On the engineering of systems of systems: key challenges for the requirements engineering community!

Software intensive systems of the future will be ultra large-scale systems of systems. Systems of Systems Engineering focuses on the interoperation of many independent, self-contained constituent systems to achieve a global need. The scale and complexity of systems of systems possess unique challenges for the Requirements Engineering community. Current requirements engineering techniques are inadequate in addressing these challenges and new concepts, methods, techniques, tools and processes are required. This paper identifies some immediate key challenges for the Requirements Engineering community that need to be scoped and describes some road-mapping activities that aim to address these challenges

DEFINE BILLET DESCRIPTIONS AND SKILL SETS THAT ARE NEEDED TO PERFORM LEAD SYSTEM INTEGRATION (LSI) FUNCTIONS

In 2008, Congress passed Public Law 110-181, which directed the Secretary of Defense to properly size and train the Department of Defense workforce to do more inherently governmental functions. There was no training path established to support this law. Therefore, the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) established such training for the functional area of Lead System Integrator (LSI). The LSI area of study has been conducted at NPS for years through research and cohort classwork. This thesis is a continuation of the Lead System Integrator Cohort 4 Final Report, which did not address the LSI-based billets needed for the System of Systems Mission Assurance phase (more commonly known as the “fielding of the system”) for the warfighter. The goal of this research is to discover whether a reference exists for project/program managers to properly staff their LSI teams through expanded roles and responsibilities with proper Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Through comparison and analysis of organizational charts, traditional NAVAIR job titles, and known LSI functional areas, this thesis tries to define position descriptions and KSAs that are needed to perform an LSI function. The study used four different program offices that state they operate projects as LSI inside their program offices.Civilian, Department of the NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

From Sensor to Observation Web with Environmental Enablers in the Future Internet

This paper outlines the grand challenges in global sustainability research and the objectives of the FP7 Future Internet PPP program within the Digital Agenda for Europe. Large user communities are generating significant amounts of valuable environmental observations at local and regional scales using the devices and services of the Future Internet. These communities’ environmental observations represent a wealth of information which is currently hardly used or used only in isolation and therefore in need of integration with other information sources. Indeed, this very integration will lead to a paradigm shift from a mere Sensor Web to an Observation Web with semantically enriched content emanating from sensors, environmental simulations and citizens. The paper also describes the research challenges to realize the Observation Web and the associated environmental enablers for the Future Internet. Such an environmental enabler could for instance be an electronic sensing device, a web-service application, or even a social networking group affording or facilitating the capability of the Future Internet applications to consume, produce, and use environmental observations in cross-domain applications. The term ?envirofied? Future Internet is coined to describe this overall target that forms a cornerstone of work in the Environmental Usage Area within the Future Internet PPP program. Relevant trends described in the paper are the usage of ubiquitous sensors (anywhere), the provision and generation of information by citizens, and the convergence of real and virtual realities to convey understanding of environmental observations. The paper addresses the technical challenges in the Environmental Usage Area and the need for designing multi-style service oriented architecture. Key topics are the mapping of requirements to capabilities, providing scalability and robustness with implementing context aware information retrieval. Another essential research topic is handling data fusion and model based computation, and the related propagation of information uncertainty. Approaches to security, standardization and harmonization, all essential for sustainable solutions, are summarized from the perspective of the Environmental Usage Area. The paper concludes with an overview of emerging, high impact applications in the environmental areas concerning land ecosystems (biodiversity), air quality (atmospheric conditions) and water ecosystems (marine asset management)

Mission Engineering and the CubeSat System Reference Model - Status #2

The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) Space System Working Group (SSWG) has created the CubeSat System Reference Model™ (CSRM™) intended for use by system architects and engineers as a starting point to develop the physical architecture of the Space and Ground segments of the CubeSat mission of interest to them. The CSRM is based on Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) principles, is System Modeling Language™ (SysML™) v1.7 compliant, and hosted in a graphical modeling tool. The CSRM has been submitted to the Object Management Group (OMG) and is in the finalization process to become an OMG Specification. With the development of the CSRM nearing completion, the INCOSE SSWG is now researching how features of the CSRM can be used at a higher level to support Mission Engineering (ME). ME, a concept where the mission itself is looked at as a system, is being explored as a means to maintain balance between the spacecraft system, operations (including ground systems), and the mission (the integration of needed capabilities). An earlier paper provided an initial assessment of where the CSRM supports ME activities and where there are areas that require further research. That paper proposed a way forward that included a set of activities needed to completely define what additions would be required to extend the CSRM to fully support ME. One of those activities was to analyze the CSRM for additional artifacts which could be added to the containment tree for key elements of ME activities that do not map to the CSRM. This paper provides the results of performing that activity for two ME activities: the Mission Architecting Activity and the Mission-oriented Systems-of-Systems (SoS) Implementation Activity

System of systems engineering governance framework for digital transformation: A case study of an Australian large government agency

Current swift technological advances are significantly impacting how organizations operate and services are provided. Even with the multiple benefits for organizations that undergo digital transformation, the majority of transformation initiatives fail due to the challenges that arise. A primary reason for these failures links back to the lack of effective governance framework to support effective digital transformation efforts. This paper proposes such a framework through a system of systems engineering approach to understand the various constituent systems involved in digital transformation efforts and their interactive and emergent behaviors. The application and usefulness of the framework were demonstrated as part of a digital transformation initiative in an Australian Large Government Agency and documented as a case study

