Rebalancing Agility and Discipline in the Era of AI

Rebalancing Agility and Discipline in the Era of AI

Tech Talk, Upcoming Meeting/Tech Talk

The October monthly meeting is on October 14th from 4:00-5:00 PM ET. Our tech talk will be presented by Jeff Schwalb

October 14, 2026

4:00-5:00PM US/Eastern

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SEA Members: the meeting URL is in your calendar invitation, so you do not need to register on EventBrite.

Abstract

Background: For years, organizations building high-stakes, safety-critical software systems relied on rigorous, front-end quality standards. Methods like the Team Software Process℠ (TSP℠) and formal design inspections eliminated defects early in the life cycle. Over the past two decades, the widespread shift to Agile methodologies rapidly increased delivery speeds. However, it also dismantled those disciplined front-end quality techniques. This shifted defect discovery dangerously close to late-stage testing and live deployment.

The Problem: The rapid integration of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has fundamentally broken the equilibrium between speed and system safety. By prioritizing raw code velocity over architectural integrity, AI tool sets can create an illusion of progress while acting as a “firehose of defects.” In high-criticality systems, this introduces hidden vulnerabilities, logic flaws, and software hallucinations.

The Solution: This talk revisits the foundational premise of Barry Boehm and Richard Turner’s classic book, Balancing Agility with Discipline. It applies their core ideas directly to the modern era of AI-driven software development. The presentation outlines a modern “Speed with Discipline” framework. This approach is designed to re-establish engineering guardrails without sacrificing competitive agility.

About the Presenter 

Jeff Schwalb is a computer scientist who has been supporting Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) since 1984. During his first 20 years, he developed and maintained real-time embedded software systems for avionics, weapons, and range instrumentation systems. Starting in 1994, Jeff also began collaborating with the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), learning and applying CMM key practices, becoming a certified Personal Software Process℠ (PSP℠) instructor and then a certified Team Software Process℠ (TSP℠) coach. Over the last 30 years, he has taught and consulted with hundreds of scientists and engineers in various forms of personal engineering processes, and has also coached dozens of projects in the launch and operation of highly effective team practices.

Take Control: Exceptional Agile Planning and Tracking

Take Control: Exceptional Agile Planning and Tracking

Tech Talk, Past Presentation

The September 2026 Tech Talk was presented by David Tuma

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Abstract

Agile methods have transformed software development, improving customer satisfaction and accelerating speed-to-value. Yet many teams routinely hit an “agile glass ceiling.” If you’ve grappled with missed commitments, schedule overruns, and unpredictable delivery despite following agile best practices, you are not alone.

This presentation describes a practical, proven approach to planning and tracking that helps teams to be more agile as they make and keep commitments, improve predictability, and delight their customers. You’ll also see a newly-available suite of tools that makes these techniques simple to adopt and integrate into existing agile workflows.

About the Presenter 

David Tuma is a graduate of MIT, with a passion for exceptional software development. He has contributed to the success of numerous projects in roles ranging from architecture to coding and security assessment to causal analysis, and project management to coaching. 

In his support for exceptional practices, he created an open-source toolset called the Process Dashboard, which has been used by tens of thousands of developers worldwide. He is actively continuing this vision with the development of Exceptional Agile apps for Jira and other tools.

David is an active member of the SEA Executive Team, the SEA Data Warehouse Working Group, and the SEA Exceptional Agile Working Group.

Accelerating DSE: Driving Adoption and Transition at NAVAIR/NAWCWD

Accelerating DSE: Driving Adoption and Transition at NAVAIR/NAWCWD

Tech Talk, Past Presentation

The August 2026 Tech Talk was presented by Jennifer Ambrecht and Wendy Chang

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Abstract

While the engineering community is increasingly familiar with what Digital Systems Engineering (DSE) is, the true challenge often lies in execution, adoption, and cultural shift. This tech talk moves beyond the foundational definitions to explore the strategic imperatives and practical methodologies for implementing DSE in today’s demanding environment.

