Systems Engineering

Systems Engineering A Management Perspective : 

Systems Engineering A Management Perspective Goddard Space Flight Center Systems Engineering Colloquium January 7, 2003

Points : 

Points Systems engineering denotes different things to different people Systems engineering is critical to mission and programmatic success Non-technical factors inhibit the growth of a robust systems engineering capability Continuously Improving the Center’s systems engineering capability is a challenging and important task for the Goddard Team

Systems Engineering : 

Systems Engineering Source: Encarta Encyclopedia 1.Systems Engineering “Systems Engineering, an approach to engineering that emphasizes the scientific method and examination of all aspects of the engineering project”

Systems Engineering Scope : 

Systems Engineering Scope Mission Design and System Requirements trades System Design and Analysis System and Operations Development Technical Management

System Engineering Product : 

System Engineering Product Ensuring within an acceptable risk level the delivery of a cost and technically effective system to meet an objective

Systems Engineering is Critical to Mission and Programmatic Success : 

Systems Engineering is Critical to Mission and Programmatic Success Mission Design Choices System Design Evaluation System & Operations Development Technical Management and integration

Mission Design : 

Mission Design Requirements Analysis and Architecture Development Understanding of mission & architecture design alternatives mission success metrics relative mission & programmatic risks versus cost Enabling technology options, maturity & risks Understanding of residual risks at launch stakeholder buy-in at inception Stability of requirements thorough conceptual studies lead to more robust PDR

Design and Analysis : 

Design and Analysis Evaluate and ensure design choices meet mission and programmatic requirements System ConOps Analyze performance requirements versus design margins Identify risk retirement profile Identify residual mission and system risks and develop mitigation plan

Technical Management : 

Technical Management Requirements and interface management Risk management and retirement tracking technology maturity impact of environment changes acceptability of risk Test and verification plan and requirements verification and validation tracking interface integration and validation illities oversight

Non-technical factors inhibit growth of a robust systems engineering capability : 

Non-technical factors inhibit growth of a robust systems engineering capability Project staffed versus engineering discipline base Prime and/or institutional contracts Systems engineer as the technical leader versus processor Flight and ground versus system organization & contract structures Center capability or Project unique investment Funded via overhead or Program/Project Tax Investment in Civil Servants versus Contractor Without a good systems engineering process the system architecture and design tends to reflect the organization

Challenges : 

Challenges Attracting and developing systems engineers Establishing Institutional systems engineering capability funding mechanisms Managing the right balance of investments in institutional and project developed systems engineering capabilities Leveraging major Goddard Prime Contractor systems engineering processes and tools

Improving systems engineering capability is important : 

Improving systems engineering capability is important Provides Skill Base, Processes and Tools to: Maintain and improve systems development process and continue to deliver on the Center’s mission success and programmatic commitments Ensure systems engineering discipline in new mission formulation Develop new innovative and cost effective missions and technology Improve both Civil Service and support Contractor capabilities and residual knowledge base Improve the mission design process, requirements management and resulting Prime contract performance

Closing : 

Closing Systems engineering is critical to mission and programmatic success and needs to lead the technical development process Pro active managing of non technical institutional and project system engineering obstacles is essential to developing a robust systems engineering capability Continuously Improving the Center’s systems engineering capability is a challenging and important task for the Goddard Team