Developing software and systems engineering standards

There are a great many Software and Systems Engineering standards such as those supported by organizations like the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). It is often said that many of these have a poor reputation with many sections of academia and industry. Whilst there may be many publicized business advantages of using standards, standardization is an often-neglected route for exploiting academic and commercial research. Often researchers have little experience of standardization to plan, implement and exploit their research utilizing standards. Involvement with standards development organizations in your research can positively increase international recognition and highlight in a world stage your research and enhance your international reputation. This keynote address examined the benefits of being directly involved in the standards community for both industry and academia and specifically how standards can inform your research. Based upon personal experience as Ireland Head of Delegation to ISO's Software and Systems Engineering group and that of being an ISO standards editor, this keynote will examine the issues and benefits of becoming actively involved inside the standardization community and how this can be translated into your personal research agenda

REALIZATION OF PROCESSES OF LIFE CYCLE OF THE DIFFICULT AUTOMATED SYSTEMS ON THE BASIS OF STANDARDS OF PROGRAM ENGINEERING

Presentation of the concept of systems and software engineering in the complex systematic international standards regulating the processes of the life cycle of complex automated systems, and mastering of these standards in the framework of the course «Software engineering» specialty «Applied Informatics» in the process of developing real IT- projectПредставление концепции системной и программной инженерии в комплексе систематизированных международных стандартов, регламентирующих процессы жизненного цикла сложных автоматизированных систем, и освоение этих стандартов в рамках курса «Программная инженерия» направления подготовки «Прикладная информатика» в процессе разработки реального ИТ-проект

Using structured analysis and design technique (SADT) for simulation conceptual modelling

Conceptual Modelling (CM) has received little attention in the area of Modelling and Simulation (M&S) and more specifically in Discrete Event Simulation (DES). It is widely agreed that CM is least understood despite its importance. This is however, not the case in other fields of science and engineering (especially, computer science, systems engineering and software engineering). In Computer Science (CS) alone, CM has been extensively used for requirements specification and some well-established methods are in practice. The aim of the thesis is to propose a CM framework based on the principles of software engineering and CS. The development of the framework is adapted from a well-known software engineering method called Structured Analysis and Design Technique (SADT), hence it is called SADT CM. It is argued that by adapting approaches from CS, similar benefits can be achieved in terms of formality, understanding, communication and quality. A comprehensive cross-disciplinary review of CM in CS and M&S is undertaken, which highlights the dearth of standards within M&S CM when compared to CS. Three important sub-fields of CS are considered for this purpose namely, information systems, databases and software engineering. The review identifies two potential methods that could be adopted for developing a M&S CM framework. The first method called PREView was found unsuitable for M&S CM in DES domain. Hence, the thesis concentrates on developing the framework based on SADT. The SADT CM framework is evaluated on three-in depth test cases that investigate the feasibility of the approach. The study also contributes to the literature by conducting a usability test of the CM framework in an experimental setting. A comprehensive user-guide has also been developed as part of the research for users to follow the framewor

Systems engineering education in an accredited undergraduate engineering program

Abstract: Developing countries are mostly reliant on external technologies and this augments the need for systems engineering capability in these economies. It is therefore imperative that systems engineering as theory and practice is included in undergraduate engineering curricula to strengthen the internal technological capability of a country’s developing engineers. In South Africa, the quality of undergraduate engineering programs is governed by the Engineering Council of South Africa (affiliated under the Washington Accord); and the exit level outcomes of the programs are predetermined explicitly per module. Systems engineering was introduced to an undergraduate electrical engineering program offered in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Johannesburg; and a framework developed to ensure that the program still meets the requisite ECSA exit level outcomes and therefore international standards. This paper presents the design and implementation of the framework, as well as the challenges that students are exposed to when faced with real-world systems engineering practice. Students were grouped into independent product development teams using a software support tool which promotes diversity and skill-level targets for each team. The independent team structure required the use and application of the systems engineering process and supported the development of management and communication skills. Furthermore, the framework allowed assessment of the performance of each product development team towards achieving the overall project objectives. One of the accreditation requirements of undergraduate engineering programs is peer assessment and this was achieved by the process. The paper closes by presenting the results of the stated framework implementation in an undergraduate electrical engineering program offered in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Johannesburg

Establish a generic railway electronic interlocking solution using software engineering methods

