1. UML: We struggle building bridges between system "definers" and system "builders" - especially in software:
a. UML introduces the "Use Case" to address this issue. How can a Use Case help in building this bridge?
b. Outline a process to effectively create a Use Case diagram for any system you wish to develop.
c. Outline a process to effectively use a Use Case diagram.
2. Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN): This modern modeling technique from OMG can have significant impacts on all aspects of Systems Engineering:
a. In your opinion what are these Systems Engineering implications as we attempt to migrate to the Model- based Enterprise?
b. If BPMN AND BPEL ultimately do what is projected they can do, what will be the Systems Engineering implications on:
i. Requirements Definition, Requirements Capture and Requirements Creep?
ii. Configuration Management?
iii. Project Management?
iv. Risk Management?
3. Understanding the Total Cost of Quality: System Engineers are constantly trying to balance the cost of prevention and appraisal with the risk of failure. Please review the TASER articles posted in the course documents and use this as a reference:
a. Please develop a compelling argument on WHY TASER should invest more in the prevention and appraisal.
b. Assuming you win the argument made above, develop a detailed outline of how you would make this transition. What are the logical steps to success?
4. Role of the Chief Systems Engineer. We read from the Aviation Week article and other publications that "it is time to revamp systems engineering." (Article found in the Week 8 folder - listed as "Is It Time to Revamp Systems Engineering?") The article addresses issues like: -Cost overruns and program delays -Interfaces - specifically software -Complexity -The need for "model-based systems engineering". The article goes on to address DARPA initiatives such as Adaptive Vehicle Make and iFAB, etc. In parallel, The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2010 (article as found in the course Documents folder) says that the acquisition process must be designed to include: -early and continual involvement of the user -multiple, rapidly executed increments or releases of capability -early, successive prototyping to support an evolutionary approach and -modular, open-systems approach
a. As the Chief Systems Engineer, given all the material we have covered this semester, how would you orchestrate the SE effort to bring this system in "on schedule, on budget, and meet the requirements" as requested in the Aviation Week article?
b. As the Chief Systems Engineer, given all the tools we have introduced this semester, how would you orchestrate the creation of a SE tool box to meet the needs defined by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2010?
5. Post-Award Systems Engineering Activity: You are the Senior Systems Engineer for a major new system called "Project Monroe". A large portion of this system will involve new software development. You bid the program with a budget of $24 million (Budget at Completion = $24 million) including a $2 million management reserve to be completed in 12 months. Although we know the expenditures will not be linear, let's assume a straight-line relationship between time and budget for this exercise. At month 5 we find we should be at $10 million Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS) (straight line of $2 million spent each month for 5 months), we have completed enough work to justify an expenditure of $8 million (BCWP) and our actual costs accrued to date are $6 million (Actual Cost of Work Performed = ACWP).
a. Outline what you believe the current status of the project is and interpret what the projections mean to you. Using only this data, how can you project time to complete?
b. Outline what you believe the action plan should be to bring Project Monroe in on-schedule, on-budget, and meet the customer requirements.
P.L. 111-84, The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 SEC, 804, IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW ACQUISITION PROCESS FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS.
(a) New Acquisition Process Required- The Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a new acquisition process for information technology systems. The acquisition process developed and implemented pursuant to this subsection shall, to the extent determined appropriate by the Secretary--
(1) be based on the recommendations in chapter 6 of the March 2009 report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Department of Defense Policies and Procedures for the Acquisition of Information Technology; and (2) be designed to include--
(A) early and continual involvement of the user;
(B) multiple, rapidly executed increments or releases of capability;
(C) early, successive prototyping to support an evolutionary approach; and
(D) a modular, open-systems approach.
(b) Report to Congress- Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the new acquisition process developed pursuant to subsection (a).
The report required by this subsection shall, at a minimum--
(1) describe the new acquisition process;
(2) provide an explanation for any decision by the Secretary to deviate from the criteria established for such process in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a);
(3) provide a schedule for the implementation of the new acquisition process;
(4) identify the categories of information technology acquisitions to which such process will apply; and
(5) include the Secretary's recommendations for any legislation that may be required to implement the new acquisition process.
Article: "Is It Time to Revamp Systems Engineering?" - By Graham Warwick, Guy Norris Washington, Fort Worth