Systems Engineering Short Course

The Systems Engineering short course comprehensively covers the field of systems engineering in the aerospace and defense industry. You will explore current industry best practices and principles to ensure robust, cost-effective designs that meet stringent functional, performance, and cost requirements.

This three-day intensive is designed for the practicing engineer, or supporting team member, looking for insight into the unique challenges involved in developing high-tech systems. The program consists of lectures, case studies, and exercises completed during class. The materials reinforce key concepts, enabling you to apply what you learn to challenges in your current work environment.

Our instructors are selected for their expertise and practical systems engineering experience in industry and/or government agencies. They provide practical examples and lessons to create an exceptional learning environment for industry professionals.

Topics

• Introduction - Terminology, Systems Thinking, Applicability Key SE Activities, DoD and NASA Acquisition Lifecycles, Today’s Challenges
• Requirements Elicitation - Well-Stated Requirements, Requirement Elicitation Methods, Quality Function Deployment, Requirement Trade Studies
• Documenting System Requirements - Proper Specification Language, Depth of Definition
• Requirements Analysis - Context Diagrams, Functional Analysis, Design Structure Matrices, State Diagrams, Requirements Flowdown, Handoff to Subsystem Design
• Requirements Validation - User Feedback Techniques, Requirements Reviews, Concept of Operations
• System Architecture - Subsystem Definition, Hierarchical Analysis, Design for Reuse, Interface Management
• Design Evolution - Technical Performance Measures, Design Trade Studies, Handling Requirements Changes
• Specialty Engineering - Producibility/Manufacturability, Reliability/Availability, Maintainability/Serviceability, Usability/User Interface, Design-to-Cost
• Verification & Validation - Inspection, Analysis, Demonstration, Test, Peer Reviews, Test Planning
• Risk Management - SE’s Role, Identification, Assessment & Prioritization, Mitigation & Handling
• Managing Systems Engineering - Estimating, Planning, Tracking, System Engineering Management Plan, Work Breakdown Structure, Technical Reviews

Instructors

Tony Freeman, PhD; Ken Preston, DBA; Michael Sturgeon; Steve Wall