Fitzgerald Systems

Author: Terry Fitzgerald

  • Stigmergy – a strategy to unlock mass collaboration?

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    TL;DR: The article explores how the concept of stigmergy—a self-organizing principle observed in ants—can be applied to enable large-scale human collaboration. By leaving visible traces of work and inviting others to build upon them, a 25-person group project was successfully completed without centralized control. This decentralized, trace-based approach led to a more creative and inclusive…

  • Combating New World Screwworm: Innovative Sterile Insect Technique Explained

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    Increase the number of flies to decrease the number of screwworms?? I’ve been reading an unhealthy amount into the plague that is the New World Screwworm (NWS) after I saw articles introducing the strategy to stop the spread of this live-flesh eating larva, which devastates livestock, is to air drop billions upon billions of these…

  • TL;DR SE Newsletter – June 2025

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    The BLUF without the fluff. TL;DR: INCOSE SE Handbook Study Group The March 2025 cohort is quickly coming to a close and the July 2025 (July 7th) is just around the corner. Fitzgerald Systems is committed to the Study Group format because it delivers results: providing a systematic way to crush the handbook whilst giving…

  • Project Gordon

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    The outcome of Project Gordon seeks to disrupt the Systems Engineering professional development experience by radically improving the efficiency of understanding and retaining of key concepts from the INCOSE SE Handbook v5. This post seeks to provide an introduction to the project’s main deliverable, provide weekly snapshot to the project status as well as share…

  • TL;DR SE Newsletter – Mar 2025

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    The BLUF without the fluff. TL;DR: 2nd INCOSE SE Handbook Study Group Cohort of 2025 is underway March 24th saw the kick off of the second cohort of 2025 and this time I’m joined by a group as geographically diverse as Japan and Washington State! Presently we’re just about to tackle Organizational Project-Enabling Processes and…

  • INCOSE SE Handbook Study Group Report – Jan 13th 2025

    INCOSE SE Handbook Study Group Report – Jan 13th 2025

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    TL;DR: The INCOSE SE Handbook Study Group successfully completed a six-week program focused on version 5 of the handbook. Regular quizzes provided valuable feedback, and performance tracking showed stable results. Attendance remained high, closing at 93%. A closing survey revealed that 100% of participants found the study group valuable, with 71% recommending it to others.…

  • TL;DR SE Newsletter – Feb 2025

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    The BLUF without the fluff: Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lands on the Moon Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost spacecraft successfully lands in Mare Crisium in the NE quadrant of the Near Side of the moon on March 2nd, 2025 after 45 days in transition from Earth. The mission is part of the overall NASA’s Commercial Lunar…

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Why It Matters and How to Make It Work

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Why It Matters and How to Make It Work

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    TL;DR: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) can improve decision-making and enhance business performance when implemented strategically. However, many DEI programs fail due to compliance-driven approaches, lack of leadership buy-in, and weak accountability. Successful DEI initiatives integrate diversity of thought with business objectives, fostering resilience and market adaptability. Companies that embed DEI into their culture and…

  • TL;DR SE Newsletter – Jan 2025

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    The BLUF without the fluff: US DoD releases Mission Architecture Style Guide   A guide that reportedly informs practitioners how to apply the Mission Engineering Guide released earlier in 2023. Perhaps next year we’ll see a guide on the guide on the guide. There’s plenty of recursion in SE and these guys are recursively a step…

  • Joint Concepts: A Framework to Bridge Strategy and Operations

    Joint Concepts: A Framework to Bridge Strategy and Operations

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    Terry Fitzgerald
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    Joint concepts, as outlined by the US DoD, guide military operations by addressing capability gaps through innovative solutions and new technologies. They encompass a taxonomy of concepts, an annual review process, and a structured outline for developing actionable capabilities. This framework also holds potential for civilian applications in strategic planning and risk management.