INL CAPABILITY 

Systems Engineering 

ystems Engineering is a holistic engineering discipline that provides systems analysis, 

systems integration, decision analysis, and systems science products and expertise to help 

government and private industry customers develop successful 

solutions to complex challenges. These interdisciplinary 

methodologies focus on defining and documenting customer 

needs and required functionality early in the development 

cycle, and then proceeding with design synthesis and 

system validation activities while considering the 

complete problem. Systems Engineering considers both 

the business and the technical needs of all customers with 

the goal of providing a quality product that meets the 

user’s needs on time and within established budgets. 

Systems engineers at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) 

use proven and emerging systematic approaches to provide 

customers with reliable, quality products and services. 

Systems Engineering Principles and Techniques have been 

successfully applied to a wide variety of operational, programmatic, and 

research problems for both the INL and other Department of Energy sites, and for many 

Department of Defense customers: 

► Mission Definition / Function Analysis – INL systems engineers lead many projects in 

analyzing mission needs and aligning the current state of the project or system with those 

needs. This effort also examines the current functions of both the project and the potential 

solution in light of the mission needs to see if they are aligned for optimal solutions. 

► Requirements Identification, Analysis, and Management – Requirements range from 

the highest level (usually mission need or functional requirements) down to specifications 

for individual parts or system components. INL systems engineers identify requirements 

through discussion with customer technical leads and solution providers, as well as 

through examination of governing laws, codes, standards, and contracts. 

► Trade Studies / Alternatives Analysis – Trade studies and alternative analyses are 

performed any time a project needs to select from two or more options. INL systems 

engineers use a broad base of experience and expertise to affect these efforts and guide 

informed, defensible decisions through the assimilation, correlation, and/or distillation of 

available information. 

► System Synthesis, Integration, and Control – INL systems engineers provide support to 

project managers and project engineers by integrating the many project and system 

functions and components. This includes ensuring consistent communication and 

collaboration between project elements, as well as documenting and disseminating key 

decisions and technical baseline changes. 

► Readiness / Startup Support (Verification and Validation) – System startup usually 

requires a readiness review where requirements are validated in the system design and 

operating procedures. Since requirements for test and evaluation come directly from the 

technical and functional requirements, INL systems engineers are often in the best position 

to identify these connections and oversee verification and validation activities. 

Analysis and Integration of Complex Systems integrates Systems Engineering resources, 

disciplines, and specialty groups into a team effort to help solve complex science and engineering 

S 
INL CAPABILITY 

Technical

Contacts 

Ron Klingler 

(208) 526-0183 

ron.klingler@inl.gov 

Lori Braase 

(208) 526-7763 

lori.braase@inl.gov 

Robert Caliva 

(208) 526-4653 

robert.caliva@inl.gov 

John Collins 

(208) 526-3372 

john.collins@inl.gov

Web Page 

http://www.inl.gov/syseng 

challenges. The INL Systems Engineering team has over 500 years of combined experience 

applying systems analysis and integration principles in Department of Energy, Department of 

Defense, National Aeronautical and Space Administration, and Private Sector efforts. 

► System Modeling and Simulation – Modeling and simulation activities can reduce 

projects costs, improve process efficiency, and provide safe mechanisms and 

environments for experimentation and system development. INL systems engineers 

create such models and run system simulations to achieve efficient and effective solutions. 

► Risk Mitigation and Management – Risk mitigation and management are fundamental 

steps to maximizing the efficiency of risk management in any project. INL systems 

engineers provide the methods and tools needed to support risk-based decision making, 

thus yielding better overall risk management. 

► Economic / Marketing Analysis and Modeling – Economic Analysis considers the 

benefits related to supplies and demands and the interrelated issues of production, 

consumption, and distribution of goods and services. INL systems engineers provide the 

methods and tools to analyze these economic factors and yield optimized solutions. 

► Programmatic and Technology Roadmapping – The INL’s advanced technology 

roadmapping process stands at the forefront of this emerging methodology and provides a 

means for projects to measure the relative merit of technologies, accelerate application of 

new technologies, minimize project costs and schedules, facilitate informed decisionmaking, and provide a defensible argument for acquisition and/or development choices.

The research arm of Systems Engineering provides new analysis and integration knowledge 

through scientific theories and methods that support advanced decision-making, engineering, and 

science. INL systems engineers use cutting-edge thinking, formal scientific methods, and 

emerging theories in the science of systems to solve complex systemic problems. 

Facilitation and Consultation Services (FACS) integrates the technical and interpersonal 

skills necessary to help customers make logical, traceable, and defensible decisions. The FACS 

group uses highly trained and experienced facilitators in the application of organized, 

interdisciplinary approaches to solve a variety of operational, organizational, programmatic, and 

research problems and to provide customers with reliable, quality products, processes, and services 

at the lowest possible cost. INL Systems engineers are skilled in the various key elements of 

developing defensible decisions, including: 

► Results-Driven Meeting Design and Facilitation – Decision-making is often the result 

of various forms of complex group interaction. Highly skilled facilitators and consultants 

at the INL provide a tailored approach to meeting diverse customer needs. This results in 

optimum output to support technical and programmatic decision making. 

► Organizational Effectiveness Consultation – Working closely with the Strategic 

Planning and Organization Development Department, FACS consultants provide 

organizational effectiveness and development services with special emphasis on coaching, 

mentoring, alignment, culture assessment, development, communication, performance, 

and conflict management. 

► Value Engineering – INL Value Engineering employs proven, systematic processes and 

techniques to help multidisciplinary teams achieve the essential functions of a project, 

product, process, system, design, or service at the lowest life-cycle cost while remaining 

consistent with required performance, reliability, availability, quality, and safety. 

► Computer-aided Decision Support – As part of its informed decision making and 

analysis capability, the FACS group offers electronic meeting support using structured 

group intelligence technology to help teams achieve remarkable group collaboration and 

enhance organizational brainstorming and decision-making.