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System Impact analysis

System Impact analysis

Abstract:

Changes are necessary and inevitable in system or product development, but may lead to system deterioration, unexpected complications if not properly controlled.

System Impact analysis (SIA) is the activity of identifying the potential consequences of any changes (business need, new requirements, new technologies) we would like to make on a system or to determine what needs to be modified in order to make a change. So this helps us to determine the scope of the change, along with estimation of the resources we need for planning the changes.

SIA process also helps in identifying those dependencies which are not ideally visible while making any kind of changes in system. Hence SIA reveals hidden or unseen impacts in earlier stages which might deteriorate the project or increase the budget or time if not executed.

In this article, we discuss impact analysis from system engineering perspective, outline the steps followed in system impact analysis (SIA) process and present a framework to perform impact analysis. Also we have captured one case study to show the implementation of SIA.

The ultimate goal of the article is to provide a standard framework which can be used while performing SIA to predict all the possible impacts effectively before making any change in the system.

 Keywords: System Impact analysis (SIA), Traceability, Dependency, Requirement

Introduction:

It is widely recognized that change is inescapable for any system such as staying current with industry trends, new business opportunities, improving productivity of product etc. However, unexpected complications often remain hidden while performing any technical changes to complex system. Hence System change if not properly controlled, lead to system deterioration, rework, and wasted work & money down the drain. E.g. Change in design of fuel pump in vehicle resulted in interruption with electrical power module leading to fuel pump to fail- https://etauto.com/s/7gscmw8, software change in Therac-25-https://youtu.be/Ap0orGCiou8.

E.g. Also most of the time, implication to all parts of the system or system as a whole not understood clearly. So it could be risky to jump into any system directly making change without a proper plan.

Conducting System Impact Analysis, we can learn what will be affected before making the actual changes. System Impact analysis is a tool for controlling change, and thus for avoiding deterioration. Impact analysis can be defined as “ the activity of identifying the potential consequences, including side effect and ripple effects, of a change(business need, new requirement, new technologies)  or estimating what needs to be modified to accomplish a change before it has been made on a system”. Consequently, the output from impact analysis can be used as a basis for estimating the cost associated with a change. The cost of the change can be used to decide whether or not to implement it depending on its cost/benefit ratio.

system life cycle

In our experience, impact analysis is an integral part of every phase in system development. During requirements development, design and prototype do not yet exist, so new and changing requirements affect only the existing requirements.
During design, proto or product does not yet exist, so new and changing requirements affect only existing requirements and design. Finally, during implementation, new and changing requirements affect existing requirements as well as design and proto.

This is captured in Fig. 1. Note that in less idealistic development processes, the situation still holds; requirements changes affect all existing system representations.

How to perform System Impact Analysis (SIA)?

Impact analysis can be performed in two steps.

i. Finding out relationships related to the subject element. There are two ways to find out the relationships:

    1. Static relationship/ Traceability study
  • Review all static relationships related to subject including requirements, specifications, design elements and test cases to determine the scope of an initiating change.
  • Manually determining what will be affected by a change can be extremely time consuming in complex projects, so various tools (e.g. requirement management software) can be used for traceability analysis.

    b. Dynamic linkage/ Dependency study

    • Used to determine the depth of the impact on the system.
    • Review all the logical and dynamic linkages related to subject element including the use of variables, program logics, module architectures, data dependencies, control dependencies etc.
    • Program Slicing techniques, use of tools for dependency analysis

ii. Review those relationships to uncover any possible consequences and risk associated with changes

    1. After performing traceability and dependency study we can obtain the full spectrum of relationships related to the subject elements. Then we can walk through the relationships one be one for evaluating the impact for the related elements when making changes.
    2. Experiential analysis- Taking into account the prior experience of experts in the organization, experiential impact analysis studies what happened in similar situations in the past to determine what may happen in the future.

A series of questions should be considered regarding the related elements being affected by the change, for example:

  1. Will the change lead to failure of running for other modules?
  2. Will the change causing performance drawback to the system?
  3. How much man power do we need to implement the change?

