Experienced systems engineers are adept at more than implementing systems engineering processes : they utilize systems thinking to solve complex engineering problems . Within the space industry demographics and economic pressures are reducing the number of experienced systems engineers that will be available in the future . Collaborative systems thinking within systems engineering teams is proposed as a way to integrate systems engineers of various experience levels to handle complex systems engineering challenges . This paper uses the GOES - R Program Systems Engineering team to illustrate the enablers and barriers to team level systems thinking and to identify ways in which performance could be improved . Ways NASA could expand its engineering training to promote team - level systems thinking are proposed .