Abstract: The codification of business and governmental processes in software systems means that an organization’s ability to adapt to its environment is highly dependent on its ability to effectively adapt its software systems. As software systems grow in size and become more interconnected, effective adaptation becomes increasingly difficult. Fast cycle iterative development methodologies such as Agile and architectures such as Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) are the most visible attempts to address the issue. A small but growing alternative is Complex Systems Engineering (CxSE), also termed Enlightened Evolutionary Engineering (e3). CxSE as a formal discipline is in its infancy but variations are already proving their worth in organizations such as Google. I will describe the problematic aspects of systems development in large organizations. I will then discuss CxSE as a discipline and potential option. I will give special attention to the not-so-simple issue of how an organization can migrate from a control focused approach to a more exploratory CxSE approach.