From Today's Tools and Practices to Tomorrow's Investments: New Directions in Systems Engineering
Abstract
This presentation discusses challenges to the rapid execution of acquisition programs that would introduce affordable, effective, and adaptable systems into widespread use in a timely fashion. It suggests a revamping of the engineering process that would address these challenges, and describes the technical enablers that make that revamping feasible. Doing so will enable engineers and program decision makers to collaboratively focus on building the right things to provide utility in a wide range of joint operations, and across many potential alternative futures. Increased computational power and availability allow us to exploit data and apply services in much more flexible ways. This creates an opportunity to consider capabilities and mission utility more deeply, rather than getting locked into requirements and key performance parameters. That is a critical enabler to engineering for adaptability and maximizing the value of the system to the warfighter. We believe it is time to demonstrate a new engineering ecosystem that combines automated tools and stakeholder participation to generate more counters to potential surprise. Among the key contributing technology concepts are the following: (1) co-evolution of systems and missions via information sharing and decision aids, (2) option-preserving tradespace exploration, (3) analysis and evaluation with respect to life cycle issues, (4) informing requirements refinement, and (5) accelerated design and testing via rapidly composable modeling and analysis tools and risk-sensitive engineering planning aids. The presentation includes 9 briefing charts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 30, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA563564
Entities
People
- James Carlini
- Michael Mcgrath
- Robert Graybill
- Robert Hummel
- Robert Neches
Organizations
- United States Assistant Secretary of Defense