TECHNICAL PAPER ABSTRACTS

SESSION 1

 

Session 1 Track 3: Modeling

 

1.3.1           Modeling of Hardware Software Performance of High-Tech Systems

                  G. Muller, Embedded Systems Institute;             P. van den Bosch, Océ Technologies BV

                  M. Verhoef, Chess; O. Florescu, Technical University Eindhoven

 

The performance of the control system is an important aspect of a machine. It would be a waste if a high-tech machine has been build such that it can physically achieve a high throughput, for example printed sheets of paper, but is limited because the software controlling it cannot keep up. Unfortunately, with current techniques it is hard to “predict” beforehand what the performance of the software will be when it finally runs in the real system on the real processor(s). There are two (extreme) ways to deal with it:

1. Over-dimension the hardware platform to make sure the software will run.

2. Implement the software, then run and evaluate its performance on the target hardware platform. Then use this information in the next design cycle.

The disadvantages of both approaches are clear. In the first situation the cost price of the entire system will surely be higher than necessary. In the second case, the design time is increased dramatically because more design cycles are needed. Therefore, it is important to strive to a development method that leads to fast design cycles for software performance, while having an accurate enough prediction. In this paper we will discuss a pragmatic modeling approach to design for performance in the domain of software intensive systems.

 

1.3.2           A Vision for Super-Model Driven Systems Engineering

                  S. R. Piggott, L. Hartman, P. Melanson, Canadian Space Agency

 

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) has been developing for some time, and has recently acquired new impetus with the completion of the Systems Modeling Language (SysML). This paper envisions taking MBSE much further, to a future of highly integrated and automated design and verification coupled with advances in simulation and domain linkage to allow the synthesis of complete systems from requirements into mathematical models and then into physical realizations. This would permit the application of three of the most successful approaches from agile software development, namely rapid, iterative development of the system starting with the highest value functions, facilitating continual reassessment of the future direction, and continual regression testing to ensure that system bugs are identified and removed rapidly. We envisage the requirements and the model evolving together from proto-requirements and proto-model in increasing detail until the point at which the model can be realized with real hardware and software. Taking this further, the MBSE engine can perform trade-offs and optimization on the design. Implementing this vision requires progress in a number of technologies, such as data exchange between domain tools. At this time, much engineering effort is consumed in people communicating and mediating information and translating it from one form to another (e.g. system design to mechanical design). If we can realize the vision proposed, we can remove much of the burden of information mediation and optimization, allowing engineers to focus on their expertise and larger issues. The potential savings in labour are huge.

 

1.3.3           Hybrid Systems Dynamics, Petri Net, and Agent-Based Modeling of the Air and

                  Space Operations Center

                  B. White, J. Mathieu, J. James, P. Mahoney, L. Boiney, R. Hubbard The MITRE Corporation

 

In an earlier paper, an existing Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) process model (i.e., Petri net) and new global and mission models for the environment in which the AOC operates (i.e., System Dynamics) were linked (federated). The focus of this paper is the development of an operator-environment model (i.e., Agent-Based Model). An existing systems framework for attention allocation of operators within the AOC has been implemented that supports multiple modeling paradigms. The results for linking the Petri net and System Dynamics models are summarized, and new results for the Agent-Based Model are presented based on a pilot-down scenario. It has been observed that many AOC operators can become distracted by a pilot-down critical event, even if the operator is not able to directly assist in the rescue. Furthermore, this distraction has been hypothesized to have a detrimental effect on the activities the non-involved operators are currently handling.

 

1.3.4           Model-Based Design and Verification of Fault-Tolerant Systems

                  M. Sorea, EADS Germany; H. Ruess, IABG mbH

 

There is an increasing trend towards model-based development (MBD) of safety-critical systems. In an MBD approach, various development activities such as simulation, testing, code generation, and verification are based on a single formal model of the system. In this paper we show that the MBD approach can also be applied towards automating the safety analysis process. Using precise formal models of the system as the basis of the analysis helps avoiding design errors at early stages in the development lifecycle. The analysis is automated by means of model-checking tools, which results in a more thorough analysis and reduced manual effort compared to more traditional methods. We illustrate model-based analysis using the fault-tolerant startup protocol for a time-triggered middleware architecture (TTA). For a functional model of this protocol, it is verified that the specified safety requirements are satisfied in the presence of all faults within the given fault hypothesis. We demonstrate that exact, complete, and consistent safety analyses can---and in fact should---be carried out for relevant industrial designs in very early phases of the development life cycle and in an automated fashion.

