Engineering Execution Systems

Defining the system category

Engineering Execution Systems describe a class of systems concerned with the execution of engineering work itself.

They address how engineering progresses in practice once a product is defined, but before production execution becomes the dominant activity.

This system category does not emerge from new tools or technologies.
It emerges from a recurring structural gap in the existing enterprise system landscape.

While product definition, business planning, and manufacturing execution are well supported, the execution of engineering work is typically assumed rather than explicitly represented.

Engineering Execution Systems make this implicit domain explicit.
They treat engineering execution as a first-class object of system support, distinct from both product definition and production execution.

Engineering Execution Systems do not optimise planning or control production.
They make engineering execution itself observable.

Position in the system landscape

Engineering Execution Systems are positioned between established enterprise system classes.

They build on product structures originating in product definition systems and precede manufacturing execution by making engineering progress visible before production decisions are finalised.

This position reflects the reality of engineering-driven projects, where engineering continues in parallel with procurement, manufacturing, and assembly.

Comparative context

The distinction between Engineering Execution Systems and other system classes becomes clear when viewed comparatively:

• Engineering Execution Systems vs PLM
  PLM defines what the product is.
  Engineering Execution Systems observe whether the defined product is executable.
• Engineering Execution Systems vs ERP
  ERP plans resources, costs, and commitments.
  Engineering Execution Systems observe whether execution is structurally possible.
• Engineering Execution Systems vs MES
  MES governs production execution.
  Engineering Execution Systems precede this by exposing readiness before production begins.

Scope and boundaries

As a system category, Engineering Execution is defined by scope rather than implementation.

It represents engineering progress, coordination, and execution reality in complex projects.

Engineering Execution Systems:

• do not replace existing systems,
• do not subsume their responsibilities,
• and do not redefine organisational ownership.

Product definition, resource planning, and manufacturing execution remain within their respective system classes.

Engineering Execution Systems operate across tools and organisations.
They describe execution reality, not system workflows.

From category to execution principles

Once Engineering Execution is recognised as a distinct system category, recurring execution principles become visible across projects and industries.

These principles describe how execution behaves structurally, independent of processes or tools.

Examples include:

• Assembly-driven execution
• BOM-based planning
• Phase-based engineering execution

These principles form the analytical foundation for systems such as Product Flow.

Application contexts

Engineering Execution Systems are most relevant in environments where:

• engineering defines the project outcome,
• change is inherent to execution,
• and readiness cannot be inferred from plans alone.

Typical contexts include:

• Engineer-to-Order projects
• bespoke engineering
• complex assemblies with long engineering lead times

Engineering Execution Systems define a system category focused on engineering execution between product definition and production.