Systems and Software Interface Working Group

Increase the relevance of systems engineering in business settings that are software- and data-intensive, enabling the resilience (and anti-fragility) of organizations and the products, as well as the systems and services they produce

Working Group Purpose & Mission

Mission:

Increase the relevance of systems engineering in business settings that are software- and data-intensive

We do this by:

  • improving mutual understanding of what each discipline does, and the value provided
  • developing work products to address additional knowledge or capabilities for each discipline, how they work together, what they jointly design and build,  and how to honor respective accountabilities
  • focusing at the interfaces of systems and software engineering and related disciplines, where there are gaps, duplications, conflicts and missed opportunities (missed leverage and synergy) to drive value

where

Interfaces include but are not limited to organizational, operational, process, project, product & services, technical (physical, logical, data) and human.

Related disciplines include but are not limited to digital engineering, data science, human centered design, innovation and product.

Through our mission, endeavors and work products, we will understand and resolve issues with systems-software interfaces that challenge our ability to engineer today's and tomorrow's systems.
people6

Transformation Enablers

TechOps Domain

26 Active

Members

(+67 Active Followers)

2012

Established

Chair

Jeannine Siviy

Inquiries

systems-sw-interface@incose.net

Scope

The Systems and Software Interfaces Working Group (SaSIWG) addresses interfaces between systems and software and data, including but not limited to organizational, operational, process, project, design, technical and product (or service).  "Data" is included in scope for its role in digital software and systems, and Data Science for its software development dimensions.

We span multiple sectors,  addressing with intention both those where systems engineering is familiar (e.g., aerospace, automotive) and those where it goes by other names (e.g., healthcare, e-commerce).

We use all relevant tools and techniques from our domain (e.g., modeling, systems thinking) and others (e.g., product, human centered design, storytelling) to analyze and smooth the interfaces and create relevant work product (e.g., ebooks, BoKs, other guidance).

Goals

The overarching objective of this WG is to generate actionable work products for INCOSE’s Corporate Advisory Board (CAB) members, in response to the systems-software interface challenge they identified as one of their top six needs and in alignment with the INCOSE Vision. The CAB has over 100 members, spanning 38+ nations and includes organizations from industry , government and academia.  CAB members employ over 200,000 systems engineers.

During the past year, we focused on themes of "Business Relevance" and "Data & Architecture," which led to our recently published ebook and was a springboard for a longer term holistic roadmap which serves as our frame to realize the following goals and achieve our mission.  See the work product section for a roadmap summary.

Product & Outreach Goals
• Create 2+ publications/year, with at least 1 published via a non-INCOSE channel (e.g., a relevant, accessible channel for software and data disciplines)
• Contribute to at least 2 Bodies of Knowledge or other reference guidance (BoKs, standards, reusable training, cases, and so forth)
• Organize or participate in at least 2 community events to foster information exchange and relationship building across disciplines

Learning Goals
• Conduct up to 2 book clubs per year
• Launch and Conduct a monthly “Learn & Discuss” invited Speaker Series

Working Group Engagement Goals
• Engage at least 7 to 10 active members  (we have over 20!)
• Engage participants from software, data and "non-traditional" systems engineering sectors (such as finance, health, gig economy)
• Participate in 1 to 2 non-INCOSE events 
• Establish a CAB sponsor or liaison


Outcome & Impact Goals: As our product portfolio expands, we will define measures, baseline and set targets for increasing impact

Outcomes

To move toward desirable outcomes, we have established target outputs that span people (roles), process and technical guidance: 

  • Business Relevance ebook (launched in early 2023)
  • Role Clarification across Systems, Software, Data (with attention also to Product, Business, Human Centered Design)
    • role relationships via social network analysis (in progress)
    • title-neutral role functions
    • communications gap closure
  • Kickstart Workshop for Systems-Software-Data Implementation
  • "Beer Game"* Style Simulation for Systems-Software-Data Roles
  • Ontology Patterns
  • Harmonized Architecture Case Studies
  • Data+Architecture Patterns

*the "Beer Game" is a supply chain simulation used in MBA programs and industrial training settings.  We envision a corollary simulation or gamification experience for Digital settings.