You may have more questions to ask during the review process depending on the subject of its nature, business decision as well as the complexity of the system.

Benefits of SIA:

Implementing SIA has the following benefits:

  • Easy to review
    • Visualizing all the scattered and unorganized relationships related to elements
  • Knowing the scope of the change
    • We can learn which will be affected by the change and level of impact
  • Determine the depth of change
    • Depth of impact is not restricted to one layer down, we can go deeper
  • Plan forward for the resources needed by the change
    • Allows the team to make accurate estimation regarding the resources that may be needed.

 

System Impact Analysis Lifecycle phases:

System impact analysis can be described in 3 steps:

  1. Change proposal phase
    • Holistic understanding of implications of the change, identifies affected system
      elements and analyzes impact
  2. Change approval phase
    • Enables accurate estimation and technical assessment to make informed
      business decisions
  3. Implementation phase
    • Provides a common definition, roadmap and basis to effectively drive
      implementation of the change across the system
SIA Life Cycle

System Impact Analysis framework:

  • Using SIA framework, we can capture relevant information and can do post analysis in an effective manner.
  • It also helps in tracing and analyzing where and how the changes impact my whole system.
  • Majorly can be used as a checklist.
  • SIA framework consists of the following details:

System Impact Analysis Procedure:

There are 5 simple steps to conduct an effective system impact analysis are:

  1. Prepare the team
    1. Before we make any changes, we must prepare a team. All the team members must have an access to all the modules and attributes in the application and must also possess the required knowledge about the proposed changes. 
  2. Inspect High-Level Modules
    1. The team members will then analyze the high-level modules (modules in the upper layer of current change) of the application which might be affected by the newly proposed change. This would provide them with a better knowledge of the workflow rules in the modules. 
  3. Inspect Low-Level Modules
    1. After analyzing the high-level modules, the team would move towards the low-level modules (modules in the lower level of current change) and identify the impact of the new changes. A separate document has to be prepared for all the modules. 
  4. Evaluate the Impact
    1. The framework prepared after analyzing the high and low-level modules will have all the details on the impact of the changes, both positive and negative.
    2. On the basis of this framework, the testers will evaluate the identified impacts, estimate the cost and time to fix the usage and will further get a clearer picture of the benefits and issues with the new changes.
  5. Work on Negative Impacts
    1. When the team members have a better idea of the negative impacts, and now, they can work on them. They can consult with the team and stakeholders and discuss if the change should be implemented or not. Regression testing can also be performed in this situation. 

Conclusion on SIA:

Investment of SIA on project provides:

  • Holistic understanding of the implications of the change on the project
  • Clear picture of affected system elements because of change
  • Accurate estimation of work required for the change
  • Make informed decision for the project earlier and upfront
  • Road map for change management
  • Sound rationale and basis to support regulatory submission
  • Minimize “surprises” to schedule and quality
  • Skipping SIA does not change the size and complexity of the change itself, it just turns them into “Surprises”.

     

 

Case Study of SIA on PSS project:

To show the SIA process, here in this article we have taken a joystick system as a case study.

Joystick has following components:

  1. Joystick support
  2. Universal joint
  3. Wooden base
  4. Casing
  5. Spring

For the current case study, let us consider that the spring which is used in the joystick, is required to change because of supply chain constraints. Now let us see how SIA will help us to find out the impact of the above change by looking into what are the elements to which current change is related.

To find out the dependency of other elements with the current changed element, here we have used MBSE tool to trace back the related elements.

Using MBSE tool, first of all we have found out the current component is sub-part of which component, sub assembly and assembly.

From the hierarchy, all the related constraints and requirements are traced using MBSE tool.

Now again using MBSE tool, further related derived requirements and components are traced back.

Article444

 

Above figure shows all the related elements to the spring configuration.

From the above figure, we can find out what are the elements which may affect because of the change in the spring configuration.

Using the above information now we can fill the SIA framework.

table2

After capturing scope and depth of changes, some hand calculations are done to find out the maximum load possible with the new spring.

