A Framework for Complex System Development

Industry, government, and academic efforts to create a generalized systems engineering process have repeatedly fallen short. The outcome? Systems engineering failures that produce losses like the September 1999 destruction of the Mars Climate Orbiter. A simple information transfer error between teams motivated far-reaching managerial and technical changes at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory-evidence of systems engineering complexity. Struck by the amount of chaos that can quickly develop from such intricacy, the author has devoted several years to the development and refinement of the framework delineated in this work to help you "control the chaos". A Framework for Complex System Development develops a generalized process that distinguishes between "time" and "logical" domains-how I/O evolves over time versus the instantaneous program state. Explicitly characterized and identified, they preserve the framework. By combining these views, you get an application specific process, versatile enough for many different contexts. It also defines the technical activities that constitute the system development process and how they connect and interact with managerial activities. You will be able to integrate these activities and realize the maximum potential for success. A key element to success in today's paradigm of "faster, better, cheaper" systems and decreasing resource levels is a clear, workable plan that can be easily implemented. A Framework for Complex System Development illustrates such a plan, distilling the essential aspects of system design into a logical process for a well-organized development program. With A Framework for Complex System Development, you can use the author's approach-developed in the crucible of the real world-to develop sound complex systems in an organized and efficient manner. "A Framework for Complex System Development offers a unique approach - conceived in the crucible of the real world - for creating sound, complex systems in an organized and efficient manner." "Features: emphasizes brevity in order to extend usefulness to busy managers, engineers and students; applies to a wide variety of contexts and maintains the overall framework with separately defined "time" and "logical" domains; outlines a modular framework that can be easily tailored to meet the specific demands of individual programs; defines the logical coupling between hierarchical tiers of the system, which affects information flow roles and responsibilities, change impact analyses, and risk management; develops a computer simulation model that addresses key issues and illustrates their effects on complex system development; develops logical and consistent connections between technical and managerial activities; and defines the Rework Cycle in the context of complex system development, which is essential for an accurate understanding of real-world system development dynamics."--Jacket A presentation of a structured framework for the systems engineering process, that maintains a distinction between the time and local domains. It defines coupling between tiers, outlines a modular framework, and develops a computer simulation model to quantitatively answer strategic questions