Guidance for Systems Engineering Customers
The activities conducted and results achieved by systems engineers are done for customers , and they are the stakeholders for a system of interest . These stakeholders have concerns expressed as needs and expectations in terms of the results that system engineers provide. The systems engineers participate in the realization of engineered systems resulting in products , services , enterprises , and systems of systems . Even though their main activities are related to defining the system, customers must take account of all life cycle aspects. By better understanding the activities that systems engineers perform, customers can know what they should request, how they should request it, and how to judge the quality and value of the results of systems engineering.
Customers of systems engineering (SE) provide resources to SE organizations and individuals, and receive various SE products and services in return. They are among the stakeholders for a system of interest. They and other stakeholders have concerns expressed as needs and expectations in terms of the results that system engineers provide. The systems engineers participate in the realization of engineered systems resulting in products , services , enterprises , and systems of systems . Even though their main SE-related activities involve defining the system, customers must take account of all life cycle aspects. By better understanding the activities that systems engineers perform, customers can know what they should request, how they should request it, and how to judge the quality and value of the results of systems engineering.
The SEBoK assists the customers of systems engineering by providing a broad comprehensive treatment of the concepts, principles, theory, and practice related to systems in general and systems engineering in particular. It cites important references to published books and articles that provide various perspectives on systems and systems engineering. Customers can include sponsors of internal SE organizations, organizations having long-term customer-domain relationships with external SE organizations, and organizations outsourcing SE functions to general-purpose SE organizations.
Customers can include sponsors of internal SE organizations, organizations having long-term customer-domain relationships with external SE organizations, and organizations outsourcing SE functions to general-purpose SE organizations. Two vignettes are provided to show how the SEBoK can assist SE customers. The first involves a customer of an internal SE organization in transitioning to a corporate mobile supply chain management system. The second involves a customer for the systems engineering of a catastrophe-response system of systems, involving a mix of customer-domain SE organizations and other needed SE organizations covering other domains and overall system of systems integration.
The Use of Topics
While all topics in the SEBoK are relevant for users of systems engineering and the all knowledge areas should be reviewed, there are topics that provide deeper insight in relationship to customers’ specific concerns. Thus, the knowledge area Systems Engineering and Management provides the relevant perspective on what activities systems engineers perform and what results they are expected to achieve.
In particular, customers need to know how to express their concerns in the form of needs, expectations, and requirements in such a manner that the systems engineer can evaluate and use these inputs in establishing the approach to be followed in defining and realizing the SoI. Guidance is provided in the Life Cycle Models and System Definition knowledge areas.
The user should expect that the systems engineer will provide:
- A well-architected product, service, enterprise, or system of systems that will meet their needs and expectations. This depends on high quality input from the stakeholders. Guidance for that input is provided in System Definition.
- A managed life cycle model from the customer need and requirements to the delivered product, service, enterprise or system of systems. Guidance is provided in Life Cycle Models.
- The verification that the SoI will meet the needs and requirements of the stakeholder and the validation that the final result, when deployed in an operational environment, will provide the value added that was desired are critical to systems engineering (SE). Guidance on these aspects is provided in the System Realization and System Deployment and Use knowledge areas.
Implementation Examples
Good examples provide a basis for deeper understanding. The SEBoK includes Part 7, which contains summaries of and references to full case studies as well as overviews of events (vignettes) related to specific areas of systems engineering. These case studies and vignettes are linked back to the appropriate areas of the SEBoK and a matrix is provided that shows the primary areas of the SEBoK addressed by each case study or vignette. The reader can use the matrix to find case studies and vignettes, along with references, that are related to their particular concerns.
vignette
Summary
For the customers of systems engineering, the SEBoK provides both general and specific knowledge that will help users gain important insight in relating to systems engineers. Key to this is learning about life cycles, the definition of SoIs, and how to provide guidance in expressing needs, concerns, and requirements. Further, customers need to know what to expect as a result of SE activities in the form of well-architected products, services, enterprises, or systems of systems and a managed life cycle. The results of verification of stakeholder requirements and the validation of the final result in respect to fulfilling the user needs are vital.
References
Works Cited
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