Spring load

Conclusion of System Impact analysis on Joystick-

  • Change in spring specification affects max load requirement of the system.
  • As there is a risk of achieving the desired tilt angle, so there might be a change in system dimension.
  • The height of stick may be required to reduce to acquire the desired tilt angle.
  • Need to discuss with design team whether it is possible to change in design without changing the height of system and still possible to achieve the desired tilt angle.( As software or electronic parts may need enough height to accommodate all the electronic components)

If you are interested in understanding how to adopt systems engineering and model based systems engineering practices within your organization, reach out to BlueKei Solutions team at info@Blue-Kei.com. We specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions such as compliance to ISO15288, ARP 4754A, ISO 42020, digital transformations. We can also conduct capability development workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization and create the digital thread.

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Systems Engineering Newsletters

Systems Engineering Newsletters

Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field that involves the design, development, and implementation of complex systems. From aerospace to transportation, healthcare, and beyond, the field of systems engineering is vast and encompasses a wide range of applications. Since it covers such a broad aspect of engineering it is always growing and evolving. As the field continues to evolve, it’s important for practitioners to stay up-to-date on the latest developments and trends. Publications such as journals, conference proceedings, newsletters, etc play an important role in providing engineers, professionals, and students with valuable information, insights, and updates on the latest advancements in the field. In this article, we will delve deeper into some of the popular systems engineering newsletters available today.

