Systems
Engineering in the infrastructure sector?
Then join this workshop and become part of the conversation. Together, we can help move
Systems Engineering in the infrastructure sector to the next level of maturity.