System Readiness Level Index

Revision as of 17:38, 19 February 2021

The System Readiness Level (SRL) index is an index of maturity applied at the system-level concept with the objective of correlating this indexing to anticipate the given uncertainty of systems engineering management principals ^[1]. The SRL of a given system is a function of individual Technology readiness levels (TRL) and the maturities of the links between them, which is defined based on a scale of integration readiness levels (IRLs). The resulting function of this interaction is then correlated to a five level SRL index. This SRL index is defined by the current state of development of a system in relation to the DoD’s Phases of Development for the Life Cycle Management Framework ^[2].

Background

Since the 1980’s the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has used technology readiness level (TRL) as a means to assess the maturity of a particular technology and a scale to compare technologies ^[3]. In 1999, the Department of Defense (DoD) embraced a similar TRL concept in their programs ^[4]. The TRL scale is a measure of maturity of an individual technology, with a view towards operational use in a system context ^[5]. A more comprehensive set of concerns become relevant when this assessment is abstracted from an individual technology to a system context, which may involve interplay between multiple technologies. Hence, TRL is not an end state to determining a system’s readiness based on ^[6]:

• TRL is only a measure of an individual technology and not systems readiness
• There is no method for integrating TRLs
• There is no proven, tested, systematic index of systems readiness

The System Readiness Level (SRL) incorporates the current TRL scale and introduce the concept of an integration readiness level (IRL) to dynamically calculate a SRL index.

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TRL

The TRLs are a method for estimating the maturity of technologies during the acquisition phase of a program. The use of TRLs enables consistent, uniform discussions of technical maturity across different types of technology.^[9] A technology's TRL is determined during a Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) that examines program concepts, technology requirements, and demonstrated technology capabilities. TRLs are based on a scale from 1 to 9 with 9 being the most mature technology ^[10] The US Department of Defense has used the scale for procurement since the early 2000s. By 2008 the scale was also in use at the European Space Agency (ESA) ^[11].

IRL

Integration readiness level (IRL) is a systematic measurement of the interfacing of compatible interactions for various technologies and the consistent comparison of the maturity between integration points (TRLs). IRL can be used to describe the integration maturity of a developing technology with another technology, developing or mature. The IRLs can check to where the technology is on an integration readiness scale, but also a direction for improving integration with other technologies. As TRL has been used to assess the risk associated with developing technologies, IRL is designed to assess the risk of integration. Valerdi and Kohl (2004) stated TRL does not accurately capture the risk involved in the adopting of a technology, and Smith (2005) showed that technologies can have an architectural inequality related to integration. As system’s complexity increases (i.e. a large interconnected network) there must be a reliable method and ontology for integration that allows TRLs to collectively combine for develop these complex systems.

The Five Level SRL Index

Limitations

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References

1. ↑ From TRL to SRL: The Concept of Systems Readiness Levels, B. Sauser Et al., 2006.
2. ↑ Dod Directive 5000.1, Department of Defense, 2005.
3. ↑ From TRL to SRL: The Concept of Systems Readiness Levels, B. Sauser Et al., 2006.
4. ↑ From TRL to SRL: The Concept of Systems Readiness Levels, B. Sauser Et al., 2006.
5. ↑ From TRL to SRL: The Concept of Systems Readiness Levels, B. Sauser Et al., 2006.
6. ↑ From TRL to SRL: The Concept of Systems Readiness Levels, B. Sauser Et al., 2006.
7. ↑ A Quantitative Analysis of System Readiness Level Plus (SRL+): Development of Readiness Level Measurement, N. Marlyana Et al., 2018.
8. ↑ Standard for Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and Projects. Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI), 2019. Retrieved from https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpSRMPPP01/standard-risk-management/standard-risk-management
9. ↑ Mihaly, Heder (September 2017). "From NASA to EU: the evolution of the TRL scale in Public Sector Innovation"(PDF). The Innovation Journal. 22: 1–23. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2017.
10. ↑ Mihaly, Heder (September 2017). "From NASA to EU: the evolution of the TRL scale in Public Sector Innovation"(PDF). The Innovation Journal. 22: 1–23. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2017.
11. ↑ EAS TRL Handbook