  1. INCOSE Members Newsletter:
    INCOSE, the International Council on Systems Engineering, is a professional organization dedicated to the advancement of systems engineering. The organization provides a platform for professionals to network, share knowledge and insights, and collaborate on the latest developments in the field. The INCOSE Members Newsletter is a quarterly publication exclusive to the members of INCOSE that provides updates on the latest developments in the field of systems engineering, as well as information on upcoming events and activities. This newsletter is a must-read for professionals who are looking to stay informed and up-to-date on the latest advancements in the field.
  2. IEEE Systems Council Newsletter [Systems Council Newsletter | IEEE Systems Council] :
    The IEEE Systems Council is an international organization dedicated to the advancement of systems engineering. The organization provides a platform for researchers, engineers, and professionals to share knowledge and insights, and to collaborate on the latest developments in the field. The IEEE Systems Council Newsletter is a quarterly publication that provides updates on the latest research and developments in the field of systems engineering, as well as information on upcoming events and activities. This newsletter is a must-read for professionals and students who are looking to stay informed and up-to-date on the latest advancements in systems engineering.
  3. Systems Engineering and Operations Research (SEOR) [Newsletters | Systems Engineering and Operations Research (gmu.edu)] :
    George Mason University Newsletters The Systems Engineering and Operations Research (SEOR) program at George Mason University is one of the leading systems engineering programs in the country. The SEOR program provides students with a comprehensive education in the field of systems engineering, preparing them for careers in a wide range of industries. The SEOR newsletter is a valuable resource for students and professionals who are interested in learning about the latest research, courses, and events related to systems engineering and operations research.
  4. SyEN – Project Performance International (PPI)[ News about PPI | outstanding worldwide engineering services (ppi-int.com)] :
    SyEN is the newsletter of Project Performance International (PPI), a leading systems engineering services provider that offers cutting-edge solutions and training in various fields, including aerospace, transportation, and energy. The newsletter provides updates on PPI’s latest projects and services, as well as insights into the latest trends and advancements in the field of systems engineering. The publication is a valuable resource for professionals and students who are interested in learning about the latest innovations and advancements in the field of engineering.
  5. INCOSE Periodicals [INCOSE and Systems Engineering News] :
    In addition to its Members Newsletter, INCOSE also publishes a periodical that provides in-depth articles and insights into the latest developments in systems engineering. The publication provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in the field, including new research, technologies, and best practices. This publication is a valuable resource for professionals who are looking to stay informed and up-to-date on the latest advancements in systems engineering.
  6. Aerospace Corporation [Publication and Resources (aerospace.org)]:
    Publication and Resources The Aerospace Corporation is a leading provider of technology and engineering services to the aerospace and defence industries. The organization provides a wide range of services, including research and development, systems engineering, and technical support. The Aerospace Corporation’s publication and resources section provides updates on the latest research and developments in the field of systems engineering, as well as information on upcoming events and activities.
  7. Systems Engineering Update[News & Insights | MITRE]:
    Systems Engineering Update is a newsletter published by The MITRE Corporation, a non-profit organization that provides technology and engineering services to the government. The newsletter provides news and insights on the latest advancements in the field of systems engineering, including research, development, and implementation of complex systems. The publication is a valuable resource for engineers and professionals who want to stay informed on the latest developments in the field.
  8. The Systems Thinker [The Systems Thinker – About – The Systems Thinker]:
    The Systems Thinker is a newsletter published by Pegasus Communications. The newsletter provides articles, case studies, and other resources that help readers understand the importance of systems thinking in solving complex problems. It is a great resource for engineers and professionals who want to learn more about systems thinking and how it can be applied to various fields, including systems engineering.
  9. The Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE)[ IISE Subscription management page]:
    IISE is a professional society dedicated to providing leadership for the application, education, training , research and development of industrial and systems engineering. The IISE subscription management page provides information on its various publications, including the Industrial and Systems Engineering Newsletter. The Newsletter provides in-depth articles and insights on the latest developments in industrial and systems engineering, making it a valuable resource for engineers and professionals in the field.
  10. International Journal of Mechatronics and Automation [Inderscience Publishers – linking academia, business and industry through research]:
    Mechatronics News is a newsletter published by the International Journal of Mechatronics and Automation. The newsletter provides updates and insights on the latest advancements in mechatronics and automation, linking academia, business, and industry through research. It is a great resource for engineers and professionals who want to stay informed on the latest developments in the field of mechatronics and automation.
  11. Systems-Wise [https://systems-wise.com/]:
    Systems-Wise is a website dedicated to promoting systems thinking and systems engineering. The site provides a wealth of resources for engineers and professionals in the field, including articles, case studies, and videos that explore the importance of systems thinking in solving complex problems. The site is designed to help you develop a better understanding of systems thinking and how it can be applied to various fields, including engineering, business, and government.
  12. MIT SDM [https://sdm.mit.edu/news/]:
    MIT SDM is a department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that focuses on systems thinking and systems engineering. The department provides a variety of resources for engineers and professionals in the field, including news and updates, events, and workshops. The MIT SDM news page provides information on the latest advancements in the field, including research, development, and implementation of complex systems. Whether you are looking to stay informed or just looking to broaden your knowledge, the MIT SDM news page is a must-read for any engineer or professional in the field of systems engineering.
  13. Systems Innovation Network [https://www.systemsinnovation.network/spaces/4467994/list]:The Systems Innovation Network is a community of professionals dedicated to promoting systems thinking and systems engineering. The community provides a variety of resources for members, including articles, case studies, and forums that explore the importance of systems thinking in solving complex problems. Whether you are looking to connect with other professionals in the field, share your expertise, or simply stay informed on the latest developments, the Systems Innovation Network is the place to be.

In conclusion, these popular systems engineering newsletters are an invaluable resource for engineers and professionals in the field. Whether you are looking for updates on the latest advancements, in-depth articles and insights, or simply looking to broaden your knowledge, these newsletters have you covered. Whether you are interested in systems engineering, mechatronics and automation, or industrial and systems engineering, there is a newsletter that is tailored to your needs. By subscribing to these newsletters, you can stay informed and up-to-date on the latest developments in your field and take your knowledge and expertise to the next level.

If you are interested in understanding how to adopt systems engineering and model based systems engineering practices within your organization, reach out to BlueKei Solutions team at info@Blue-Kei.com. We specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions such as compliance to ISO1I5288, ARP 4754A, ISO 42020, digital transformations. We can also conduct capability development workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization and create the digital thread.

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SE approach is a must for UAV development, here’s how.