A research investigation has been undertaken to establish a generic software interlocking solution for electronic railway systems. The system is intended to be independent of the physical station layout and easily adaptable in any country of application. Railway signalling principles and regulated safety standards are incorporated into the system design. A literature review has been performed to investigate existing interlocking methods and to identify common aspects amongst these methods. Existing methods for the development of electronic interlocking systems are evaluated. The application of software engineering techniques to interlocking systems is also considered. Thereafter a model of the generic solution is provided. The solution is designed following an agile life cycle development process. The structure of the interlocking is based on an MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture which provides a modular foundation upon which the system is developed. The interlocking system is modelled using Boolean interlocking functions and UML (Unified Modelling Language) statecharts. Statecharts are used to graphically represent the procedures of interlocking operations. The Boolean interlocking functions and statechart models collectively represent a proof of concept for a generic interlocking software solution. The theoretical system models are used to simulate the interlocking software in TIA (Totally Integrated Automation) Portal. The behaviour of the interlocking during element faults and safety–critical events is validated through graphical software simulations. Test cases are derived based on software engineering test techniques to validate the behaviour and completeness of the software. The software simulations indicate that the general algorithms defined for the system model can easily be determined for a specific station layout. The model is not dependent on the physical signalling elements. The generic algorithms defined for determining the availability of the signalling element types and the standard interlocking functions are easily adaptable to a physical layout. The generic solution encompasses interlocking principles and rail safety standards which enables the interlocking to respond in a fail-safe manner during hazardous events. The incorporation of formal software engineering methods assists in guaranteeing the safety of the system as safety components are built into the system at various stages. The use of development life cycle models and design patterns supports the development of a modular and flexible system architecture. This allows new additions or amendments to easily be incorporated into the system. The application of software engineering techniques assists in developing a generic maintainable interlocking solution for railways

No Trust without regulation!

The explosion in the performance of Machine Learning (ML) and the potential of its applications are strongly encouraging us to consider its use in industrial systems, including for critical functions such as decision-making in autonomous systems. While the AI community is well aware of the need to ensure the trustworthiness of AI-based applications, it is still leaving too much to one side the issue of safety and its corollary, regulation and standards, without which it is not possible to certify any level of safety, whether the systems are slightly or very critical.The process of developing and qualifying safety-critical software and systems in regulated industries such as aerospace, nuclear power stations, railways or automotive industry has long been well rationalized and mastered. They use well-defined standards, regulatory frameworks and processes, as well as formal techniques to assess and demonstrate the quality and safety of the systems and software they develop. However, the low level of formalization of specifications and the uncertainties and opacity of machine learning-based components make it difficult to validate and verify them using most traditional critical systems engineering methods. This raises the question of qualification standards, and therefore of regulations adapted to AI. With the AI Act, the European Commission has laid the foundations for moving forward and building solid approaches to the integration of AI-based applications that are safe, trustworthy and respect European ethical values. The question then becomes "How can we rise to the challenge of certification and propose methods and tools for trusted artificial intelligence?

Making adaptable systems work for mission operations: A case study

The Advanced Multimission Operations System (AMMOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is based on a highly adaptable multimission ground data system (MGDS) for mission operations. The goal for MGDS is to support current flight project science and engineering personnel and to meet the demands of future missions while reducing associated operations and software development costs. MGDS has become a powerful and flexible mission operations system by using a network of heterogeneous workstations, emerging open system standards, and selecting an adaptable tools-based architecture. Challenges in developing adaptable systems for mission operations and the benefits of this approach are described

Exploring 21st Century Learning in Virginia Secondary School Technology and Engineering Classrooms: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how integrative STEM teachers utilize the Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy (STEL) to foster and assess 21st-century learning in technology and engineering classes at multiple Virginia public secondary schools. The theory guiding this study was Kolb’s experiential learning theory, which integrates nine learning theories into an innovative cyclical learning process that is like the engineering design loop. This hermeneutic phenomenology included 15 Virginia technology and engineering schoolteachers (Grades 6-12) who purposefully taught multiple academic disciplines and utilized the eight practices of the STEL in the context of their curriculum to foster 21st-century learning. Data collection included individual interviews, journal prompts, and physical artifacts (lesson plans, assessment tools, etc.). Data were entered into the Delve data analysis software and were analyzed using Van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological theory for common themes regarding the fostering and assessment of 21st-century literacy. The themes extracted from the data included measuring 21st-century learning, developing 21st-century curriculum, and the eight practices of technology and engineering educators: creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, optimism, attention to ethics, systems thinking, and making and doing. The findings indicated that integrative STEM methodology, multidisciplinary instruction, and the eight practices of the STEL fostered 21st-century learning. This study’s significance was to add to the available literature on integrative STEM education and the STEL fostering 21st-century learning