Enchantment Meeting Speaker: Paul Davies - Interface Management, The Neglected Orphan of Systems Engineering
Online
Abstract: Every Interface is an opportunity to lose information, time, control and / or money through contention between stakeholders at either end. There are many issues surrounding Interface management, which are relatively unexplored in the engineering literature. Interface management is perceived as a critical skill in the engineering of successful systems (INCOSE TP-2018-002-01.0), but finding useful material on the subject proves elusive. It is not that there is a gap in the collective Body of Knowledge (BoK) – but there is definitely a gap in the documented BoK. This paper explores some of the characteristics of this gap, and outlines some of the key concepts in best practice. Along the way, the differences between best practice for interfaces and best perceived practice for architecting systems are noted, and recommendations for changes in approach are given.
Speaker Biography: Paul supposedly retired in early 2014, but soon realized he needed to give something back to the systems engineering community and help mentor the next generation of practitioners. An experienced systems engineer with a sound track record in delivering successful projects over thirty years in the defense and aerospace industry, six years in the nuclear industry, and a couple of years in rail, he has a wealth of diverse experience to call on. Paul has conducted training courses and workshops in requirements, interface management, verification and validation, systems engineering management, competence assessment, and SE return on investment, with very positive feedback.