Systems Engineering: A Systemic And Systematic Methodology For Solving Complex Problems

Cover......Page 1
Half Title......Page 2
Title......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 24
Acknowledgements......Page 26
Author......Page 28
Other Books by This Author......Page 30
Chapter 1 Introduction......Page 32
1.1 Why This Book Is Different......Page 34
1.2 How to Read and Use This Book......Page 35
1.3 The Parts of This Book......Page 39
1.4 Thinking......Page 43
1.5.3 Combining Analysis and Synthesis......Page 44
1.6 Judgement and Creativity......Page 45
1.6.1 Critical Thinking......Page 46
1.6.2 Systems Thinking......Page 47
1.6.3 The Two Distinct Types of Systems Thinking......Page 48
1.6.4 Beyond Systems Thinking......Page 50
References......Page 54
2.1 Continuum......Page 56
2.1.1 The Three Types of Systems Engineering......Page 57
2.1.3 The Three Different Domains of Systems Engineering......Page 59
2.1.5 The ‘A’ and the ‘B’ Paradigms in Systems Engineering......Page 60
2.1.6 The Eight Different Camps of Systems Engineering......Page 62
2.1.7 The Three Streams of Activities......Page 64
2.1.9 The Tools Paradox......Page 66
2.1.11 The Difference in the Contents of Textbooks......Page 67
2.1.12 The Difference in the Knowledge Content of Master’s Degrees in Systems Engineering......Page 68
2.2 Big Picture......Page 76
2.2.2 Problem Solving and Systems Engineering......Page 77
2.2.3 The Interdependency and Overlap Between the Systems Engineering, Project Management and Other Engineering Activities......Page 79
2.5 Structural......Page 82
2.6 Generic......Page 83
2.7.1 The Return on Investment in Systems Engineering......Page 84
2.8.1 The Successes and Failures of Systems Engineering......Page 85
2.8.2 The Evolution of Systems Engineering......Page 86
2.8.3 The Evolution of the Role of the Systems Engineer......Page 88
2.9.1 Frameworks for Systems Engineering......Page 90
2.9.2 The Principle of Hierarchies......Page 91
2.9.3 The Hitchins-Kasser-Massie Framework (HKMF)......Page 92
2.9.4 The Overlapping Streams of Work......Page 93
2.9.5 What the Standards Seem to Have Achieved......Page 94
2.9.6 Systems Engineering Is a Discipline......Page 95
2.11.1 What Is Systems Engineering?......Page 97
2.11.2 Why Are There Different Opinions on the Nature of Systems Engineering?......Page 98
2.11.5 Why Does Systems Engineering Seem to Overlap Project Management and Problem-Solving?......Page 99
2.11.9 Which Come First, Functions or Requirements?......Page 100
2.12 Summary......Page 101
References......Page 102
3.1 Big Picture......Page 108
3.1.2 Selected Myths of Problem-Solving......Page 109
3.3 Structural......Page 113
3.4 Continuum......Page 114
3.4.1 Problems and Symptoms......Page 115
3.4.3 The Different Decision Outcomes......Page 116
3.4.4 Research and Intervention Problems......Page 120
3.4.5 The Different Categories of Problems......Page 122
3.4.6 The Different Domains of a Problem......Page 124
3.5.1 Decision-Making......Page 125
3.6.1 The Traditional Simple Problem-Solving Process......Page 126
3.6.2 The Extended Problem-Solving Process......Page 127
3.7.1 A Problem Formulation Template......Page 129
3.8.1 Continuum......Page 131
3.8.3 Scientific......Page 134
3.9.1 The Two-Part System Development Process......Page 137
3.9.2 The Multiple-Iteration Problem-Solving Process......Page 139
3.9.3 A New Product Development Process......Page 142
3.11 Remedying Complex Problems......Page 143
3.11.2 Remedying Ill-Structured Complex Problems......Page 144
3.11.3 Remedying Wicked Problems......Page 145
References......Page 146
Chapter 4 The Successful Systems Engineer’s Toolbox......Page 150
4.1 A Competency Model......Page 152
4.1.1 The Vertical Dimension......Page 153
4.1.3 Assessing of the Competency of a Systems Engineer......Page 156
4.1.4 Using the Competency Model......Page 157
4.2.1 Requirements for the Process of Writing Documents......Page 158
4.2.3 Metrics for Documents......Page 159
4.3 The Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)......Page 160
4.4 The CONOPS......Page 161
4.4.1 Creating a CONOPS......Page 163
4.5.2 Technical Program Planning and Control......Page 164
4.6 The System Requirements Document......Page 165
4.6.1 The Importance of Requirements......Page 166
4.7.1 The Purpose and Use of a TEMP......Page 168
4.7.2 The Contents of a TEMP......Page 169
4.7.3 The Table of Contents of a TEMP......Page 171
4.8 Interface Control Documents......Page 172
4.9 The Shmemp......Page 173
4.10 Modelling and Simulation......Page 174
4.11 A Generic Functional Template for a System......Page 175
4.11.2 Maximizes Completeness of a System......Page 176
