Tension between the PM and SE disciplines have its roots in the specialized practices and standards that are highly role specific and often have different measures of success. The project /program manager (PM) manages delivery while the chief systems engineer (SE) is often concerned with optimizing the components. If these roles are not working together closely, the result is often contention and conflict. Delivery of stakeholder value requires appropriate contributions from both areas of professional expertise. Program management has overall program accountability - the integration of effort, cost and schedule across multiple aligned projects. System engineering has accountability for the technical and system elements of the program - the definition and integration of a system. Each discipline should have an understanding of the other’s discipline. Effective communication between project management and system engineering is essential for mission accomplishment.
