A new book co-authored by Cornell systems engineer Daniel Selva offers a modern take on the science behind complex systems – from the architecture of a power grid to a mobile payment system or a constellation of satellites.

Selva, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, authored “System Architecture: Strategy and Product Development for Complex Systems” with Edward Crawley and Bruce Cameron, both of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where Selva got his doctorate. The book’s publisher is Pearson.

The culmination of more than 20 years of research and teaching at both MIT and Cornell, the book explores system architecture as the study of early decision-making in complex systems. Its focus is on experience and analysis in early-system decisions, and how to choose architectures that meet stakeholder needs, integrate easily and evolve flexibly.

With case studies written by leading practitioners, from hybrid cars to communications networks to aircraft, the work showcases the science and art of system architecture.