Exploring Student Learning Experience of Systems Engineering Course Developed for Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Graduates

This paper describes the introduction to the concepts and methodology of Systems Engineering to the students of a graduate Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering program in the University of xxxxxx. This graduate course was initially developed to be a part of traditional face to face lecture-based curriculum, however with the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, it was restructured to be discoursed in an online format. This paper discusses on course structure used to enforce online systems engineering learning over a period of 14 weeks. This included addressing the basic concepts of systems engineering to provide the students’ knowledge to facilitate transformation of operational needs to a well-defined system. Further, students reviewed the iterative design process of problem formulation, analysis, optimization, design synthesis, system integration, and testing along with developing an ability to compare systems engineering life cycle models from INCOSE, Department of Defense, and NASA. To measure the student understanding and the ability to translate the concepts learning to real world applications, student teams were tasked to use CanSat 2021-22 competition as a case study. The survey instruments used over the course timeline to understand student learning experience are explained

Estimating Middle Tier Acquisition Schedule Risk

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Acquisition Research SymposiumCongress recently created Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) programs, which provide the military services rapid prototyping and fielding pathways with new program flexibilities and an explicit schedule constraint. The services are executing multiple MTAs, resulting in a set of MTA experiments related to development, execution, and governance. There is little published information on MTA performance; we use public data to quantify planned schedules. We introduce a quantified schedule risk measure based on Monte Carlo simulations. The simulations provide insights into MTA programs’ schedule risk and program performance relative to a statistically based reference.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Middle Tier Acquisitions and Innovation

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Acquisition Research SymposiumHow can we tell if policy innovations such as Middle Tier Acquisitions are working as intended? This research uses publicly-released data consisting of budget submissions, program-related reporting, and contemporaneous press releases to describe how the services are using Middle Tier Acquisition authorities to accelerate system innovation. Project schedule durations and intervals between significant events are used as indicators of significant schedule innovations. Middle Tier Acquisition programs have development times like other acquisition programs, but are much faster than other acquisition processes in going from initiation to development start and from design review to fielding of a prototype or capability.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Middle Tier Acquisitions and Innovation

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Acquisition Research SymposiumHow can we tell if policy innovations such as Middle Tier Acquisitions are working as intended? This research uses publicly-released data consisting of budget submissions, program-related reporting, and contemporaneous press releases to describe how the services are using Middle Tier Acquisition authorities to accelerate system innovation. Project schedule durations and intervals between significant events are used as indicators of significant schedule innovations. Middle Tier Acquisition programs have development times like other acquisition programs, but are much faster than other acquisition processes in going from initiation to development start and from design review to fielding of a prototype or capability.Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Unmasking Cost Growth Behavior: A Longitudinal Study

This article examines how cost growth factors (CGF) change over a program’s acquisition life cycle for 36 Department of Defense aircraft programs. Starting from Milestone B, the authors examine CGFs at five gateways: Critical Design Review, First Flight (FF), the end of Developmental Test and Evaluation (DT&E), Initial Operational Capability, and Full Operational Capability. Each CGF is assigned a color rating based upon the program’s cost growth: Green (low), Amber (moderate), or Red (high). Significant findings include dependencies among similar CGF color ratings and cost growth occurring primarily between FF and the end of DT&E during a program’s life cycle

Technology Readiness Levels at 40: a study of state-of-the-art use, challenges, and opportunities

The technology readiness level (TRL) scale was introduced by NASA in the 1970s as a tool for assessing the maturity of technologies during complex system development. TRL data have been used to make multi-million dollar technology management decisions in programs such as NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover. This scale is now a de facto standard used for technology assessment and oversight in many industries, from power systems to consumer electronics. Low TRLs have been associated with significantly reduced timeliness and increased costs across a portfolio of US Department of Defense programs. However, anecdotal evidence raises concerns about many of the practices related to TRLs. We study TRL implementations based on semi-structured interviews with employees from seven different organizations and examine documentation collected from industry standards and organizational guidelines related to technology development and demonstration. Our findings consist of 15 challenges observed in TRL implementations that fall into three different categories: system complexity, planning and review, and validity of assessment. We explore research opportunities for these challenges and posit that addressing these opportunities, either singly or in groups, could improve decision processes and performance outcomes in complex engineering projects

