# Presentation: 114553

## Twelve Roles and Three Types of Systems Engineering

**Sarah A. Sheard**
**Software Productivity Consortium**
**February 11, 2003**

**Notes:**
Computer projection equipment will be provided
All authors are encouraged to use this mode of presentation
We will accommodate only PowerPoint format (ppt 97)
A vugraph projector will also be available as back-up 
Plan on having a set of vugraphs as a back-up 
A laser pointer will be provided
Both a podium and a lavaliere microphone will be available 
All presenters will need to use microphones since session rooms are large

## Agenda

**Why Systems Engineering? **
**Twelve Roles**
**Three Types of Implementation**

**Notes:**
All presenters encouraged to submit presentations by 4/1/00 
Will accept via email attachments for <1Mb files
Email to pohlmann-wma@erols.com
Receipt should be acknowledged within a couple days
PLEASE DON’T email large files!!
Will have ftp capability for submittal of presentation files
Please use for all large files
Address: ftp.incose-marc.org;; user: marcauthor; password: incose
Please notify pohlmann-wma@erols.com when you have submitted via ftp 
Will (reluctantly) accept on-site submittal no later than 4 hours before start of scheduled session 
On floppy or 100Mb ZIP Disk
All presenters are requested to bring a floppy or ZIP disk of their presentation to the conference -- just in case

## What’s New in Systems Engineering?

**Systems are becoming far more software-intensive**
**System complexity is increasing fast due to software complexity**
**What’s the same as it was, and what’s different, and what should we do about it?**

## Systems of pieces built by different subsystem groups didn’t perform system functions
Often broke at the interfaces 
Problems emerged, and desired properties didn’t, when subsystems designed independently were integrated
Managers and chief engineers tended to pay attention to the areas in which they were skilled
Developed systems were not usable
Cost overruns, schedule delays, performance problems

**Often broke at the interfaces **
**Problems emerged, and desired properties didn’t, when subsystems designed independently were integrated**
**Managers and chief engineers tended to pay ****attention to the areas in which they were skilled**
**Developed systems were not usable**
**Cost overruns, schedule delays, ****performance problems**

**Original Reasons for ****Systems Engineering**

- Photo from Dec 1999 Civil Engineering magazine

- Vasa, Sweden, 1628

## Concerns

**Concerns**

**Software is becoming the brain of most systems**
**But: Software developers are often not trained in engineering**
**And: Systems engineers rarely know software deeply**
**Managers and politicians are not engineers...****value of systems engineering is not clear**
**What systems engineering is needed?**
**How should systems engineering work for software?**

**Notes:**
I am familiar with software-systems issues, but other threats to the integrity of systems exist.
If you have questions or problems, please contact:      pohlmann-wma@erols.com      (703) 406-2595
Thanks again for helping to contribute to the success of INCOSE MARC 2000!!

## Goals

**Goals**

**Implement *****interdisciplinary***** ****engineering of systems**
**Reduce the risk and effects of system failures**
**Involve the right people at the right time**
**But we lack agreed-upon *****operational definition***** of “systems engineering” to use as rationale**
***INCOSE definition: “An interdisciplinary approach and means to enable the realization of successful systems”***
**Leaves open how it should be done**
**Inclusive and vague**

## Can we answer these?

**Can we answer these?**

**Is systems engineering the engineering of the top-level system, or a process?**
**Are systems engineers specialists or generalists?**
**Are systems engineers some people or all engineers?**
**How well do standards and capability models describe systems engineering?**

## Can we answer these? (cont’d)

**What tools are needed for systems engineering?**
**What research should be done?**
**How do you measure systems engineering?**
**How do you train people to ****do systems engineering?**
**How do you quantify the value of systems engineering?**

## Two Papers

**Two Papers**

**“****Twelve Systems Engineering Roles,” 1996**
**Showed that INCOSE disagrees on what ****systems engineering is**
**Described twelve roles**
**Used as a definition of systems engineering**

**“****Three Types of System Engineering Implementation’” 2000**
**How systems engineering (and roles) ****are implemented**

**At ****www.software.org**** at “Recent Papers”**

## Approach of 12 Roles Paper

**Describe roles considered part of ****systems engineering**
**Purpose: improve communication **
**Method: analyze INCOSE papers **

## 
RO 	Requirements Owner
SD 	System Designer
SA 	System Analyst
VV	Validation and Verification Engineer
LO 	Logistics/Operations Engineer
G 	Glue among subsystems

**TM**** ****	****Technical Manager**
**IM **** ****	****Information Manager**
**PE****  ****	****Process Engineer**
**CO****	****Coordinator**
**CA**** ****	****Classified Ads SE**

**RO**** ****	****Requirements Owner**
**SD**** ****	****System Designer**
**SA**** ****	****System Analyst**
**VV****	****Validation and Verification Engineer**
**LO**** ****	****Logistics/Operations Engineer**
**G ****	****Glue among subsystems**

**Twelve Systems Engineering Roles**

## Requirements Owner

**Requirements Owner**
**Requirements Manager, ****Allocater, Maintainer**
**Specifications Writer or Owner**
**Developer of Functional Architecture**
**Developer of System and Subsystem Requirements From Customer Needs**

