The INCOSE Podcast

Ep 4: Julia Mullaney - The Power of Engineering Quality, Data, and Facing Reality

In our latest episode, we sit down with Julia Mullaney, co-founder of Exceptional Difference, award-winning engineer, and leadership expert.    From her standout career at IBM to working alongside the legendary Watts Humphrey at the Software Engineering Institute, Julia brings an incredible, data-backed perspective on bridging the gap between engineering theory and daily project realities.    In this candid conversation, we talk about:   👉 The "Invisible" Savings of Quality: Why investing in early design and code reviews actually saves hundreds of hours—flipping the script on the misconception that quality is expensive.   👉 Managing Schedule Pressure: How technical leaders can find the courage to face reality, establish realistic commitments, and protect engineering standards.   👉 Coaching vs. Rescuing: Why the best mentors focus on building long-term capability within their teams rather than stepping in to "fix" every problem.   👉 The AI Boom: Her take on the rapid acceleration of AI, and why architectural wisdom and design thinking matter now more than ever.    Julia also shares invaluable advice for the next generation of engineers—and women entering technical leadership roles—on leading with value, relying on data as your protector, and embracing discomfort to fuel growth.    🎧 Listen to the full conversation now on the INCOSE website or your favorite podcast platform! https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/ [https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/]    #SystemsEngineering #SoftwareEngineering #TechnicalLeadership #WomenInSTEM #INCOSEPodcast #INCOSE

Ep 3: David Schrunk - Fixing Laws: A Systems Approach

Why do societal problems like poverty and crime persist, even when countries pass laws to solve them?    We often think the legislative process—drafting a bill, debating it, and enacting it—is the ultimate solution. But David Schrunk, President of the Science of Laws Institute, argues that we have it backwards. In the latest INCOSE Podcast, David explores why the traditional lawmaking method used in many nations fails to define problems, measure outcomes, or ensure effectiveness.    What if we treated legislation like any other complex system? From Japan’s "Agile Governance" framework to new policy-engineering initiatives in Mongolia, countries around the world are beginning to explore how we can apply systems engineering rigor to the "system of systems" that is modern government.  Learn more at www.scienceoflaws.org [http://www.scienceoflaws.org]   Listen to the full episode to hear how systems engineering can serve as a universal tool for better governance. 🎧

Ep 2: Jimmie McEver - Complexity, Cyber Risk, and Mission Success

Are we designing systems, or are we truly thinking in systems?    In the second episode of the INCOSE Podcast, we sit down with Dr. @Jimmie McEver, the Principal Scientist in the Cyber Operations Mission Area at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.     With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of national security and cyber operations, Dr. McEver brings a unique "back door" perspective—rooted in physics and public policy—to the systems engineering community.    Key Takeaways from the Conversation:    ✅Mastering the art of zooming between high-level stakeholder needs and granular technical details.  ✅Shifting focus from technical vulnerabilities to ensuring operational success in contested environments.  ✅Why the next generation of engineers must move beyond rigid methods to embrace deep uncertainty and flexibility.  ✅How to manage systems that are no longer just complicated, but deeply intertwined with human behavior.    Whether you are navigating AI-enabled systems or managing complex systems of systems, this episode offers a refreshing framework for building robustness in an unpredictable world.    👉 Listen to the full episode here: https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/ [https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/]

Ep 1: Michael Watson — From NASA to INCOSE on Systems Engineering’s Next Frontier

📢We are thrilled to announce the launch of The INCOSE Podcast!     To kick off our very first episode, we have the distinct honor of hosting Michael D. Watson, the new President of INCOSE and a widely respected leader in the systems engineering community.    In this premiere episode, Watson dives deep into the evolving landscape of our discipline, sharing insights from his 30-year career at NASA and his vision for the future of INCOSE.    What’s inside this episode:    ✅How the INCOSE President balances his role at Leidos with leading the international systems engineering community.  ✅A look at the "elegant system" and why systems engineers own the interactions.  ✅Why we need a tool bag of six different modeling types—from physics-based to system dynamics—to handle modern complexity.  ✅Understanding the critical human and organizational dimensions of engineering.  ✅Moving systems engineering toward a foundation of mathematical and physical science basis.    🤝A huge thank you to Weber State University for making this debut possible.