 

 

Session 1 Track 4: Developing SE Professionals

 

1.4.1           An Integrated Approach to Developing Systems Professionals

                  H. L. Davidz, M. W. Maier, The Aerospace Corporation

 

As the level of integration and the complexity of engineering systems increase, there is an increasing need to develop systems capabilities in engineers.  Often, the demand for increased systems capabilities is automatically translated into a need to develop the systems capabilities of individuals.  However, the systems capabilities of groups and organizations are what really matter for complex engineering systems, and individual capabilities do not automatically translate into group and organizational capabilities.  This paper describes an integrated approach to developing systems professionals.  To guide practitioners in utilizing relevant theoretical issues and research results, a five-step plan to developing systems professionals is given.  First, there is a description of how to frame the relevant problem space.  Next, desired roles and competencies are linked to this problem spectrum.  After describing how to develop an appropriate multi-level strategy, the paper discusses how individual systems skills combine.  Potential assessments for the development approach are shown.  Since group and organizational issues can trump efforts to develop the systems capabilities of individuals, it is important to frame the relevant problem space, match the desired capabilities to that space, and create a multi-level integrated strategy to develop those capabilities in individuals, groups, and organizations.

 

1.4.2           A Model for Successful Engineering Internship: Growing Our Own Future Engineers

                  M. Malloy, The MITRE Corporation

 

UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute reported there has been a 60% drop in science and engineering majors among incoming college freshmen since the year 2000.  Competition for the dwindling number of graduating entry-level engineers is fierce.  At the same time, the academic experience of engineering rarely emulates what students can expect in the real world.  Students need relevant work opportunities to validate their career plans while keeping them engaged in their engineering degree programs.  Two years ago, we established an Internship Program to respond to both sides of this challenge.  Internship expands the concept of training beyond enhancing the skills of existing staff, to include a company making a training investment in student engineers they might like to hire full-time someday.  In this paper, we provide a template for our successful Internship Program as a model for other employers who would like to “grow their own” entry-level engineers.

 

1.4.3           Challenges in the Development of Systems Engineering as a Profession

                  I. Dixit, University of Southern California; R. Valerdi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

 

This paper explores a fundamental and important question: is Systems Engineering a profession? It is fundamental because of the current existential crisis in the discipline and it is important because it helps in defining our role in the context of the greater technical community. By observing systems engineering through the theoretical lens of the professionalization literature rooted in sociology, we propose five key challenges to systems engineering as a profession. Firstly, defining the problem space, secondly, understanding the state of the body of knowledge, thirdly, the impact of lifecycle perspective, fourthly, the falsification of systems engineering theories and lastly, the question of standard of proof for systems engineering. The need for our thesis is motivated by understanding the current body of knowledge and proposing a direction that will enable the profession to overcome key challenges.

 

1.4.4           Measurably Improving Your Systems Engineering Requirements

                  T. Olson, Quality Improvement Consultants, Inc. (QIC)

 

Requirements continue to be a major problem area for most organizations.  According to industry reports, the leading causes of quality, cost, and schedule problems are lack of understanding of the customer’s needs, incomplete requirement specifications, and managing changing requirements.  So what can an organization focus on now to improve their systems engineering requirements?  This paper will describe some practical strategies that organizations can use to measurably improve their requirements as well as their requirements process.

 

The objectives of this paper are to:

·         Present some requirements problems from industry.

·         Present a useful classification of requirements problems from the literature.

·         Provide specific strategies to address the requirements problems from the literature.

·         Describe some practical strategies that organizations can use to measurably improve their requirements.

·         Provide some requirements lessons learned and provide some industry references.