Agile and Lean Systems Engineering: Kanban in Systems Engineering

This is the 2nd of two reports that were created for research on this topic funded through SERC. The first report, SERC-TR-032-1 dated March 13, 2012, constituted the 2011-2012 Annual Technical Report and the Final Technical Report of the SERC Research Task RT-6: Software Intensive Systems Data Quality and Estimation Research In Support of Future Defense Cost Analysis. The overall objectives of RT-6 were to use data submitted to DoD in the Software Resources Data Report (SRDR) forms to provide guidance for DoD projects in estimating software costs for future DoD projects. In analyzing the data, the project found variances in productivity data that made such SRDR-based estimates highly variable. The project then performed additional analyses that provided better bases of estimate, but also identified ambiguities in the SRDR data definitions that enabled the project to help the DoD DCARC organization to develop better SRDR data definitions. In SERC-TR-2012-032-1, the resulting Manual provided the guidance elements for software cost estimation performers and users. Several appendices provide further related information on acronyms, sizing, nomograms, work breakdown structures, and references. SERC-TR-2013-032-2 (current report), included the “Software Cost Estimation Metrics Manual.” This constitutes the 2012-2013 Annual Technical Report and the Final Technical Report of the SERC Research Task Order 0024, RT-6: Software Intensive Systems Cost and Schedule Estimation Estimating the cost to develop a software application is different from almost any other manufacturing process. In other manufacturing disciplines, the product is developed once and replicated many times using physical processes. Replication improves physical process productivity (duplicate machines produce more items faster), reduces learning curve effects on people and spreads unit cost over many items. Whereas a software application is a single production item, i.e. every application is unique. The only physical processes are the documentation of ideas, their translation into computer instructions and their validation and verification. Production productivity reduces, not increases, when more people are employed to develop the software application. Savings through replication are only realized in the development processes and on the learning curve effects on the management and technical staff. Unit cost is not reduced by creating the software application over and over again. This manual helps analysts and decision makers develop accurate, easy and quick software cost estimates for different operating environments such as ground, shipboard, air and space. It was developed by the Air Force Cost Analysis Agency (AFCAA) in conjunction with DoD Service Cost Agencies, and assisted by the SERC through involving the University of Southern California and the Naval Postgraduate School. The intent is to improve quality and consistency of estimating methods across cost agencies and program offices through guidance, standardization, and knowledge sharing. The manual consists of chapters on metric definitions, e.g., what is meant by equivalent lines of code, examples of metric definitions from commercially available cost models, the data collection and repository form, guidelines for preparing the data for analysis, analysis results, cost estimating relationships found in the data, productivity benchmarks, future cost estimation challenges and a very large appendix.SERCU.S. Department of DefenseSystems Engineering Research Center (SERC)Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) Contract H98230-08-D-0171

Tradespace and Affordability – Phase 1

One of the key elements of the SERC’s research strategy is transforming the practice of systems engineering – “SE Transformation.” The Grand Challenge goal for SE Transformation is to transform the DoD community’s current systems engineering and management methods, processes, and tools (MPTs) and practices away from sequential, single stovepipe system, hardware-first, outside-in, document-driven, point-solution, acquisition-oriented approaches; and toward concurrent, portfolio and enterprise-oriented, hardware-software-human engineered, balanced outside-in and inside-out, model-driven, set-based, full life cycle approaches.This material is based upon work supported, in whole or in part, by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)) under Contract H98230-08- D-0171 (Task Order 0031, RT 046).This material is based upon work supported, in whole or in part, by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)) under Contract H98230-08- D-0171 (Task Order 0031, RT 046)

Service Operations Optimization: Recent Development in Supply Chain Management

Services are the key of success in operation management. Designing the effective strategies by optimization techniques is the fundamental and important condition for performance increase in service operations (SOs) management. In this paper, we mainly focus on investigating SOs optimization in the areas of supply chain management, which create the greatest business values. Specifically, we study the recent development of SOs optimization associated with supply chain by categorizing them into four different industries (i.e., e-commerce industry, consumer service industry, public sector, and fashion industry) and four various SOs features (i.e., advertising, channel coordination, pricing, and inventory). Moreover, we conduct the technical review on the stylish industries/topics and typical optimization models. The classical optimization approaches for SOs management in supply chain are presented. The managerial implications of SOs in supply chain are discussed

The Complementary Perspective of System of Systems in Collaboration, Integration, and Logistics: A Value-Chain Based Paradigm of Supply Chain Management

The importance and complexity of the problems associated with coordinating multiple organizations to configure value propositions for customers has drawn the attention of multiple disciplines. In an effort to clarify and consolidate terms, this conceptual research examines both supply chain management (SCM) and system of systems (SoS) literature to postulate, from a value-chain perspective, what roles integration and collaboration play in helping supply chains satisfy customer requirements. A literature review analysis was used to identify the commonalities and differences between supply chain management and system of systems approaches to examining interfirm coordination of value creation efforts. Although a framework of integration and collaboration roles in value creation is proposed, further empirical testing of the concept is required to substantiate initial conclusions. The concepts proposed may help clarify where strategic and operational managers need to focus their efforts in coordinating supply chain member firms. The incorporation of SoS engineering into the supply chain field will draw the linkage between the constituent principles, and concepts of Systems Theory as appropriate for the supply chain management field. This is the first effort to reconcile two separate but parallel scholarship streams examining the coordination of multiple organizations in value creation. This research shows that there are some methodologies, principles, and methods from the SoS field that can supplement supply chain management research. Mainly due to a unit of analysis issue, systems based approaches have not been in the mainstream of supply chain management field development