4.12 Seven Principles for Systems Engineered Systems......Page 177
4.13 Meetings......Page 184
References......Page 185
5.1.3 Functional......Page 188
5.1.4 Structural......Page 189
5.1.8 Scientific......Page 190
5.2 Basic System Behaviour......Page 191
5.3.1 States......Page 192
5.3.2 Emergence......Page 193
5.3.4 Components in Man-Made Systems......Page 194
References......Page 195
Chapter 6 The Nine-System Model......Page 196
6.1 System S1: The Undesirable or Problematic Situation......Page 199
6.2 System S2: The Process to Create the FCFDS......Page 200
6.4 System S4: The Process to Plan the Transition From the Undesirable or Problematic Situation to the FCFDS......Page 201
6.6 System S6: The Solution System That Will Operate within the FCFDS......Page 202
6.8 System S8: The Process to Determine That the Realized Solution Remedies the Evolved Undesirable Situation......Page 203
6.9 System S9: The Organization(s) Containing the Processes......Page 204
6.10.1 The NASA Apollo Programme......Page 205
6.10.3 Managing Complexity via the Application of the Nine-System Model at Various Levels in the System Hierarchy......Page 206
6.10.4 Clarifying the Confusion of the Different Process Descriptions......Page 209
6.12 Summary......Page 211
References......Page 212
7.1 Definitions of the Terminology......Page 214
7.3 Risks and Opportunities......Page 215
7.4 The Risk Rectangle......Page 216
7.5.1 Selected Myths of Risk Management......Page 217
7.5.3 Performing Risk Management Using the Systems Approach......Page 218
7.8 Risks Based on the Availability of Technology......Page 219
7.8.1 The Technology Availability Window of Opportunity......Page 221
7.9 Risk Profiles......Page 224
7.13 Summary......Page 226
References......Page 227
Chapter 8 The System Lifecycle......Page 228
8.1 The States in the System Lifecycle......Page 229
8.2 The Right Leader for the State......Page 231
8.3 The SLC as a State Machine......Page 232
8.4 The SDP......Page 233
8.4.1 The Problem Posed by the SDP......Page 234
8.5 The SLC for an Acquired System......Page 235
8.6 Reviews......Page 236
References......Page 237
9.1 The Problem Posed by the Needs Identification State......Page 238
9.2 The Three Sub-States in the Needs Identification State......Page 240
9.4.2 Planning the Analysis......Page 241
9.4.3 Performing the Analysis......Page 244
9.4.5 Performing the Sensitivity Analysis......Page 246
9.5.1 Reasons to Do a Feasibility Study......Page 247
9.5.3 Types of Feasibility......Page 248
9.6 Creating the System......Page 249
9.6.1 The Process for Creating a System......Page 251
9.8 Summary......Page 267
References......Page 268
Chapter 10 The System Requirements State of the SDP......Page 270
10.1 The Problem Posed by the System Requirements State......Page 271
10.2.2 Big Picture......Page 272
10.2.7 Generic......Page 273
10.2.9 Scientific......Page 274
10.3 The Grammar and Structure of a Requirement......Page 275
10.4 A Template for Good Imperative Instruction Statement......Page 276
10.5 The Requirements for Writing Requirements......Page 279
10.6 The Need for Tolerances on a Requirement......Page 280
10.7 The Contribution of the HTPs to the Completeness of the System Requirements......Page 281
10.8 Converting Customer’s Needs to Requirements......Page 282
10.10 Examples of Poor and Questionable Requirements......Page 286
10.11 The Relationship between the Undesirable Situation, CONOPS, Functions and Requirements......Page 289
10.12 Creating a Matched Set of Specifications for the Whole System and Its Subsystems......Page 290
10.13.1 Background......Page 292
10.13.2 Analysis and Commentary......Page 293
10.14 Case Study: Producing the MCSSRP System Requirements Mapped into the Nine-System Model......Page 294
10.14.4 Structural......Page 295
10.14.6 Temporal......Page 296
10.14.7 Continuum......Page 297
10.14.9 Scientific......Page 298
10.14.11 Managing Stakeholder Expectations......Page 299
10.14.12 Managing Indirect Stakeholders......Page 305
10.14.13 Comments on Managing Stakeholder Expectations......Page 307
10.15.1 Creating the SEMP......Page 308
10.15.2 Creating the TEMP......Page 309
10.15.6 Anticipate Changes......Page 310
10.15.8 Budget Tolerant Build Planning......Page 311
10.15.9 The Cataract Methodology......Page 314
10.17 Summary......Page 315
References......Page 316
11.1.1 The Problem Posed by the Preliminary System Design Sub-State......Page 318
11.2.1 The Problem Posed by the Detailed System Design Sub-State......Page 319
11.4 Designing for Integration......Page 320
11.5 Designing Self-Regulating Subsystems......Page 321
11.8 Designing Consistency across Subsystems......Page 322
References......Page 323
12.1 The Problem Posed by the Subsystem Construction State......Page 324