During this session, we will discuss exactly why it is crucial for our workforce to learn and apply DSE principles to modernize our capabilities, and why DSE is the necessary future of system development. Furthermore, we will delve into the how: outlining effective learning pathways for individuals and providing actionable strategies to help existing and future projects successfully transition to DSE frameworks. Join us to gain insight into how NAVAIR/NAWCWD is actively accelerating this digital transformation to meet future mission requirements.

How AI Is Impacting MBSE: From Documents to Prompts, Agents, and Pipelines

How AI Is Impacting MBSE: From Documents to Prompts, Agents, and Pipelines

Tech Talk, Past Presentation

The July 2026 Tech Talk was presented by Will Walker

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Abstract

Model-Based Systems Engineering has spent a decade fighting the same battles: knowledge trapped in documents, modeling done by hand from a blank page, context siloed across a dozen tools, and a dependence on scarce experts. Artificial intelligence is now reshaping every one of those fronts and faster than most teams realize.

This talk is a grounded tour of how AI is genuinely impacting MBSE today, drawn from real, presented case studies by Ford, Dassault Systèmes, Capgemini, Quest Defense, and others. We’ll walk through six concrete impact areas: AI generating valid SysML v2 models from a single prompt; AI extracting formal, queryable models from legacy sketches and documents; automated failure and safety analysis (DFMEA) with reported 60–80% effort reductions; and of particular interest to a software audience, treating models like code, with CI/CD pipelines, the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and agentic “sense–decide–act” workflows driving the modeling tools themselves.

Just as importantly, we’ll separate signal from hype. The teams succeeding with AI all do the same unglamorous things first: they standardize with style guides and reuse libraries, and they keep a human in the verification loop. Attendees will leave with a clear mental map of where AI fits in MBSE, an honest view of the risks, hallucination, skill atrophy, IP exposure, and vendor over-promising — and a practical, five-step roadmap for adopting AI in their own practice starting Monday.

Key takeaways:

  • The center of gravity for AI in MBSE is generation and extraction, turning prompts, sketches, and legacy documents into valid, connected models.
  • Standardize before you automate: style guides and reuse libraries are what make AI output trustworthy.
  • Treat models like code, CI/CD and MCP turn one-off generation into continuous, agent-driven workflows.
  • AI augments engineering judgment; it doesn’t replace it, human verification is non-negotiable.

About the Presenter 

Will Walker is the founder of CameoMagic, where he helps organizations adopt Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), SysML, Digital Engineering, and AI-enabled engineering practices. Through consulting, training, and online educational content, he works with engineers across government and industry to improve system development workflows and model-based practices. As the creator of the CameoMagic YouTube Channel, he regularly shares tutorials, demonstrations, and insights on Cameo/CATIA Magic, SysML, AI agents, automation, and the future of digital engineering.

Why Battle-Tested Software Engineering Still Matters in the Age of AI

Why Battle-Tested Software Engineering Still Matters in the Age of AI

Tech Talk, Past Presentation

The June 2026 Tech Talk was presented by Mario Benitez

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Abstract

While use of AI in developing and maintaining software is increasing globally, this use is relatively new, and proven practices for using AI effectively are still emerging. There are different ways to use AI, but their effectiveness varies with use cases, lifecycle phases, and practice variations. Activities like prototyping can move incredibly quickly, but product quality does not come for free and sharp increases in technical debt can result if software engineers do not use AI responsibly.  

Software engineering principles and practices can provide significant value in guiding the use of AI in development. This talk shares observations and lessons from both personal use of AI and study of its application across multiple projects. The talk will explore different modes of AI usage from code assistants to agentic workflows, and the gap between “vibe coding” and disciplined software engineering. Finally, it will examine how AI is changing the development equation by increasing pressure as code is produced in larger volumes and at a faster pace than teams can validate and integrate incrementally.

About the Presenter 

Mario Benitez is a software architect at Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute (SEI), where he works across Department of Defense and other government agency initiatives, from architecting large-scale systems to advancing software architecture practices. With over 20 years of experience in software engineering, he has built and delivered complex, high-reliability systems, including those in safety-critical environments. Prior to joining SEI, he spent 15 years in the railway industry, progressing from tester to product owner while leading the development of globally-deployed systems. He currently focuses on the practical application of artificial intelligence to enhance large-scale software modernization, enabling organizations to transform complex systems more efficiently and effectively.