SE approach is a must for UAV development, here’s how.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are aircrafts that operate without a human pilot onboard. They are controlled remotely or fly autonomously following pre-programmed flight plans. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) market has seen rapid growth in recent years due to advancements in technology and increasing demand from various industries such as agriculture, defense, and media. The market is expected to continue to grow as UAVs are used for a wider range of applications and the technology improves and becomes more efficient. Here are some statistics to give a better understanding of the UAV market:

  • Market size: The global UAV market was valued at over $10 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $43.4 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.7% from 2020 to 2027. Out of which India accounts for $1.94 Billion with compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.4% from 2020 to 2025.
  • Industry applications: The agriculture industry accounted for the largest share of the UAV market in 2020, followed by the defense and media industries.
  • Market players: DJI, the Chinese drone manufacturer, holds a dominant share in the consumer UAV market, with a market share of over 70% in 2020. Key players from Indian market are Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Asteria Aerospace, ideaForge Technologies limited etc.,
  • Geographical presence: North America is a major market for UAVs, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. The growth in these regions can be attributed to increasing demand for UAVs in various industries and favorable government regulations. These statistics provide a general overview of the UAV market and its current state. The   UAVs are further classified into different types based on applications they are being used       for, some of them include:
  • Agriculture: UAVs are used in agriculture to survey crops and provide farmers with data on crop health, yield, and soil moisture. This information helps farmers make informed decisions about planting, fertilizing, and irrigating their crops.
Agriculture drone
  • Military: Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), are used by military forces for a variety of purposes, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeted strikes. Some of the key benefits of military drones include Increased firepower, Increased efficiency, to achieve maximum fly time capacity which is not feasible with a pilot onboard.
UAV Drone
  • Film and Media: UAVs equipped with cameras are used by filmmakers and journalists to capture aerial footage for movies, TV shows, and news stories etc.
Drone Camera

Though these UAV’s are different through their application or usage but mutually involve complexities which it makes hard to develop these, they involve:

  1. Meeting Regulatory Requirements: Drone manufacturers must comply with the requirements laid by regulatory bodies such as CEMILAC, DGCA, ICAO etc., the regulation of UAVs is complex and constantly evolving, since different countries have different rules and regulations. UAV developers must ensure that their products meet these requirements, including requirements related to flight altitude, air traffic control, and privacy. Systems engineering steps in at this point to identify the stakeholder, refine their needs, and elicit the requirements specific to the source, providing clear and refined requirements. In this case, the regulatory body will be identified as one of many stakeholders, and its requirements would be elicited so that other organizational departments would be aware of the standard to adhere to or design the UAV in accordance with.
  2. Design of Robust and Reliable Systems: UAVs must be able to operate in a wide range of conditions and environments, including adverse weather conditions and harsh terrain. This requires the development of robust and reliable systems that can operate effectively under these conditions. In Systems engineering the methodologies are clearly defined at an earlier stage, engineers can use a variety of analysis techniques such as Use Case analysis, Risk analysis, Reliability analysis and FMEA etc., with the help of systems engineering principles one can tailor lifecycle models for each stage of development for their System of Interest (SOI).
  3. Subsystems Integration: UAVs are complex systems that integrate multiple technologies, including flight control systems, navigation systems, sensors, and communication systems. Ensuring that these systems work together effectively and seamlessly is a major challenge in UAV development. Systems engineering provides a structured and integrative approach to the integration of multiple systems in UAVs. By using Principles such as requirements management, architecture design with interfaces, and testing, systems engineers can ensure that all systems in the UAV are integrated effectively and work together seamlessly.
  4. Communications amongst stakeholders: Since different stakeholders have a different set of requirements and constraints of their own if proper communication is not established conflicts may arise. Systems engineering helps establish better communication and collaboration among all stakeholders, reducing the risk of misunderstandings and miscommunication and improving the overall success of the system by using various methodologies such as Requirement management, Configuration management, Holistic architecture design etc.
  5. Balancing Performance and Cost: UAVs must be designed to provide high levels of performance while being cost-effective this also includes re-work costs. This requires the development of efficient and cost-effective systems that meet the needs of users while being economically viable. Systems engineering provides a systematic approach to balancing performance and cost in UAV development. By using methods such as trade-off analysis and early identification of errors save component cost which reflects of the total project budget as well, systems engineers can evaluate different design options and make informed decisions about the trade-offs between performance and cost.

