The INCOSE Podcast

New INCOSE Podcast episode alert! In the latest installment of the official INCOSE Podcast, we sit down with expert consultant, speaker, and award-winning author Alan Willett (*Leading the Unleadable*, *Lead with Speed*). From his early days writing code on ticker tape to leading complex systems engineering initiatives at Xerox and Carnegie Mellon’s Software Engineering Institute, Alan shares profound lessons on engineering high-performing organizations. Tune in to discover: ✅Why culture dictates behavior and why "hurrying up to test" is a flawed strategy ✅The power of asking for credible commitments instead of just plans ✅How technical debt silently drains organizational speed and how to crush it ✅Practical frameworks for managing difficult team dynamics with empathy 🎧 Listen to the full episode on your favorite streaming platform or at https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/  #INCOSE #SystemsEngineering #TechLeadership #EngineeringManagement #INCOSEPodcast 

How can Amazon River turtle eggs, ant colony behavior, and submarine operations help us design more resilient systems?   In the latest episode of the INCOSE Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Bryan Watson, Assistant Professor of Systems Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, founder of the Biologically Inspired Design-for-Resilience (BID4R) Lab, and Chair of the INCOSE Technical Program Committee.   Key takeaways from their conversation include: ✅Lessons from the Nuclear Navy: How Dr. Watson's eight years as a submarine officer shaped his understanding of socio-technical resilience and real-world complex systems.  ✅Bio-Inspired Resilience: How functional abstraction allows us to translate natural survival behaviors—like turtle egg communication and ant task reallocation—into robust algorithms for drone swarms and supply chains.  ✅IS 2027 Preview: Insights into technical programming for Washington, D.C., plus details on the new $99 Student Access-Only Registration Tier (lottery opening this fall!).   Whether you’re interested in autonomous swarms, system-of-systems architecture, or bridging academic research with industry practice, this episode is packed with practical insights.   🎧 Listen and follow wherever you get your favorite podcasts!  

“I like to use the word tinker. That's really what we’ve got to replace failure with—tinkering—because we have to instill curiosity and imagination."    In our latest episode, we sit down with Tony Lindeman, ESEP-Acq, PMP—former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, NASA/DoD systems engineering veteran, and Chair of the INCOSE Chapter Advisory Committee (CAC).   In this wide-ranging conversation, Tony breaks down:  🔹 How the CAC ensures the voices of 70+ chapters reach the Board of Directors  🔹 Strategies for chapter growth and leadership succession  🔹 Why investing in students and early-career pros builds the future of systems engineering   🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or on the INCOSE Podcast webpage.  https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/ #INCOSE #INCOSEPodcast #AssociationManagement #SystemsEngineering

Is your technology supporting your life, or just interrupting it? 🤔  In our latest episode of the INCOSE Podcast, we’re tackling a question that affects every one of us: How can we cultivate a healthier relationship with technology when everything is constantly competing for our attention?   We are joined by Amber Case, cyborg anthropologist, author, and founder of the Calm Tech Institute. Amber brings a fascinating perspective on why so much of today’s technology feels exhausting and how we can shift toward a design philosophy that respects the human experience.   In this episode, we explore: ✅The rise of Calm Tech: Why technology should be designed to be intuitive and invisible when in use, acting as a pass-through tool rather than a constant interruption.  ✅The "Sensory Deprivation" of current design: A look at why we feel more depleted using flat-screen interfaces compared to physical tools that engage our senses and our back brain.  ✅Certification for the future: Amber shares insights into the Calm Tech Institute’s work in certifying products that are imaginative, durable, and delightful, prioritizing long-term utility over short-term engagement.   If you’re looking to reclaim a little more of your attention, this conversation offers actionable insights into designing a more human-centered future.   🎧 Listen to the full episode on the INCOSE website or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.  #INCOSE #SystemsEngineering #CalmTech #HumanCenteredDesign #INCOSEPodcast #TechnologyEthics

New Episode Alert! 🎧 Rethinking Complexity with Dr. Laura Cabrera  Whether you are designing complex architectures or just trying to get your kids to take out the trash, you are navigating a "wicked problem." But how aware are you of how you think?   In our latest podcast episode, INCOSE sits down with Cornell researcher and author Dr. Laura Cabrera to strip away the academic jargon and make systems thinking practical for leaders and engineers alike.   Key highlights from the episode include: 💡The 34,000-Person Study: Why human problem-solving teams consistently struggle with seeing relationships and taking alternative perspectives.  💡The DSRP Framework: How mastering Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives gives you a diagnostic toolkit for complex projects.  💡Ditching the "Root Cause" Myth: A brilliant 10-hole leaking roof analogy that proves why complex webs of causality require multi-pronged solutions, not linear thinking.   Before you operationalize your next big project, tune in to discover how building a better mental model can bring clarity to your team and get your work closer to reality.   👉 Listen now on the INCOSE website and your favorite podcast platform! https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/  #SystemsEngineering #SystemsThinking #INCOSEPodcast #INCOSE