Book Image

Systems Engineering Demystified

By : Jon Holt
Book Image

Systems Engineering Demystified

By: Jon Holt

Overview of this book

Systems engineering helps us to understand, specify, and develop complex systems, and is applied across a wide set of disciplines. As systems and their associated problems become increasingly complex in this evermore connected world, the need for more rigorous, demonstrable, and repeatable techniques also increases. Written by Professor Jon Holt – an internationally recognized systems engineering expert – this book provides a blend of technical and business aspects you need to understand in order to develop successful systems. You'll start with systems engineering basics and understand the complexity, communication, and different stakeholders' views of the system. The book then covers essential aspects of model-based systems engineering, systems, life cycles, and processes, along with techniques to develop systems. Moving on, you'll explore system models and visualization techniques, focusing on the SysML, and discover how solutions can be defined by developing effective system design, verification, and validation techniques. The book concludes by taking you through key management processes and systems engineering best practices and guidelines. By the end of this systems engineering book, you'll be able to confidently apply modern model-based systems engineering techniques to your own systems and projects.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
1
Section 1: Introduction to Systems Engineering
4
Section 2: Systems Engineering Concepts
8
Section 3: Systems Engineering Techniques
14
Section 4: Next steps

Defining systems

A key aspect of systems engineering that needs to be established as quickly as possible is that of the system itself. The first step in this chapter, therefore, will be to define the MBSE ontology with the concepts and terminology that relate to systems and interfaces. This will include identifying the key terminology, but also defining exactly what is meant by the following terms:

  • System hierarchy: How many levels of hierarchy will be permitted to exist? Many people will think of the concept of a subsystem, but rarely think of any additional levels of abstraction that may exist below the subsystem. Therefore, the question needs to be addressed as to how many other levels exist below each subsystem.
  • Interactions between system elements: What interactions will be permitted between similar system elements, for example, systems to systems, and subsystems to subsystems?
  • Interaction between levels: What interactions will be permitted between levels of hierarchy...