Systems Engineering Processes

This section explains the SE processes to be applied by an integrated product team (IPT) and assigns specific responsibilities for the technical system effort, including contracted or subcontracted system tasks. The tasks also include the technical processes and procedures to be applied to these tasks. These processes and/or procedures are developed as part of the IPT responsibilities, with the need dates and development schedule specified and refined as the program progresses. Fig. 1.2.1 shows an example of an SE process.

Systems Engineering Process Planning

Planning for the key SE process deliverables should include 3P: People, Products, and Processes. The following items must be considered:

1. 1. Major products: include major specification and product baseline development and control
2. 2. Systems engineering process inputs: include major requirements documents and resolution instructions for conflicting requirements
3. 3. Objectives: include cost, schedule, and key performance objectives
4. 4. Work breakdown structure (WBS): describe how and when the technical work breakdown structure will be developed, to include development and tracking tool sets usage
5. 5. Subcontracted efforts: describe the integration of contracted and subcontracted technical efforts
6. 6. Processes: describe the use of established technical processes and standards on the project
7. 7. Process development: describe processes to be developed as part of the project, together with the schedule for their development
8. 8. Constraints: list any significant constraints on the technical effort

System Requirements Analysis

System requirements analysis includes the methods, procedures, and tools used to analyze product system requirements, including any specific tools used to capture and trace system requirements.

Functional Analysis/Allocation

Functional analysis/allocation involves the methods and tools used to analyze the product system requirements and allocate them to the product system component functional requirements.

System Synthesis

System synthesis focuses on the methods and tools used to analyze the functional requirements and allocate those requirements to a physical product subsystem and/or system component.

System Analysis

System analysis refers to all the processes and procedures to be used for formal and informal trade studies including system analysis, cost-benefit effectiveness analyses, and/or strength, weakness, opportunity, threat (SWOT) analysis. The risk mitigation approach can also be introduced here.

System Control

System control focuses on the control strategies needed, recommended as follows:

1. 1. Communication management
2. 2. Configuration management
3. 3. Data management
4. 4. Performance management and measurement
5. 5. Quality assurance and quality control
6. 6. Interface management
7. 7. Integrated schedule development, tracking, and control
8. 8. Formal technical reviews
9. 9. Informal technical reviews and technical interchanges
10. 10. Partner, contractor, and supplier management
11. 11. System requirements change control.