IW23: International Workshop Focus

 

At IW, we held an open house session to share

  • our Business Relevance eBook and storytelling journey,
  • our current roadmap and active subteam effort on Role Relationships and Social Network Analysis and
  • opportunities to engage with us

 

Planned Activities

  • Monthly Meetings are held 2nd Thursday of each month, noon ET
  • Book Club Meetings are held alternate Thursdays
  • Subteam meetings are scheduled at the convenience of members

Accomplishments

Work Products & Activities

  • Publications
    o  eBook, 2023: Realizing Relevance: Stories for our Digital Era, Why “Everything is a System” Should Be Your New Mantra
    o  IS2022: Business Relevance Vignettes
    o  Insight July 2021 Theme Issue: 7 papers
1.  A Complex Adaptive Systems Engineering Methodology
2.  “Book Club” Guides A Working Group to Create INCOSE System-Software Interface Products
3.  System Engineering place in Software Organizations Delivering Service Products
4.  System Test Approach for Complex Software Systems
5.  Systems and Software Interface Survey
6.  Systems Engineering and DevSecOps: Reviewing the Principles
7.  Systems Thinking and Business Resilience: Questions That Should Keep Us Up at Night 
o  IS2021: A Guide for Systems Engineers to Finding Your Role in 21st -Century Software-Dominant Organizations ***Best Paper***
o  IS2020: Key Problems and Needs Survey Findings
o  IS2019: What are Cyberphysical systems and What needs to change?
o  IS2018: INCOSE Working Group Addresses System & Software Interfaces
  • SEBoK Articles (work in progress)
  • Other BoK and other work product [future]

Learning Sessions

  • Book Clubs:
    • Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering
    • Thinking Fast & Slow
    • The Unicorn Project
    • Systems Engineering of Software-Enabled Systems

Engagement

  • Current member engagement: ~26 active overall
  • INCOSE events:
    • IS 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
    • IW: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Awards

  • Systems Engineering Vision Award, 2021

Derivative Works

•  Right to Left and Outside-In:Systems Engineer’s Role in Software-Dominant Organizations of the 21st Century. Ken Nidiffer, NDIA Systems and Mission Engineering Conf, 2021

 

Planned Work Products

    In analysis, with specific work product format to be determined

    • Role Clarification across Systems, Software, Data (in context of Product, Business, HCD)
      • role relationships via social network analysis (WiP)
      • title-neutral role functions
      • communications gap closure

    On roadmap

    • Kickstart Workshop for Systems-Software-Data Implementation
    • "Beer Game"* Style Simulation for Systems-Software-Data Roles
    • Ontology Patterns
    • Harmonized Architecture Case Studies
    • Data+Architecture Patterns
    *the "Beer Game" is a supply chain simulation used in MBA programs and industrial training settings.  We envision a corollary simulation or gamification experience for Digital settings.

    Active Endeavors | Current Initiatives

      eBook: Realizing Relevance: Stories for Our Digital Era

      • Subtitle: “The Business Value of Thinking In Systems (When You Are Building Software)”

      Roles Analysis

      • Scenario based analysis of major software product change with and without Systems Engineer
      • Examining interrelationships between and processes of Business, Product, Dev & Scrum Team, and Systems roles
      • Goal: Decision Guide for adding Systems Engineering to software and digital transformation initiatives

      SEBoK Articles

      • 6 articles underway:  SysE Relevance in SW Orgs, Sys-SW Interfaces, Current Era Software Dominant Orgs, SysE and Software Service Products, SysE and DevSecOps, SWEBOK overview
      • 2 in backlog:  SysE-SW-Prod Role Relationships,  IEEE 15289 overview

      Book Club: We Conduct 2 Book Clubs per year

      • Wrapping up Donella Meadows’ book, and preparing a summary deck for slideshare.net
      SaSIWG_Roadmap

       

       

       

       

      SaSIWG_Origin_story_graphic
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