To sum up, the development of complex systems like UAVs requires the inclusion of systems engineering because it streamlines the design and development process and offers numerous benefits starting from refining needs to product delivery. The system principles can be tailored according to System of Interest (SOI) and it gives developers an advantage in early error detection, an integrative approach, and proper conciseness on all phases of Product development lifecycle, encouraging ease of understanding process to be carried.

If you are interested in understanding how to adopt systems engineering and model based systems engineering practices within your organization, reach out to BlueKei Solutions team at info@Blue-Kei.com. We specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions such as compliance to ISO15288, ARP 4754A, ISO 42020. We can also conduct capability development workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization and create the digital thread.

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Professional organizations across the world promoting systems engineering

Professional organizations across the world promoting systems engineering

Design and development of large-scale systems, such as defense systems and space missions, led to the creation of systems engineering. The discipline aims to ensure that all aspects of a system, including its technical, economic, and operational factors, are considered during its design and development to optimize system performance and meet user requirements. Systems Engineering is still an emerging practice in most industry verticals to the increasing complexity of technological systems. However, it has proven from its inception how a transdisciplinary and integrative approach can be both straightforward and problem-solving while also helping to reduce the complexity of product development. As a result of systems engineering’s adaptability with several domains, these are professional organizations that endorse Systems Engineering.

1. INCOSE (International Council of Systems Engineering): Is a non-profit organization for systems engineering that has 65+ chapters and 19,000+ System thinkers spread throughout 77 countries. The organization’s mission is to reveal to its beneficiaries the true hidden capabilities of systems engineering. Established in the year 1990 as the National Council of Systems Engineering (NCOSE), it subsequently spread its wings throughout the globe. In 1995, INCOSE emerged off NCOSE to incorporate international viewpoints on systems engineering.

INCOSE

INCOSE promotes the systems approach in its pursuit for a better world, by felicitating internal collaborations between its members of different industry verticals thus providing a platform to all the domains to participate and for knowledge transfer.

Their recent work on INCOSE: VISION 2035 outlines the level of systems engineering in the future that will be required to solve the existing difficulties and the changing global circumstances. It talks about the shift to a completely model-based systems engineering environment and the digital transformation. It deals on the theoretical foundations as well as the instruction and preparation required to create the skilled systems engineering workforce of the future. It also gives an illustration of what a systems engineer’s typical day would be like in 2035.

2. SESA (Systems Engineering society of Australia): The Systems Engineering Society of Australia (SESA) is a Technical Society of Engineers in Australia and the Australian affiliated chapter of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE).

SESA

SESA is promoting systems engineering and its practices in several ways which includes promoting the value of systems engineering to both industry and government, and it aims to increase recognition of the crucial part that systems engineering plays in producing successful systems and projects.The best practices and standards for systems engineering are being developed and promoted by SESA, which serves to raise the caliber of the deliverables and processes for systems engineering.

3. National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA): Is an American Defense Industrial association established in 1997 with a merger of National Security Industrial Association (NSIA) and American Defense Preparedness Association (ADPA), NDIA was formed.

In order to ensure that military systems fulfil the demands of warfighters and other end users, NDIA makes use of systems engineering through promoting its usage in defense acquisition and procurement.

NDIA also serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices among defense industry professionals and government agencies. Through its events, meetings, and conferences, NDIA provides opportunities for systems engineers and other defense industry professionals to network, share their experiences, and learn from each other.

4. Indian Society of Systems for Science and Engineering (ISSE): The society started in 2010 at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), since its creation it has been spreading awareness of systems engineering and its practices.

ISSE

ISSE hosts workshops, seminars, and conferences to educate professionals, students, and researchers on the most recent advancements and systems engineering’s adoption in different industrial verticals.

ISSE aims to advance the field of systems engineering in India and contribute to the development of complex systems in various industries and domains.

ISSE majorly focuses on application of systems engineering in Aeronautics and Aerospace and how complex systems can be indigenized with the aid of Systems Engineering.

5. Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS): Is a British multi-disciplinary engineering society founded on 1866, also holds the title for “Oldest Aeronautical Society” in existence.

RAES

The group works on developing and updating industry standards for systems engineering, aimed at promoting best practices and improving the quality of systems engineering in the aerospace industry.

The Society publishes technical papers, journals, and reports on systems engineering to disseminate information and encourage discussion and debate within the systems engineering community.

The RAeS Systems Engineering Group helps to advance the field, support the professional development of its members, and foster collaboration and innovation within the systems engineering community.

The recent seminar on “Systems Engineering in Transport” which was a joint event between the IET Automotive and Road Transport Systems, Railway, Aerospace and System Safety Engineering Technical Networks along with INCOSE UK to spread awareness on Systems Engineering applications across disciplines.

6. International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR): The International Federation for Systems Research is an international non-profit group that seeks to promote systems thinking in research and development throughout the globe.

IFSR

They utilize Systems Engineering to advance the study and application of Systems Science and Cybernetic, and also IFSR recognizes the importance of Systems Engineering in addressing complex real-world problems and supports its use in the development of systems.

Through its events, publications, and initiatives, the IFSR aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas between systems engineers, researchers, and practitioners from various disciplines.

If you are interested in understanding how to adopt systems engineering and model based systems engineering practices within your organization, reach out to BlueKei Solutions team at info@Blue-Kei.com. We specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions such as compliance to ISO15288, ARP 4754A, ISO 42020, digital transformations. We can also conduct capability development workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization and create the digital thread.

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Operational Analysis – A Thought Framework

Operational Analysis – A Thought Framework

One of the key tenets of Systems Engineering or Systemic Thinking is developing an understanding of how the system (or a product under development) is going to operate or behave under various scenarios. This leads to identification of the right set of functions, acceptance criteria’s, operational modes of the systems and constraints from the operational environment if any. These discoveries are then formulated in textual form as requirements. This skill of identifying the right dependencies, with operational environment, both which can be both spatial or temporal in nature often come by timeover a period of time, by living and breathing in the system domain. For example, an aerospace engineer who has been practicing the domain for decades might be an expert in the aerospace engineering, but if he/she is tasked to work in a medical device, it might be very difficult for them to even comprehend where to start! Another example to consider is that operational environments also change with time or with additional applications.

Apart from having the right domain expertise, frameworks can come handy. Frameworks or patterns are tools that allow one to think systematically and come up with all possible questions to be asked. Frameworks can act like a to do list. One of the frameworks we learned came across from MIT is “Get ready”, “Set” and Go. This is a simple phrase used in at the start of a race to synchronize timing, to command all the participants to start at the same time. However, it can be applied to a much larger context, and to almost anything really!

table 1

The figures above is a nXm matrix to capture all actions that are done to achieve a mission. It describes the overall lifecycle of the operation phase. Let’s take an example to better understand the framework. 



table2

The table above is a ConOps for driving a vehicle to work or some destination. The whole lifecycle of operation can be further broken down by using the Ger Get Ready, set and go framework. It is important to note the difference between Getting Ready and Getting Set. The function of “getting set” part is executed just moments before the function “go” part. For Example herein the above mentioned scenario, before the driver starts driving the vehicle, he/she would enter the vehicle, get seated, put the seat belt on, turn the ignition on, and may be set the music and air conditioning.

The getting unset and unready functions concludes the operation. Once the whole operation is understood, it in is now easy to come up with establish required functions, identify stakeholders, identify risks, and come up with define associated requirements.

 

table3

Each step in ConOps can further lead to identification of associated risks, which can then be used for Risk mitigation planning. The below table shows example of Get Ready phase where the identified risks are shown marked in purple colour purple. 

table4

As can be seen with the example shared above, the ConOps is a pretty powerful tool to analyse a System of Interest and develop requirements for the further developing development and design ofing the system. 

