Introduction to Systems Engineering

In this module we examine Conceptual Design, during which we investigate how business needs and requirements and stakeholder needs and requirements are translated into a system-level understanding of the requirements of our system. This understanding will tell us what the system needs to do, how well it needs to perform, and what other systems it needs to interact with in order to meet the stakeholder and business needs and requirements. We then look at the concept of system level synthesis where we make some high-level design decisions before reviewing our work in preparation of the core design effort normally associated with preliminary and detailed design. To provide greater detail for this module, we recommend (but do not require) that students refer to pages 81-130 of our textbook "Systems Engineering Practice"--see reading on Course Notes and Text Books.

In this module we pick up from where we left off at the end of Conceptual Design and we start to make some more detailed design decisions. During preliminary design, we will look at identifying the various subsystems that will need to come together to form our system. What do these subsystems need to be able to do? How do they need to inter-relate? Can we source these subsystems off the shelf or do they need to be designed from the ground up? These are key questions of preliminary design. For the subsystems that need to be designed or modified, some level of detailed design will be required. We will look at detailed design process and talk about tools like prototyping and how these tools help to refine the detailed design. To provide greater detail for this module, we recommend (but do not require) that students refer to pages 133-190 of our textbook "Systems Engineering Practice"--see reading on Course Notes and Text Books.

We now move onto the construction and production of the system based on the detailed design from the previous stage. During construction and production, we look at critical systems engineering activities such as configuration audits and system verification. The system then enters the utilisation phase where we explore how systems engineering may continue to be involved via modification and upgrade projects. We finish this section by looking briefly at some of the issues we face when trying to dispose of or retire systems that are no longer required. To provide greater detail for this module, we recommend (but do not require) that students refer to pages 193-211 of our textbook "Systems Engineering Practice"--see reading on Course Notes and Text Books.

In this final module, we explore some of the key management issues that systems engineering must address in order to maintain balance and control across the systems engineering effort. We look specifically at issues such as verification and validation management, configuration management, technical risk management and the management of the technical review and audit program. We also explore some of the broad strategies that may be adopted when executing a systems engineering process. Whilst we have used what is generally referred to as a waterfall approach throughout the course to explain systems engineering, in this module we also briefly introduce alternatives such as incremental and evolutionary development. We conclude the module by emphasising the importance of planning throughout the systems engineering program and the development of a governing plan known as the systems engineering management plan or SEMP. To provide greater detail for this module, we recommend (but do not require) that students refer to pages 213-246, 285-294, and 297-309 of our textbook "Systems Engineering Practice"--see reading on Course Notes and Text Books.

Having finished the modules, you are now in a position to complete the final exam covering Modules 6 to 9. Before you finish the course we also thought that you may be interested in knowing about the Master of Systems Engineering program offered by UNSW Canberra--all courses can be completed online at any time, and entry is available to those with any undergraduate degree and there are entry pathways available for those without a first degree.