Systems Engineering
Abstract
Project P142 supports the execution of the missions of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Engineering (DASD(SE)) to: (1) provide flexible engineering policy, guidance, and workforce development requirements for the DoD acquisition workforce; (2) foster an acquisition environment of collaboration, teamwork, and joint ownership of program success through a proactive program oversight process, ensuring appropriate levels of systems engineering discipline are applied through all phases of the acquisition life cycle; and (3) engage all stakeholders across government, industry, and academia to collectively advance systems engineering practice and achieve acquisition excellence. The outcome of this effort is to ensure systems engineering principles and disciplines are fully accepted and assimilated into the DoD acquisition workforce positioning the DoD for acquisition excellence and leading to a stronger national defense. Activities include the following functions: • Work with acquisition program managers to prepare systems engineering plans (SEPs) to document the technical management approach. • Conduct periodic program engagements in support of technical reviews to confirm programs are executed in accordance with the SEP. • Review all aspects of the systems engineering process for major defense acquisition programs (MDAPs) to ensure they are adequate to support fielding and the achievement of cost and performance goals including producibility, reliability, sustainment, and other considerations. • Participate in Systems Engineering Integrated Project Teams (IPTs), Systems Engineering Working Integrated Project Teams (WIPTs), and Systems Engineering technical reviews, especially Preliminary Design Reviews and Critical Design Reviews. • Work with DoD Service program managers, their staffs, and other organizations, technical authorities, and oversight organizations to develop and implement technical management programs for MDAPs. • Conceive plans and lead program support reviews and assessments of MDAP weapons systems and other programs (e.g., Major Automated Information Systems (MAIS)) to shape technical planning and management to ensure program success. • Conduct other technical reviews as requested (e.g., Nunn-McCurdy certification reviews, Non-Advocate Reviews, focused technical assessments, and software readiness reviews to identify and mitigate program risk). • Establish engineering policy, guidance, and workforce development to drive the development of fully capable and supportable weapons systems. • Oversee Component implementation of engineering initiatives and conduct independent assessments. • Incorporate new MPTs into the engineering practice for development of weapon systems. • Advance the principles of modularity and open systems and incorporate them when practicable in the design, and acquisition of weapon systems. • Develop education and training materials for instructing, maintaining, and enhancing the defense acquisition workforce. Activities include: (1) developing guidance to enhance Engineering (ENG) and Production Quality and Manufacturing (PQM) acquisition career planning and progression; and (2) monitoring, and facilitating Defense Acquisition University (DAU) updates to the systems engineering, quality and specialty engineering courses, to ensure the curriculum represents the education and training requirements necessary to be a viable team member in the acquisition process. • Improving the DoD’s capabilities in Specialty Engineering (e.g. reliability & maintainability, human-systems integration, weapons safety, value engineering and manufacturing) through policy, program oversight, fostering practice and technology improvements, initiating long-term strategic improvements, and collaborating with industry. • Advance DoD engineering practices through the use of digital engineering and model-based systems engineering. • Increase trust in computer hardware and software in warfighting systems by establishing a cadre of activities across the DoD capable of detecting and reducing or eliminating software and hardware vulnerabilities for systems in development and sustainment. • Serve as the Defense Standardization Executive and oversee the Defense Standardization Program. • Guide Service and other component organizations in the development planning process to ensure proposed MDAP programs are executable within acceptable levels of risk. • Resolve long-term major systems engineering challenges such as systems of systems (SoS) systems engineering, systems engineering of complex systems, and pre-program formulation systems engineering trade off analysis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2018
- Source ID
- P142_0605142D8Z_6_0400_PB_2018
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