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1 Developing an Over‐Arching Systems Engineering Process
Author(s) -
Davies John K
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
incose international symposium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2334-5837
DOI - 10.1002/j.2334-5837.1999.tb00171.x
Subject(s) - process (computing) , asset (computer security) , system of systems engineering , engineering design process , software engineering , computer science , systems engineering , software engineering process group , representation (politics) , requirements engineering , engineering , software development process , software , software development , systems design , mechanical engineering , computer security , law , programming language , operating system , politics , political science
Engineering on projects is a complex activity in which traditional systems engineering plays a pivotal role. However, systems engineering is not separate but part of the overall engineering process that includes all disciplines. Producing an over‐arching systems engineering process, in which traditional systems engineering activities, such as ‘Capture User Needs’ and ‘System Design’, and development engineering, such as ‘Software’ and ‘Hardware Development’, form sub‐processes, allows optimisation of the overall process and reveals overlaps, gaps and conflicts between the constituent sub‐processes. Producing such a process is not easy. Different views of engineering need to be captured, defined and related. Issues, such as what to include and exclude, level of detail, and representation, have to be agreed. Compromises are needed to achieve the greatest overall benefit. When such a process has been defined, it forms the repository of engineering process knowledge, the source of best practice to be applied to all projects, and forms a major asset of the company.