Exploring Performance in Air Force Science and Technology Programs

Science and technology (S&T) programs serve an important function in the defense acquisition process as the initial phase leading to discovery and development of warfighting technology. The results of these programs impact the larger major defense acquisition programs, which integrate the technologies in subsequent phases of the life cycle. Despite this important role, little prior research has examined the performance of S&T programs. In this study, the authors investigate the impact of technological maturation as a critical success factor in Air Force S&T programs. The results suggest that S&T programs with mature technologies are more likely to experience above average cost growth and larger contract values while less likely to experience schedule growth. Additionally, the authors find the partnership method between the government and contractor matters for both technological maturation and schedule growth. Lastly, the nature of the S&T program is important, with aerospace programs more likely to technologically mature than human systems programs

Mapping the “Valley of Death”: managing selection and technology advancement in NASA's small business innovation research program

In this paper, we determine the risk mitigation process inherent in managing a portfolio of technologies diverse in both their readiness for infusion and the nature of the performing organization, focusing on the so-called “valley of death” in which the technology's principles have been proven but prototypes have yet to be developed. Using the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of projects funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Small Business Innovation Research program, a two-stage competitive process, we find that the result of selection of the first round is a tendency toward larger companies. In the second round of funding, technology maturity is a stronger determinant of selection and company headcount is no longer a statistically significant driver. This combination allows the program to manage risk and deliver real technical advancement from even the smallest companies. We find that technologies typically advance from TRL 2, concept formulation, at the program's outset to roughly TRL 5, component validation, at the program's conclusion; these outcomes precede economic benefits from the subsidy. These findings illuminate a mechanism to address risk as well as demonstrating the technical outcomes of a managed early-stage technology program.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8716715?casa_token=uUAUGzC-oncAAAAA:wTYXtzE7RvWUtL2Ga22ofhxkAQ3aepwxa25eeW84W30gw0NFAOgalaP_lJgqYdk4ZUb7JiD0iQAccepted manuscrip

The characteristics of successful military IT projects: a cross-country empirical study

In the armed forces, successful digitalization is crucial to ensure effective operations. Much of the existing literature on project factors during the planning and execution phases of public IT projects do not focus specifically on military sector projects. Therefore, the paper aims to provide empirical insights into the characteristics of successful military IT projects. Data from such projects in NATO countries and agencies were collected through interviews and project documents. The findings relating to the main variable of interest, “delivery of client benefit,” supported previous findings on IT project performance. Medium-sized projects performed better than small and large projects, and the agile development method delivered more client benefit than traditional methods. Client involvement apparently had a positive effect on project success. Clearly specified objectives had a statistically significant effect on project success in terms of clients’ benefits. The paper contributes to the gap in research on military IT projects and broadens the project management literature’s focus on time and cost to include delivery of client benefit as a success variable. The use of cross-country data provided unique insights for academics and practitioners regarding which project characteristics affect the successful development and adoption of new software by the armed forces

The Characteristics of Successful Military IT Projects: A Cross-country Empirical Study

In the armed forces, successful digitalization is crucial to ensure effective operations. Much of the existing literature on project factors during the planning and execution phases of public IT projects do not focus specifically on military sector projects. Therefore, the paper aims to provide empirical insights into the characteristics of successful military IT projects. Data from such projects in NATO countries and agencies were collected through interviews and project documents. The findings relating to the main variable of interest, “delivery of client benefit,” supported previous findings on IT project performance. Medium-sized projects performed better than small and large projects, and the agile development method delivered more client benefit than traditional methods. Client involvement apparently had a positive effect on project success. Clearly specified objectives had a statistically significant effect on project success in terms of clients’ benefits. The paper contributes to the gap in research on military IT projects and broadens the project management literature’s focus on time and cost to include delivery of client benefit as a success variable. The use of cross-country data provided unique insights for academics and practitioners regarding which project characteristics affect the successful development and adoption of new software by the armed forces