## System Designer

**System Designer**
**Owner of “System” Product**
**Chief Engineer**
**System Architect **
**Developer of Design Architecture**
**Specialty Engineer (Some, Such As ****Human-Computer Interface Designers) **
**“****Keepers of the Holy Vision” [Boehm 94]**

## System Analyst

**System Analyst**
**Performance Modeler**
**Keeper of Technical Budgets**
**System Modeler and Simulator **
**Risk Modeler **
**Specialty Engineer (Some, Such As ****Electromagnetic Compatibility Analysts)**

## Validation/Verification Engineer

**Validation and Verification Engineer **
**Test Engineer **
**Test Planner **
**Owner of System Test Program **
**System Selloff ****Engineer**

## Logistics/Ops Engineer

**Logistics, Operations, Maintenance, and Disposal Engineer **
**Developer of Users’ Manuals and Operator Training Materials**

## Glue Among Subsystems

**Owner of “Glue” Among Subsystems**
**Seeker of Issues That Fall “in the Cracks” **
**System Integrator **
**Owner of Internal Interfaces**
**Risk Identifier**
**“****Technical Conscience of the Program” [Fisher 92]**

## Customer Interface

**Marketing Interface**
**Technical sales rep**
**Product engineering expert**
**Competitive analysis**

**Customer Interface **
**Customer Advocate **
**Customer Surrogate **
**Customer Contact**

## Technical Manager

**Technical Manager **
**Planner, Scheduler, and Tracker ****of Technical Tasks**
**Owner of Risk Management Plan **
**Product Manager**
**Product Engineer**

## Information Manager

**Configuration Management **
**Data Management**
**Metrics**

## Process Engineer

**Process Engineer**
**Business Process Reengineer ****or Business Analyst**
**Owner of the Systems ****Engineering Process**
**Attention to enterprise needs rather than to needs of individual systems and customers – *****product lines***

## Coordinator

**Coordinator of the Disciplines **
**Tiger Team Head **
**Head of Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) **
**System Issue Resolver**

## Classified Ads Systems Engineer

**Classified Ads Systems Engineer**

**“****Skills must include shell scripting, SQL, performance analysis, and network integration.”**
**“****...five years of solid analytical & debugging expertise in a telecommunications environment”**
**“****Analyze and develop systems level software in C/C++ and UNIX scripts.”**

## Classified Ads Systems Engineer, cont’d

**Classified Ads Systems Engineer, cont’d**

**“****Object-Oriented/Design/Analysis/ Programming... RDBMS (Oracle), ...CICS/PLI, ...STAIRS/ Search Manager...”**
**“****Provide UNIX Administration and service delivery for our ... Internet service”**
**“****Provide design, implementation, and ongoing support for Managed and Non-Managed Private X.25, Frame Relay, and ATM Networks...”**

- Not considered basic SE role; included to show that there are still other definitions.

## The Roles in INCOSE Papers

**The Roles in INCOSE Papers**

## Twelve Roles Conclusions

**No two authors agree **
**Most roles are controversial as to whether ****they are systems engineering roles**
**“****Systems Engineering” may mean any or all ****of the roles – clarify what you mean**
**Unintentionally:**
**A systems engineering capability may be defined by determining who performs each of these roles**

## What’s Missing?

**What roles are important for which systems engineering tasks?**
**Is systems engineering a ****process**** or an ****overarching function****? a ****group**** or an ****approach****?**
**Is systems engineering mostly ****analysis**** and determination of measures of effectiveness, or does it include program ****coordination****?**
**How do you use ****standards**** and ****capability models**** to implement systems engineering?**
**What kind of systems engineering ****research**** is needed?**

## Three Types of SE Implementations

**Again attempting to understand extremes**
**What differences there are between concepts of “systems engineering”**
**Generally becomes “aspects” of any real SE job as opposed to a hard distinction**
**Note where the polarities of SE apply (what is “the discipline” vs “the generalist, etc.)**

## Discovery

Program Systems Engineering

Approach

***Program Systems Engineering***
***Approach***

**Three Types of ****Systems Engineering Implementation**

## Discovery

**Focus on determining ****whether a feasible solution exists**
**Concept exploration and Definition (phases A&B)**
**Systems engineers are analysts investigating unprecedented problems **
**Very high complexity in problem space**
**“****Specialists in the SE Discipline”**
**Examples: Atlas rocket, SAGE computer system, Boston Central Artery/Tunnel**

## Systems engineering is the group responsible for engineering the top level system
Good SEing involves many other people
Focus on solution space and building it competitively. Complexity in solution and organization.
Precedented problems, new solutions
Generalists
Technical side of program management, coordinator

**Good SEing involves many other people**
**Focus on solution space and building it competitively. Complexity in solution and organization.**
**Precedented problems, new solutions**
**Generalists**
**Technical side of program ****management, coordinator**