 

 

Session 1 Track 5: Intelligent Decisions

 

1.5.1           A Decision Support System to Schedule Design Activities in Aircraft Industry

                  I. Lizarralde, A. Riviere, EADS CRC France; P. Esquirol, LAAS-CNRS

 

This paper highlights the relationship between Project Management and Systems Engineering through a framework proposal that links dependencies management and project scheduling. It investigates the problems of project scheduling at the design stage of the development of a civil aircraft, mainly characterised by a dynamic environment and uncertainties concerning the duration of activities.

This framework is supported by methods dedicated to the management of schedules at tactical levels with fully elastic tasks that takes into account dependencies between design teams as new constraints.

 For end users, this framework can be considered as a Decision Support System (DSS). The DSS is a tool to check if all scheduling constraints are satisfied or to solve over-constrained problems through interactions with end-users. This approach, illustrated with AIRBUS use cases, is flexible enough to be implemented within the aerospace industry, by facilitating cooperation between design teams and by providing the possibility to carry out schedules simulations.

 

1.5.2                       Emerging Real-Time Intelligent Agents In Space Launch Verification and

Anomaly Resolution

                  D. G. Beshore, The Aerospace Corporation

 

In 1997, the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, now under the auspices of the United Launch Alliance (ULA), began with fundamental goals to reduce cost and improve the reliability of launching satellites and interplanetary spacecraft.  With payloads costing more that several billion dollars each, the reliability of launch vehicles mandates perfect launches.  Subsequently, launch systems have become highly complex with increasing launch rates of satellites to perform surveillance, network-centric command and control, and communications on the land, sea, air and space.  Launch system Ground Computers, Command and Control (GC3) has grown exponentially in software capabilities, collecting and displaying data to domain experts, and transmitting real-time data to world-wide support teams. Rapid and accurate anomaly resolution with customers and contractors, especially for events leading up to day-of-launch (DOL) involves hundreds of personnel using these complex systems.  This paper describes near-term capabilities which are the building blocks of future intelligent agents:  decision making, knowledge management; computer systems, control software and desktop PC tools.  These agents are rapidly maturing into integrated systems decision making processes that are responsive within seconds.  This near-term development activity is compared with a 20-year forecast of spaceport intelligent agent systems.

 

1.5.3           Case Study: Tailoring CMM®-Based Command Media for a Company's Individual

                  Business Areas

                  D. Turner, R. Adkins, Harris Corporation

                 

This paper describes a prescribed methodology for tailoring Command Media derived from the Carnegie Mellon®[1] University’s Software Engineering Institute’s Capability Maturity Model® Integration for a company’s business areas. The paper illustrates a case study for a specific Harris GCSD business area, Cronus, whose methodology was tailored to be generally applicable to the projects executed within the Cronus Business Area and still be compliant with Harris GCSD CMMI® Level 3 Command Media requirements. This tailoring becomes the basis for all projects within Cronus without the need for additional waivers and tailorings. This does not preclude any project from adopting the more general methodology; from further tailoring the Cronus methodology; or, continuing the process further to differentiate between studies, development contracts, quick-react contracts, and other program types. This paper represents the results of the case study and may be applicable to other business areas within Harris and at other companies.

 

1.5.4                       Time-Expanded Decision Networks: A Framework for Designing Evolvable

Complex Systems

                  O. de Weck, M. Silver, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

 

This paper describes the concept of Time-Expanded Decision Networks (TDN), a new methodology to design and analyze flexibility in large-scale complex systems. This includes a preliminary application of the methodology to the design of Heavy Lift Launch Vehicles for NASA’s space exploration initiative. Synthesizing concepts from Decision Theory, Real Options Analysis, Network Optimization, and Scenario Planning, TDN provides a holistic framework to quantify the value of system flexibility, analyze development and operational paths, and identify designs which can allow managers and systems engineers to react more easily to exogenous uncertainty. TDN consists of five principle steps, which can be implemented as a software tool: 1. Design a set of potential system configurations 2. Quantify switching costs to create a “static network” that captures the difficulty of switching among these configurations 3. Create a time-expanded decision network by expanding the static network in time, including chance and decision nodes 4. Evaluate minimum cost paths through the network under plausible operating scenarios 5. Modify the set of initial design configurations to exploit high-leverage switches and repeat the process to convergence. Results can inform decisions about how and where to embed flexibility in order to enable system evolution along various development and operational paths.

