Examples of MCS can be taken from a wide spectrum of systems: from sensitive defence systems, public services such as utilities to those supporting banking infrastructure and financial transactions. Failure of MCS can have catastrophic consequences for the businesses/organisations and their clients. Mission critical systems (MCS) are systems whose performance is fundamental to continued operation or even survival of businesses or organisations. Adopting systemic approaches increases process efficacy, leading to more reliable solutions, shorter development lead times and reduced costs.

Advances in ICT technologies provide an opportunity to access the wider sphere of knowledge and support the systemic innovation processes. This chapter describes the basic concepts and potential approaches that could be utilised to build intelligent systemic/systematic and collaborative environments for MCS innovation. This approach should run throughout the system and must include all aspects and stakeholders, utilising the skills and knowledge of all involved. Effective management of innovation introduction in complex systems require systemic/systematic processes that involve process management and collective analysis, scoping, decision-making and R&D which relies on effective information sharing.

Innovation in MCS often appears in small steps that affect the entire system due to their highly interdependent structures. Improving MCS however is considered with certain degrees of reluctance due to their sensitive role in organisations and the potential disruptive impact of unexpected consequences of change. Upgrading MCS performance is inevitable when capability enhancement is required or new technologies emerge. Mission critical systems (MCS) are complex nested hierarchies of systems, subsystems and components with defined purpose, characteristics, boundaries and interfaces, working in harmony to deliver vital organisational functionalities.

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