Systems engineering is not an exact science, nor is it a guarantee of good quality. It is an aid design, which is itself predicated on many assumptions. More than anything, it is a medium for communication management, especially in large-scale development projects. Creating something as complex as the Airbus 380 or a tunnel between Spain and Africa requires the involvement of numerous people, many of whom will never meet. First Read This provides a set of tools for keeping track of complex projects against the background of creative thinking and design practice. It is richly illustrated with examples of both successful and failed projects, with an emphasis on the aerospace industry, as well as fields ranging from painkiller packaging to game shows.