 

Session 1 Track 6: SE Processes

 

1.6.1           Using CORE Model-Based Systems Engineering Software to Support Program

                  Management in the U.S. Department of Energy Office of the Biomass Program

                  P. J. Simpkins, Vitech Corporation

                  C. Riley, D. Sandor, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

 

Biomass research has been a cornerstone of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) renewable energy development and deployment efforts during the last 25 years. Today, as the true cost of the nation’s reliance on imported oil becomes increasingly clear, the DOE Biomass Program is poised to bring biomass-derived biofuels to the market as a sustainable, domestic alternative to petroleum-derived fuels. To ensure that the program is focused on the activities critical to achieving this goal, the program is implementing systems engineering processes, practices, and tools to guide informed decision-making as biomass-to-biofuel systems are advanced from concept to commercial adoption. The program is using CORE, a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) software tool, to organize, coordinate, and document the program goals, milestones, and project tasks in a central repository. CORE is facilitating management and communication of program status, through the automated generation of accurate and up-to-date custom reports, Gantt charts, and tables in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Project, and Microsoft Excel formats, which are widely available to all program participants.

 

 

 

1.6.2           Practical Process Implementation: Using SE Methods to Develop SE Processes

                  J. T. Nolte, D. W. Newbern, P. S. Vanghel, Northrop Grumman

 

At our company, process development and process implementation is taking a new direction. We have completed and revised a robust set of corporate core processes, based on the Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) that address our primary business areas of systems engineering and system development. However, as our business evolves, we are finding new areas of related activities that are not effectively represented by our current corporate process descriptions. In this paper we present an approach for using SE methods to prepare processes for repeated reuse, in specialized areas. Our preliminary results have already been used to support marketing and business development, showing other current customers our capability and the potential to assist them in a new way. The preliminary results have also been used effectively by staff and project managers to improve management processes on existing programs.

 

1.6.3           Managing Dynamic New Product Development Processes

                  Y. Reich, A. Karniel, Tel Aviv University

 

New Product Development (NPD) processes are considered most challenging, involving major risks due to unknown or unforeseen obstacles, in terms of technology and business risks. The actual process activities which depend on the evolving product knowledge could be determined only during process execution. Thus, process planning is inherently dynamic and requires adaptation to product knowledge changes as well as other changes. Current Workflow tools can support ad-hoc changes, but do not support the planning of process dynamics and the execution of such dynamic process changes as they unfold.

 

The current article presents a novel system framework for managing dynamic process planning changes resulting from changes in customer requirements, product structure, product parametric dependencies and constraints, as well as ad-hoc changes. The proposed framework comprises: process planning, incorporating the Design Structure Matrix (DSM) method; business rules for interprating the DSM-based plan to process plan; dynamic process plan changes; and implementation of changes into Run Time process simulation.

 

1.6.4           Synthesizing the Organizational System

                  E. P. Arnold, BAE Systems Land & Armaments

 

All Change is inevitable.  The pace at which change transpires and the complexity of that change is dependent upon the:

1) Number of concurrent change drivers

2) Degree to which the drivers are instituted

3) Cultural acceptance of the drivers

4) Capacity (Resources) to implement the change, and

5) Application of system synthesis

 

At BAE Systems Land & Armaments, Armament Systems, the realization that the numerous initiatives and business drivers required for our business unit to become world class, required the combining of separate elements to form a coherent whole; system synthesis. Synthesizing the organization is a key to intelligent enterprise, since it is lean, adaptive, and agile.

 

The major initiatives and business drivers used for illustration of our organizational system in this presentation include:

1. Armament System's Business Process Model

2. International Standards Organization (ISO) Standards

3. BAE Systems corporate flow down of their Life Cycle Management processes

4. Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI®)

 

This presentation addresses how CMMI® acted as an enabler, to help drive the synthesis of our business initiatives in pursuit of an integrated organizational system. The interaction of these multiple forces results in a combined effect that is greater than the sum of their individual effects. CMMI® has acted as the change agent to drive cooperative interaction among our internal groups and is aiding in our business units’ transition as a recently acquired BAE Systems unit. CMMI® provides a common language of communication and lays the foundation for the interconnected links among the elements.

