Systems & Software Engineering: From Theory to Practice

A One Day Tutorial -- Saturday, February 27, 1999

Instructor: Ms. Dorothy McKinney

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• This tutorial is intended for systems engineers, software engineers, and engineers in other disciplines who work with software engineers and managers who need to understand the process by which software engineers get the requirements and additional guidance they need to make key software architectural decisions and design trade-offs.  No software implementation knowledge or experience is required for the course.  What is required, however, is the willingness to take risks and experiment with the process of developing requirements and derived requirements during the day this tutorial is conducted.
• This tutorial focuses on learning by doing.  Each participant is asked to take on, in turn, several of the major roles in the process of developing requirements and designing software. The participant learns by understanding and trying different alternatives, rather than by guessing a right answer.  (In fact, most exercises are designed so there is not a wrong answer -- just different consequences for choosing each answer.)
• This tutorial is adapted from a software requirements tutorial first given in the mid-1980s, but considerably updated to include new topics of concern, including extensive use of existing and COTS software, and the impact on systems engineering of some of the newer software technologies.

WHAT'S IN THIS TUTORIAL:

MODULE 1: Understanding the Big Picture
  Any system containing software is intended to meet some mission need, from translating human input into instructions to a machine (the mission of the control systems for our smart appliances today), to orchestrating the deployment of a wide variety of airplanes to achieve military objectives (the mission of an Air Force command and control system).  This module addresses how to understand a mission need, and how to translate that mission need into high level requirements and constraints.

MODULE 2: Using Existing Software, Including Commercial Off-The Shelf (COTS) Software: The Implications for Systems Engineering
  The cost of developing an entire system from scratch, in both dollars and schedule time, is prohibitive for most software systems today. Instead, use of existing systems (which may need to be re-engineered to be used) and COTS software is typical. This module will explore the differences in requirements development strategies which are necessary to make effective use of non-developmental software of all kinds.

MODULE 3: Theory and Practical Application of the Systems to Software Engineering Handoff: Requirements Management, Configuration Control, Tools & Metrics
  This module discusses the roles of these practices, metrics and supporting tools in the handoff of requirements and responsibility from systems engineering to software engineering.

MODULE 4: Defining Detailed Requirements for Software
  This module first gives participants a hands-on opportunity to try identifying requirements, and distinguishing key characteristics of requirements.  Then participants are given several hands-on opportunities to develop detailed requirements for a software design.  The characteristics of the resulting software system are assessed, and the implications of these detailed requirements decisions for software maintenance, support and evolution are analyzed.

MODULE 5: Costs of Changing Requirements
  This module gives participants a hands-on opportunity to see the impacts of requirements changes on software architecture and designs.

MODULE 6: Using New Techniques: Rapid Prototyping and Object Oriented Approaches for Systems Engineering
  Techniques discussed include rapid prototyping and Joint Application Development (JAD), and their use from a systems engineering perspective.  New software engineering techniques and methodologies, such as OO and Java are discussed.  The comparison of the utility of OO approaches between systems and software is made.  Conclusions about how and when to use new technologies as they come available are presented.

About the Instructor

DOROTHY McKINNEY, the author and presenter of this tutorial, has over 27 years of industry experience in the development of software-intensive systems, including work for SRI International, Ford Aerospace, ARGOSystems (a Boeing subsidiary), Loral and Lockheed Martin.  She has worked as a hands-on software developer, a systems engineer, a software engineering manager, a systems engineering manager, executive engineering manager, chief scientist, and a senior vice president, with excursions into CASE systems development, corporate consulting/trouble-shooting and mission success to liven things up.  She is currently Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space's Director of Mission Success for Software and Ground Systems, in which capacity she acts as the catalyst to focus the organization on the factors key to achieving success in the missions of all of their systems.  Dorothy is an active member of INCOSE and has chaired working groups (such as the one which developed the first draft of the How-To Handbook), and the Systems Engineering Processes & Methods Technical Committee.  Currently she is concentrating her efforts on actually contributing to the Metrics and Risk Management Working Groups.

ENROLLMENT AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Pre-Registration is Required:   Fill out and return the enrollment form provided.  Acceptable forms of payment are checks, bank drafts, and money orders (sorry, no purchase orders or credit cards).  Fees are payable to INCOSE. To "reserve" a space in the tutorial when paying by company check, remit a personal check and attach a note to hold for company payment.

Confirming Enrollment:  Call 650-938-0553 if you do not receive an enrollment confirmation by Tuesday, Feb 23, 1999.

Enrollment Packets:  A confirmation notice will be in the enrollment information package.  A map to San Jose State and the auditorium will be provided as well as parking information and a phone number to be used in an emergency.  Course material will be distributed on the day of the tutorial at the registration desk.  Registration begins at 8 a.m.  The course is scheduled to end at 5 p.m.

Lunch is Provided:  A one hour lunch break is scheduled.  Lunch will be provided and the entree will be a selection of sandwiches with various meats and cheeses.  Please list dietary restrictions on the enrollment form.

Cancellation Policy:   Full refunds will be made prior to February 19.  The registration fee will also be refunded if the tutorial must be cancelled or rescheduled due to circumstances beyond our control.

Event Coordinator:  Ms. Mickey Farrance of ... to the Last Detail provides event operations support.  Enrollment status and changes should be given to

... to the Last Detail, at 650-938-0553 or incose@lastdetail.com

Our thanks to Dr. Ernest Unwin and San Jose State University for making SJSU facilities available for this tutorial.

For Information about INCOSE Tutorials: Bob Barter, 925-422-5150, barter1@llnl.gov

San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
 
Read about our chapter activities at
http://www.incose.org/sfbac/

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 To The Last Detail
 INCOSE Tutorial
 101 E. Middlefield Rd. #1
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