8. Conclusion

Architecture and engineering complement each other to tackle the definition, design, development, acquisition and evolution of complex artificial systems.

Architecture is the overall knowledge and vision that enables systems engineering, disciplinary or cross-disciplinary engineering, and other functions (production, support, etc.) to move forward and work together in a single direction.

The development of the latter is based on methods, techniques and modes of reasoning that differ from those of engineering, and on a certain number of concepts illustrated in figure 2. Where engineering is broadly a problem-solving approach, architecture is more a forward-looking approach to the elaboration of possible and plausible futures. Recognizing this difference, and the necessary complementarity between architecture and engineering, is a key factor...