 

SESSION 2

 

Session 2 Track 1: Drivers for SE

 

2.1.1           Defining Lean Systems Engineering Processes and Procedures

                  T. Olson, Quality Improvement Consultants, Inc.

 

Many systems engineering processes and procedures are large or difficult to use.  The situation becomes even worse when complexity is involved.  Putting large or difficult to use process documentation on a website does not usually solve the problems.  This article will describe best practices for defining lean (i.e., short and usable) processes and procedures.  These best practices have been used at real organizations over the last few years to define lean processes and procedures.  Measurable results include cutting organizational processes and procedures in half while making them more usable (e.g., reducing 400 pages to 200 pages), without losing any useful information.  This article will also describe some success stories and describe some lessons learned.

 

The objectives of this article are to:

1. Describe common problems with process documentation, including some human aspects of using process documents.

2. Discuss some best practices for defining short and usable processes and procedures.

3. Describe some success stories in real organizations.

4. Provide some lessons learned.

 

2.1.2           Milestone Driven Systems Engineering Methods

                  B. H. Wells, Raytheon

 

Methods are presented that have been used successfully on large programs including a $3B development program that reached the System Requirements Review (SRR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR) on or ahead of schedule. These methods link the non-systems engineering activities into the system engineering processes and provides an effective means of communication and coordination between the systems engineers and design engineers to reduce the risk of achieving each milestone successfully.  These methods augment the established systems engineering processes for technical reviews and use the milestone events as the impetus to drive the team and the program forward.

 

2.1.3                       The US Ballistic Missile Defense System: A Case Study in Architecting

                  Systems-of-Systems

                  H. L. Hollon, C. H. Dagli, University of Missouri-Rolla

 

Systems-of-Systems (SoS) engineering for modern complex systems is one of the most difficult challenges facing today’s engineer.  This paper provides a detailed case study of architecting for a major modern SoS: the US Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).  The BMDS is a massive SoS that encompasses several existing and new missile defense programs on a variety of platforms covering most of the world.  This paper includes a review of currently defined practices for architecting SoS, a discussion of how the BMDS was architected, and then suggestions for architecting future additions to the program.

 

Session 2 Track 2: Requirements & Stakeholders

 

2.2.1           Eight Deadly Defects in Systems Engineering and How to Fix Them

                  J. E. Kasser, SEEC/University of South Australia

 

Any organization desirous to adopt or improve systems engineering needs to be aware that research into the nature of systems engineering has identified a number of defects in the current systems engineering paradigm. This paper discusses eight of these defects and ways to fix or compensate for them.

 

2.2.2           Using Stakeholder Analysis to Define the Problem in Systems Engineering

                  T. E. Trainor, G. S. Parnell, Department of Systems Engineering, USMA

 

The first step in most system life cycles is the problem definition.  Stakeholder analysis is a key technique to insure the problem has been fully and completely described before we attempt to obtain a solution to the problem.  We identify and describe the three most common techniques for stakeholder analysis:  interviews, focus groups, and surveys.  We compare the three techniques using five criteria: time commitment of participants, ideal stakeholder group, preparation, execution, and analysis.  We identify best practices to make stakeholder analysis both effective and efficient.  This paper will aid the new practitioner and student of systems engineering as they organize and execute an effective stakeholder analysis, which is critical to the success of any systems engineering project.

 

2.2.3           Combined Requirements Engineering (CRE): The Quest for Widening the

                        Applicability of Requirements Engineering Practices in the Emerging

                  Product-Service Paradigm

                  V. Agouridas, University of Leeds; M. Kossmann, University of West England and Airbus UK

 

Competitive pressures and the globalisation have led enterprises to continuously seek innovative ways to create value for their customers whilst either minimising costs or keeping these at acceptable levels. To this end, enterprises have been offering product-service bundles to promote and support their core products. This situation has led to the emergence of so-called product-service paradigm; a key characteristic of which is the provision of the requisite capability through a combination of service and product characteristics. However, the majority of current requirements engineering (RE) practices are aimed at solely addressing either product or service aspects of capability. This paper highlights the quest to widen the applicability of established requirements engineering practices, used mainly for product-oriented systems, to encompass, in a complementary manner, aspects of service-oriented systems. To this end, the term ‘combined requirements engineering’ (CRE) is introduced. The paper presents and discusses challenges and issues derived from the need for CRE under the emerging product-service paradigm. The paper concludes by giving directions for future research in addressing such challenges and issues.

