Systems Engineering
Lecture Notes
Maria-Iuliana Dascalu, PhD
[Link]@[Link]
Agenda
• Course Schedule and Logistics
• Why are we here?
– What are Systems?
– What is Systems Engineering?
– Why do we study Systems Engineering?
• Introduction to SE
– Principles
– Approaches
– Activities and documents
– Fields
Course Schedule and Logistics (1)
• 5 ECTS => a lot
• 2 hours of lectures per week
• 1 hour of application per week
• 1 hour of project per week
• Grading:
– 30% team- project
– 20% individual assignments
– 10% class participation (simple presences don’t count)
– 40% the final exam: 20% open questions + 20% multiple-
choice questions
Course Schedule and Logistics (2)
• Team-project:
– The goal is to apply the SE methods and tools to a topic that fits your interest.
– First, you will have to make a project proposal and then, if accepted, you will
have to implement it. Details will be offered in a few weeks.
• Individual assignments:
– The assignments will be sent by e-mail till the deadline or brought to class: if
you have to answer to a question, please type your answer (no hand-writing).
• Class participation:
– Instructor will randomly pick student names for class discussion: each positive
interventions values 0,10 points.
– You have to read the papers/chapters indicated at each lecture, in order to be
able to participate at future class discussions.
– If you don’t answer correctly, your class participation grade might decrease.
• Conditions for participating at the final exam:
– Minimum 5 out of 10 at the project
– Minimum 5 out of 10 at the individual assignments
• Conditions for passing:
– Minimum 4,5 out of 10
Course Schedule and Logistics (3)
• Course Materials
– Lecture notes:
[Link]
– Reference book:
• Systems Engineering Principles and Practice, 2nd edition – A.
Kossiakoff, W. N. Sweet, A. J. Seymour, S. M. Biemer
– Others:
• [Link]
• SE for Dummies, IBM
• If problems, please send an e-mail to me, with the
following subject: [SE] [NAME] [PROBLEM]
What are Systems?
• An integrated set of elements, subsystems, or
assemblies that accomplish a defined objective.
These elements include products (hardware,
software, firmware), processes, people,
information, techniques, facilities, services, and
other support elements. (INCOSE SE Handbook)
• A set of interrelated components working
together as an integrated whole to achieve some
common objective. (SE Principles and Practice, A.
Kossiakoff & all)
What is Systems Engineering?
• An iterative process of top‐down synthesis,
development, and operation of a real‐world system
that satisfies, in a near optimal manner, the full range
of requirements for the system. (INCOSE SE Handbook)
• A discipline (1) focused on the system as a whole, (2)
concerned with customer needs and operational
environment, (3) which leads system conceptual design
(4) and bridges traditional engineering disciplines and
gaps between specialities. (SE Principles and Practice,
A. Kossiakoff & all)
• Do all the systems need SE?
A System Requiring SE is…
• an engineered product, which satisfies a
specific need
• a complex system: contains diverse
components
• a system which uses advanced technology
(involving development risks and a high
production cost)
Examples of Systems Requiring SE (1)
• Weather satellite
• Terminal air traffic control system
• Track location system
• Airline reservation system
• Clinical information system
• Electric power plant
• Passenger aircraft
• A modern car
• ….
Examples of Systems Requiring SE (2)
Source: SE for Dummies, IBM
Why do we study Systems Engineering?
• To make smart products
(instrumented,
interconnected,
intelligent)
• To shift from a focus on
cost or performance to
a focus on innovation
and change, cost and
performance — with
software as the
foundation for
differentiation Source: SE Principles and Practice, A. Kossiakoff & all
Introduction to SE
• Origins: after World War II
• SE is both a technical discipline and a
management discipline
• SE is 3-dimmensional: great technical breadth,
moderate technical depth and management
expertise
• The recognitions of SE as a profession has led to
the formation of a professional society, the
International Council on Systems Engineering
(INCOSE)
History of SE
The Machine Age
The System Age
Machine Age vs. Systems Age
SE Principles
• Keep your eyes on the prize.
• Involve key stakeholders.
• Define the problem before assuming a solution.
• Break down the problem into manageable
chunks.
• Delay specific technology choices.
• Connect the dots between requirements and
design.
• Test early, test often.
SE Approaches for Systems Development
The V-Model
• At each step on the left side of the
“V”, you create the requirements
that drive the next step, as well as a
plan for verifying the
implementation of the current level
of decomposition.
• At each step on the right side of the
“V”, you create documentation to
support system training, usage,
maintenance, installation, and
testing.
SE Activities and Documents
SE Fields
• Management
• Engineering
• Operation analysis
• Architectures
• Modeling and simulation
• …..
Managing Complexity with Models
• System models allow you to capture complexity at many
different levels.
• If you can develop relatively inexpensive ways of designing,
testing, and verifying your system before you go and build
it, you can save a lot of time and money.
• Models capture both the structure (architecture) and
behaviour (functionality) of a system, illustrating
relationships and interactions between system elements.
• SysML (based on UML) is
the standard language for
modelling systems and
systems-of-systems
Course Layout
• SE and the system development process
• Concept development (with a special accent
on concept modeling and SysML): early stages
of the system lifecycle
• Engineering Development: later stages of the
system lifecycle
• Post development
• Real case studies
Application
• Discussion of real case-studies
Homework
• Q1: Systems engineering efforts reduce cost
and schedule overrun. Why?
• Q2: Compare the presented SE approaches
(waterfall, spiral, V-model…).
Useful reading:
• [Link]/secoe/0103/ValueSE-
[Link]
• Chapters 1, 2, 3 from Systems Engineering Principles and
Practice, 2nd edition – A. Kossiakoff, W. N. Sweet, A. J.
Seymour, S. M. Biemer
