SYSE.15:11 - SoTA and Source Use
When choosing engineering Methods, distinguish the Methods, their descriptions and the Work performed by applying them. A framework or source bundle may contain several Method structures and other useful contributions; recover those needed by the project and improve the arrangement in response to observed loss. Research, modeling, realization, integration, configuration, platform, assurance and source-recovery Work can make different contributions to continuing engineering.
| Source line | Retained contribution | Limit and guard |
|---|---|---|
| Henderson-Sellers and Ralyté 2010, Tsai, Zdravkovic, and Söder 2023, Bender 2024, and Ralyté, Koutsopoulos, and Stirna 2025 | Situational Method construction and adaptation candidates, plus separate consistency, fit, and practical-worth questions. | Much of the evidence concerns information systems, business processes, and modeling Methods; source-local fragments, roles, and artifacts do not transfer automatically to physical engineering. |
| ISO/IEC/IEEE 24774:2021 and OMG Essence | Current process- and practice-description comparisons. | Institutional status and conformance do not prove Method identity, fit, composition, or worth. |
| DORA Continuous Integration, DORA Streamlining Change Approval, DORA Platform Engineering, and Zampetti et al. 2022 | Bounded evidence for small changes, fast feedback, frequent integration, risk-sensitive approval, platform use, and mixed cyber-physical cadence. | Evidence is heterogeneous and predominantly software or technology Work; it does not prescribe one cadence or automation level for every engineered System. |
| Becker et al. 2025, METR February 2026, METR task-substitution note, METR self-report study, Agarwal, He, and Vasilescu 2026, Pradas Gomez et al. 2025, and Luke et al. 2026 | Conflicting evidence that AI-capable Systems can change speed, value, quality, maintainability, task mix, and integration differently. | Software dominates the evidence; bounded studies and self-reports establish neither autonomous performance of all engineering Work nor transfer of authority. |
A new source, tool, or AI release reopens only the Method choice, evidence claim, applicability condition, or protected loss that it can change. Novelty alone does not restore a discarded framework.