 

Session 2 Track 3: Modeling

 

2.3.1           Benefits and Costs of Model-Based Fault Diagnosis for Semiconductor

                  Manufacturing Equipment

                  J. Pietersma, A. J. van Gemund, Delft University of Technology

 

Model-Based Diagnosis (MBD) is a promising solution for the fault diagnosis of complex systems. In this paper we review the benefits and costs of MBD. Our research is performed in cooperation with ASML which is the world’s leading manufacturer of lithography systems for the semiconductor industry. We analyse the current way of working and the benefits that MBD offers. We present the results of practical modeling studies and discuss the benefits, costs, and cost reduction methods. We summarize the current research results and ongoing developments. Our results show that MBD has a high potential for diagnosis in a rapidly innovating industry. The fulfilment of this potential depends on the cost of modeling and the acceptance of MBD as part of broader pursuit for model-based systems engineering.

 

2.3.2           Model-Based Techniques for Intelligent Integration and Testing in Industry

                  N. Braspenning, J. van de Mortel-Fronczak, J. Rooda, Eindhoven University of Technology

                  D. van der Ploeg, ASML Netherlands B.V.

 

The effort required for integration and testing of high-tech multi-disciplinary systems is increasing with each new or upgraded system that is developed. To counter this trend of increasing integration and test lead time and costs, we propose a model-based integration and testing (MBI&T) method, where formal and executable models of the system components are used to replace the component realizations for early integration and system testing. In this paper, we describe how the integration and testing process currently used in industry can be made more intelligent by applying model-based techniques from the MBI&T method. We also show how to analyze the necessary trade-off between the investments needed for model development and the potential effort reduction, using a systematic and automatic integration sequencing method.

                 

2.3.3           HCI Aspects of SysML and Architectural Frameworks

                  M. C. Hause, F. Thom, Artisan Software Tools

 

The Human Computer Interface (HCI) is one of the most important aspects of any system. It governs how people perceive the environment in which the system is deployed, and can either enable or hinder their ability to interact with that environment. Specifying the appropriate characteristics of the interface is therefore crucial to the correct implementation of the system. The goals of HCI are to develop or improve the safety, utility, effectiveness, efficiency, and usability of systems that include computers. The challenges for HCI are to keep abreast of technology, and to ensure that their designs offer good HCI, as well as harnessing the potential functionality of the new technology. As SysML becomes more prevalent for modeling systems, integrating HCI aspects into these models has the potential for improving HCI, eliminating duplication of tasks, and making systems more useable. This paper will look at SysML and DoDAF/MoDAF (MAF) and how they contribute towards defining the parameters in which the HCI will take place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session 2 Track 4: Decision Assessment

 

2.4.1           Decision Analysis for Design Trades for A Combined Scientific-Technological

                  Mission Orbit on Venus Micro Satellite

                  J. Herscovitz, D. L. Barnett, RAFAEL

                 

The scope of the VENµS Technological Mission is to evaluate and qualify the IHET (Israeli Hall Effect Thruster) performance in space and to use the IHET for mission enhancement. IHET will be used to demonstrate space missions that require high ΔV and are hardly achievable using traditional chemical propulsion in microsatellties.

During the satellite's third mission phase (VM3) the VENµS satellite will fly in a high drag environment. The IHET will be used for autonomous orbit maintenance to enable continuation of the scientific mission, which is vegetation monitoring.

 

This paper describes the selection of VM3 orbit. Different orbit candidate alternatives were compared according to pre-determined criteria and weighted accordingly, using the NGT technique. After all candidate alternatives were analyzed, they were compared using a Decision Analysis for Design Trades method. Based on the analysis, the final orbit was chosen.

