The benefits of systems engineering

Summary

The scope for this Wiki article is to explore the possibilities of systems engineering being more beneficial compared to other management concepts. In this article a presentation of the basic concept of systems engineering will be made followed by a comparison with other management approaches such as:

• Project management

• …

and a reflection on their different mind-sets and frameworks. The inspiration for this article are the need for knowledge and understanding in how the different management approaches can influence a project and how these concepts can contribute to the building process being more efficient.

(Insert final result of the comparison)

Introduction to systems engineering (SE)

Fundamentals of concept

The basic concept of systems engineering is to have an interdisciplinary approach by involving knowledge, methods, terminology and expertise from different kinds of disciplines and by this allow successful systems. The focus is to define customers required functionality and needs for a specific project in an early stage while also considering the complete project lifecycle. This includes operations, performance, cost and schedule, training and support, test, disposal and manufacturing. The goal is to form a structured development process that proceeds from concept to production to operation by integrate all different disciplines and speciality groups involved in a project into a team. By doing this, all customers needs, both the technical requirements and the business side of a project, will be considered. The goal of providing a quality product that fulfils the needs of the user will likely be realised. [1]

A system can be defined as a collection of different elements that produces a better result put together then what can be obtained by the elements alone. These different elements can be all the things required to obtain system results, for example people, software or hardware, facilities, policies and documents. The system is a result of the high level of quantities, properties, characteristics, functions, behaviour and performance obtained by the collection of elements. This system-level result is created by the connection made among the elements. [2]

An engineered system is an open system made out of technical or sociotechnical elements which is created by or for people with a purpose to satisfy key stakeholders and has a life cycle. The engineered system has a boundary and an external environment and is a part of a system-of-interest hierarchy. [3]

Method of practice

Systems engineering is used to ensure that the needs of the customer and the stakeholders are satisfied and that a high quality, trustworthy, cost efficient and schedule accommodating manner is used throughout the system’s entire life cycle. This process is described by the acronym SIMILAR with consists of the following seven tasks:

• State the problem

• Investigate alternatives

• Model the system

• Integrate

• Launch the system

• Assess performance

• Re-evaluate

The SIMILAR Process is visualized by Figure 1. It is important to note that the systems engineering process is executed in a parallel and iterative manner between all elements. [1]

By stating the problem a description of the top-level functions that is required by the system is made. All requirements should be traceable to this problem statement. A problem statement should be in terms of what must be done, not how it should be done. Inputs for this statement comes from end users, operators, maintainers, suppliers, etc. Based on performance, schedule, cost and risk, different designs are created for evaluation of which alternative is preferred. All alternatives should be judged for how they accomplish the set requirements to reduce project risk and to clarify the problem statement. Models will be developed for most of the alternative designs but the most preferred alternative model will continuously be expanded and used to help manage the system throughout the entire life cycle. For this, many types of system models are created to help along the process. These models can help to study scheduling changes, create PERT charts and to perform different analyses and also to explain the system. As explained earlier in this article, the fundamentals of systems engineering is to integrate different disciplines and to make them integrate with each other and work as a whole. It is important to define and to create interfaces between subsystems to minimize the amount of information that will be exchanged between them. This contributes to easier manageable information and also to more efficient processes. To launch the system means running it and making it produce outputs. In this phase the preferred alternative will be designed in detail and the processes used for this are developed. The process of designing and producing the system is iterative as knew knowledge are developed along the way can cause a re-consideration and modification of the preferred alternative. Measurement is the key, if you cannot measure it, you cannot control it. If you cannot control it, you cannot improve it. It is highly important to assess the performance of the system and to manage its resources throughout the system life cycle. As one of the most fundamental engineering tools, re-evaluation of the system is a continuous process and will do many parallel loops throughout the entire process. This means observing outputs and using that information to modify the system. This is revealed in Figure 1.

It is also important when using systems engineering that the whole process should be documented, measurable, and stable and have a low variability. The concept should be used the same why by all disciplines. [1]

References

[1] http://www.incose.org/AboutSE/WhatIsSE

[2] Rechtin, E., W. Maier, M. (2000) “The art of systems architecting”, CRC Press

[3] SEBoK (2015) “Guide to the Systems engineering Body of Knowledge”, BKCASE, June 2015