***Program Systems Engineering***

## Approach

**The Systems Engineering Process**
**What every engineer should do**
**Focus on applying life cycle steps ****to any project and task**
**Setting up a colloquium talk**
**Developing a requirements document**
**Problem solving using the scientific method**
**Complexity in the variety of applications**

## Three Types (in paper)

**Three Types (in paper)**

- Type 1
***Discovery***
**Unprece-**
**dented**
**Problems**

- Type 3   ***Approach***
**Any kind of engineering**

**Notes:**
This was my original thought...

## Three Types

**Three Types**

- Type 2
***Program SE***
**Unprecedented**
**Solutions**

- Type 1
***Discovery***
**Unprece-**
**dented**
**Problems**

- Type 3   ***Approach***
**Any kind of engineering**

## Systems Engineering Standards

| Discovery | None very applicable |
| --- | --- |
| Program Systems Engineering | EIA 632, IEEE 1220,EIA/IS 731 |
| Approach | IEEE 1220 EIA/IS 731 (tailored)  |

**Systems Engineering Standards**

## If we do this can we answer...

**Is systems engineering a ****process**** or an ****overarching function****? a ****group**** or an ****approach****?**
**Is systems engineering mostly ****analysis**** and determination of measures of effectiveness, or does it include program ****coordination****?**
**How do you use ****standards**** and ****capability models**** to implement systems engineering?**
**What kind of systems engineering ****research**** is needed?**

## Examples

|  | Discovery | Program  Systems Engineering | Approach |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tools | Analysis, simulation, modeling
 | Templates for processes; requirement mgt; office tools | None specific to doing a task with the system in mind particular |
| Research | Analysis quality and applicability | Process cost effectiveness 
Coordination of best practices | Benefits of implementation
Education
 |

## What Systems Engineering Do We Need?

**What Systems Engineering ****Do We Need?**

**Systems engineering is both an umbrella function over software and other disciplines, and a necessary part of any product development process**
**Discovery is analysis-intensive; needed early to understand a complex problem space**
**Program systems engineering realizes design**
**Approach is needed for all tasks**
**Systems engineering must involve others to create future systems that work**
**Determine who will perform what roles, when, and how**

## Can we answer these?

**Can we answer these?**

**Is systems engineering the engineering ****of the top-level system, or a process?**
**Are systems engineers specialists or generalists?**
**Are systems engineers some people ****or all engineers?**
**Do standards and capability models ****describe systems engineering well?**

## Summary

**Agree that systems engineering consists of the sum of pieces**
**Roles**
**Types of implementation**
**Clarify “Systems Engineering”**
**Present a united front that ****systems must be engineered**
**Top level systems require *****Program Systems Engineering***
**All disciplines need *****Approach***** **

## Author Contact Information

**Sarah A. Sheard**
**Software Productivity Consortium**
**2214 Rock Hill Road**
**Herndon, Virginia 20170**
**(703) 742-7106**
**sheard@software.org**

## Roles and Types

| Discovery | SA, RO, IM, TM |
| --- | --- |
| Program Systems Engineering | SD, CO, CI, G, VV, RO |
| Approach | RO, SD, VV, LO, CI, TM |

**Roles and Types**

## Role Combinations and Capability Models

**Life Cycle Roles – RO, SD, (SA), VV, LO**
**Technical focus areas**
**Program Management Roles – TM, G, IM, CO, (CI)**
**Management focus areas**
**Risk – G, SA, TM – Manage Risk**
**Design Reviews – TM, CI, G – Monitor and Control**
**Quality Assurance – PE, TM – Ensure Quality **

## EIA/IS 731 (SECM) Focus Areas

**Technical**

**1.1 Define Stakeholder and System Level Requirements**
**1.2 Define Technical Problem**
**1.3 Define Solution**
**1.4 Assess and Select **
**1.5 Integrate System**
**1.6 Verify System**
**1.7 Validate System**

**Management**

**2.1 Plan and Organize**
**2.2 Monitor and Control **
**2.3 Integrate Disciplines**
**2.4 Coordinate with Suppliers**
**2.5 Manage Risk**
**2.6 Manage Data**
**2.7 Manage Configurations**
**2.8 Ensure Quality**

**Environment**

**3.1 Define and Improve the Systems Engineering Process**
**3.2 Manage Competency**
**3.3 Manage Technology**
**3.4 Manage SE Support Environment**

**EIA/IS 731 (SECM) Focus Areas**

**Notes:**
The Focus areas of the SECM are are grouped in the same categories as the SECAM. The Technical process areas are shown in the same order as the SECAM.

Now let us see how the three compare by looking at one category at a time.  You will see the mappings are very direct. The content of the three models overlaps a great deal.

## Use Example: 12 Roles and Organizational Processes

- Business
- Development

- Project Management Process

- Support Processes (CM, DM, Network)

- RequirementsAnalysis

- System and Subsystem Design

- Build and Unit Test

- Integration andSystem Test

- Site Installation and Support

- Human Relations (Hiring, Training, etc.)

**RO**

**SD**

**SA**

**VV**

**G**

**LO**

**CI**

**IM**

**TM**

**PE**

**CO**

**Use Example: 12 Roles and Organizational Processes**