 

2.4.2                       Incorporating Software Cost and Risk Assessment into Early System

Development Trade Studies

                  K. A. Weiss, Jet Propulsion Laboratory;

                  N. G. Leveson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology;             J. Francis, Payload Systems, Inc.

 

This paper introduces a new method called SOCRATES (Software Cost and Risk Assessment for Trade and Engineering Studies) for incorporating software cost and risk assessment into the early concept development activities and trade studies typically conducted for complex systems.  Early conceptual architecture trade studies often omit software cost and risk in architectural comparisons.  However, the increasing importance of software in complex system design and its impact on project risk necessitates consideration of the cost and risk associated with developing and fielding software in early engineering architectural trade studies.  SOCRATES takes into consideration the allocation of functionality to both software and human controllers and evaluates the utility of assigning control based on development cost, development risk, and mission risk.  It also provides input to system engineers about the relative comparison of the cost and risk for a variety of system architecture concepts as well as recommendations based on the results.  The technique is demonstrated on the Lunar and Mars Transportation and Surface Operations Architectures developed for the NASA Exploration Initiative Concept Exploration and Refinement Study.

 

2.4.3           Does INCOSE Need PR?

                  A. Zonnenshain, RAFAEL

 

The mission of INCOSE is to foster the definition, understanding, and practice of world class systems engineering in industry, academia, and government.

 

INCOSE’s vision is to be world’s premier professional society for advancing the art and practice of systems engineering.

 

INCOSE makes this vision a reality through its members, its chapters, its partners and through the systems engineering community.

 

Even though INCOSE has grown significantly since its formation in 1990, there are only five thousand members. The potential base individual members is more than hundred thousands.

 

There are hundreds of organizations which practice systems engineering and are familiar with the leading role of INCOSE in promoting systems engineering. But there are thousands of organizations that are not familiar with the benefits of systems engineering and the capabilities of INCOSE.

 

In this paper we propose to use Public Relations (PR) as one of the approaches and tools to promote the mission and the vision of INCOSE.

 

“PR is the practice of creating, promoting or maintaining goodwill and favorable image among the public towards an institution, public body…..”.

 

We demonstrate the planning of PR campaign for INCOSE by proposing the goals & aims of the campaign, defining the target audience, suggesting the messages & ideas to be delivered through the campaign, presenting some examples for how to deliver the messages (the medium), and discussing the timing of the individual PR activity.

 

This proposed PR campaign is not standalone, but it is part of the professional & managerial development of INCOSE, and a part of its marketing efforts.

 

It is proposed to form a PR committee which will plan the campaign and execute it.

 

The proposed goals for the PR campaign are very ambitious - like doubling the number of members in 10 years, doubling the number of participating in INCOSE Annual International Conference in 5 years. But we assume these goals and aims are achievable, if we launch a PR campaign with broad perspectives:

 

Professional campaign

Excellence campaign

Globalization campaign

Business success campaign

Public decision making campaign.

 

Also, we describe some ingredients of PR campaign that we are launching for the INCOSE activities in Israel through the Israeli Chapter – INCOSE-IL.

 

We propose that INCOSE management will consider to adapt our proposed approach for the benefit of INCOSE, its members, its chapters and the whole systems engineering community.

SESSION 3

 

Session 3 Track 1: Systems of Systems

 

3.1.1           System of Systems Engineering Model by Multistage Analytical

                  Target Cascading

                  H. M. Kim, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 

This paper presents a multilevel, multistage approach to system of systems engineering optimization where a system design/selection is linked with system allocation along the multistage decision making horizon. The approach is composed of two parts: pseudo-hierarchical formulation (i.e., how to model the stages of multiple, separate decision making processes), and multistage coordination (i.e., how efficiently the proposed model would perform). The pseudo-hierarchical formulation expands the analytical target cascading previously developed by the author into multiple stages to capture level-by-level and stage-by-stage system of systems design optimization. The multistage coordination is based on the alternating directions method that is incorporated as an efficient means to solve this inherently large-scale optimization problem. An airline example validates the methodology where an airline plans to introduce multiple new aircraft to capture dynamically changing future demand of the customers. The proposed methodology is validated against the all-in-one approach and th