12.2 The System-Level Trade-Offs......Page 325
Reference......Page 326
13.1 The Problem Posed by the Subsystem Test State......Page 328
Reference......Page 329
14.1 The Problem Posed by the System Integration and System Test States......Page 330
14.2.1 The Order of Integration......Page 331
14.2.3 Problems due to Poor Engineering and Management......Page 332
14.3.1 The Test Planning Methodology......Page 333
14.4.2 Examples of Wording......Page 336
14.5.1 The Focus of Testing in the SDP......Page 337
14.8 Test and Evaluation (T&E)......Page 338
14.9.2 Continuum......Page 340
14.9.3 Structural......Page 341
14.9.4 Temporal......Page 342
14.9.5 Scientific......Page 343
14.10.1 Framing the Problem......Page 347
14.10.2 The Situational Analysis......Page 348
References......Page 349
15.1.1 The Problem Posed by the System Delivery, Installation and Acceptance Testing......Page 352
15.1.3 Planning the System Delivery, Installation and Acceptance Testing......Page 353
15.1.4 Issues to Consider......Page 354
15.3 The Problem Posed by the In-Service State......Page 355
15.4 The Relationship between the SDP and the O&M State......Page 356
15.5 The O&M Product Support Sub-State......Page 358
15.6.1 Impact of Change......Page 359
15.6.2 The Change Management Process......Page 360
15.8 Summary......Page 361
References......Page 362
16.1 The Problem Posed by the System Disposal State......Page 364
16.4 Disposal in Each State of the SLC Produces Waste......Page 365
Reference......Page 366
17.1 The Needs Identification State......Page 368
17.3.2 The Detailed System Design Sub-State......Page 369
17.5 The System Test State......Page 371
17.7 The Second System Design State......Page 372
17.10 The Third System Design State......Page 373
17.12 Comments......Page 374
17.13 Lessons Learned......Page 375
Reference......Page 376
Chapter 18 Luz: From Light to Darkness: Lessons Learned from the Solar System......Page 378
18.1 Background......Page 379
18.2.3 Functional......Page 380
18.2.4 Structural......Page 381
18.2.7 Temporal......Page 382
18.3 The Needs Identification State......Page 383
18.5 The System and Subsystem Design States......Page 384
18.5.1 Active Brainstorming in the System and Subsystem Design States......Page 385
18.5.3 Discussion......Page 388
18.6 The Subsystem Construction State......Page 390
18.6.1 The LOC Subsystem......Page 391
18.6.3 FRAT Applied to the CS......Page 394
18.6.4 FRAT Applied to the Network Subsystem......Page 397
18.6.5 FRAT Applied to the Power Distribution System......Page 398
18.6.6 FRAT Applied to the LOC......Page 399
18.7 Discussion on the Use of FRAT......Page 401
18.8.2 Focus on People Not on Process......Page 402
18.8.6 Avoid Analysis Paralysis......Page 403
18.9 Meta-Lessons Learned......Page 404
References......Page 405
Chapter 19 Jumping to the Wrong Conclusions: A Case Study on Optimizing a Postgraduate Learning Environment......Page 406
19.1.1 Task 2 Defining the Problem Space......Page 407
19.1.2 Task 3 Conceive Conceptual Solution Options......Page 408
19.1.3 Task 4 Identify Ideal Solution Evaluation Criteria......Page 411
19.1.4 Task 5 Trade-Off to Find an Optimum Solution......Page 417
19.1.5 Task 6 Select the Preferred Option......Page 419
19.1.6 Task 7 Formulate Strategies and Plans to Implement......Page 421
19.2 Iteration Required......Page 422
19.3 Afterword......Page 423
19.3.2 Challenging Assumptions......Page 424
19.4 Lessons Learned......Page 425
19.6 Conclusion......Page 426
References......Page 427
20.1.1 Big Picture......Page 430
20.1.2 Operational......Page 431
20.2 The Needs Identification State......Page 432
20.2.1 The Pre-Tender State of the Acquisition......Page 435
20.3 The System Requirements State......Page 436
20.4.2 Build 0 Detailed Design State......Page 438
20.5 The Subsystem Construction State......Page 439
References......Page 440
21.2 Operational......Page 442
21.3.1 MBSE Is Reinventing Concepts......Page 443
21.4 Temporal......Page 445
21.5 Continuum......Page 446
21.6.1 MBSE Conflates Two Distinct and Different Models......Page 447
21.6.2 MBSE Suffers from a Lack of Holistic Thinking......Page 448
References......Page 449
Chapter 22 Improving the Probability of Training Successful System Engineers......Page 452
22.2 Finding Suitable Candidates......Page 453
22.2.3 Generic and Temporal......Page 454
22.2.5 Structural......Page 455
22.3.3 Systems Analysts......Page 456
22.3.6 Glue......Page 457
22.3.10 Process Engineer......Page 458
22.4 Discussion......Page 459
22.5 Recruiting Potential Systems Engineering Students......Page 460
References......Page 461
Author Index......Page 464
Subject Index......Page 468