For over 80 years, systems engineering has helped America
lead in science, technology, industry, and business. Now, systems engineering can help us address our most difficult
social, economic, envronmental, and political problems.
Welcome to My Website!
Hi. I'm Jim Hartung.
Hyper-partisan politics is dividing America. Lawmakers and policymakers need a process to overcome partisan politics and address our most serious problems. This is a daunting task, since so many forces are pulling us apart. We need better processes to bring us together!
I have developed a new approach to address this age-old problem, using systems engineering (SE), the process engineers use to develop complex products such as aircraft and spacecraft. SE has been used successfully in science, technology, industry, and business for over 80 years. It is a core process for engineering, just as the scientific method is a core process for science.
SE is an inherently nonpartisan process because it (1) considers the needs of all stakeholders and uses facts and data to optimize a product or system and (2) balances opposing interests, conflicting objectives, and many constraints.
I have used systems engineering (SE) for nearly 40 years while working for Boeing, United Technologies, Rockwell International, and the US Navy (Admiral Rickover). My plan is based on this experience, and especially my experience using SE on highly political programs such as the International Space Station.
The SE Process
Until now, SE has been used primarily to develop physical productss and systems. However, I have developed a simple six-step process for using SE to develop practical, nonpartisan solutions for difficult social, economic, environmental, and political problems.
This six-step process, illustrated in the figure on the right, has enabled me to develop proposals to address many of America's most urgent problems such as (1) inequality, (2) discrimination, (3) healthcare, (4) education, (5) climate change and other environmental issues, (6) tax reform, (7) the justice system, (8) immigration, (9) governance, and (10) international relations.
Learn More By Clicking on the Above Images
The first image is a video, Rational Politics, which summarizes my plan to use SE to improve America's political system. You can watch this (7-minute) video by clicking on its image (above).
The second image is a booklet, Bridge the Partisan Divide, which is an advance copy of an article that will be published in INSIGHT, the quarterly journal of INCOSE (International Council on Systems Engineering) in August 2021. You can download this 15-page booklet for free by clicking on its image (above).
The third image is book, Rational Tax Reform. It describes my plan in detail, using tax reform as an example. You can learn more about this book by clicking on its image (above). You can also purchase this book from Amazon and most other bookstores.
The fourth image is a presentation, Ten Moonshots to Revitalize America. It describes (1) the top ten actions the U.S. can take to address our most urgent problems and (2) how I used SE and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to develop them. These ten actions are summarized in the figure on the right.
These ten Moonshots are not utopian ideas, but practical, nonpartisan solutions that can be implemented today and largely completed in ten years, just like the Apollo program in the 1960s. You can download this presentation for free by clicking on its image (above).
The Path Forward
My vision is that SE will become the "go to" process for lawmakers and policymakers addressing social, economic, environmental, and political problems, just as it is now the "go to" process for engineers developing complex products and systems.
This may seem like an impossible dream. However, during my career, I have seen how SE can transform a large, complex, highly political program such as the International Space Station from near-failure to success in just one to two years. So now, I am convinced that Congress and the president can incorporate SE into the lawmaking process and become much more effective in just one or two years. If Congress and the president lead in using the SE process, state and local governments, public policy organizations, policymakers, and international organizations can follow their example. This will help bridge the partisan divide and improve the political process at all levels of government.
Please contact me to initiate a discussion or if you have questions, comments, or suggestions.
Hi. I'm Jim Hartung.
The SE Process
The fourth image is a presentation, Ten Moonshots to Revitalize America. It describes (1) the top ten actions the U.S. can take to address our most urgent problems and (2) how I used SE and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to develop them. These ten actions are summarized in the figure on the right.