If you are interested in understanding how to apply this within your organization, reach out to us at info@Blue-Kei.com. We specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions, digital transformations and conducting workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization. 



table5
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Trade Study

Trade Study

Have you ever been in those situations where you had many options to solve a problem? You were confused on which option will be the most optimum solution, because each option had its own pros and cons. Now let’s extend that situation to the engineering context. For instance, when you are thinking of manufacturing a car, you may care about the safety, cost and top speed, but the significance of these factors individually is likely unique. This is when a trade study comes into the picture.

A trade study, also known as a trade-off analysis, is a method used for making a decision between competing options and identifying the most balanced solution considering all the contributing factors such as measures of effectiveness, acceptance criterias, requirements, etc.

Furthermore:

  1. Informal trade studies are frequently performed mentally to make decisions, but formal trade studies help in objectively removing bias from certain options and refining the decision.
  2. These studies are the most useful when there are many different options and attributes, each of which holding unique significance, that must be considered for making a decision. For instance, when selecting a drone you may care about weight, flight duration, and cost, but each of these factors have unique significance.

A trade study  compares a number of  different solutions to see whether and how well they satisfy a particular set of criteria. Each solution is characterized by a set of measures of effectiveness (MOE’s) that corresponds to evaluation criteria and has a calculated value or value distribution. The MOE’s for a given solution is then evaluated using an objective function, and the results for each alternative are compared to select a preferred solution.

For the purpose of this article our system of interest is a drone and the objective chosen is to figure out the most favorable combination of parts for a drone system which will be used for cinematography application based on our requirements. 

A drone that will be used for any cinematography application will be expected to have great maneuverability, battery backup and camera quality. Hence, the parts that we will be taking under consideration are the battery, the camera and the frame. We will be comparing parts of similar technical specifications (which led to our confusion in selecting these parts) but different attributes such as, mass and cost.

The scope of our experiment is expressed using the following image and table: 

a.  The figure below shows the parts whose option combination is to be decided :

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b.  The table below shows the value of attributes of each part with respect to the options under consideration :

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Also, to further optimize our desired results, we must define some boundaries for our attributes in the form of requirements, an example is shown below :

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Trade Study Process:

For this process, we will be following the undermentioned flowchart showing the process stepwise :



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  • We will be performing a trade study in the MagicDraw tool using Cameo Simulation Toolkit, to figure out which combination of parts will be the perfect combination for our desired application. 

To setup the tool for our system’s trade study, we need to enable a few optional properties within the tool :

    • Enable “Use Requirement Terms Glossary” (as shown below) :
      • Go to Options → Project → General → Use Requirement Terms Glossary [true]
      • This allows us to extract constraints from requirements automatically
  • Enable “Initialize Empty Values to 0” (as shown below) :
    • Go to Options → Project / Environment (depends upon the version of the tool) → Simulation → Initialize Empty Values to 0 [true]
    • When a value property has no default value, the value will be initialized to 0 value. (For simulation)

 

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Now we begin,

  1. Create a new BDD showing the system and the parts on which trade study needs to be performed as well as the requirements. (as shown below) and apply required Rollup Pattern (cost and mass in this instance)to the system block (as shown below)

              a. Right click on the system block → tools → Apply Rollup Pattern → Create value properties and redefine → Select Pattern block (as required) → OK

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b.   For blocks that are “generalized” the value properties needs to be redefined for them to be initialized, you can do that by following below mentioned steps :

               i.   Go to specifications of the block → Properties → Redefine all value properties from the rollup pattern (mass, cost, totalMass, etc.)

              ii.  you can also set up default values for each property

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c.   Finally satisfy the requirements using value properties from individual block as needed (as shown below) 

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2.   Next, we need to create a trade study context for our system (Drone) :

              a.  Create another BDD and drag the system block inside it, create another block  representing   the context for the system and finally drag the predefined trade study block from the containment tree as shown : 

  i.Show Auxiliary Resources → MD customization for SysML → Analysis patterns →trade study → TradeStudy <<block>>

 ii. Inherit into the context block from the TradeStudy block to get all required properties inside of the context 

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3. Create an IBD in the context block and display the parts, the totalCost and totalMass value properties and the value properties of the TradeStudy block

              a.  Introduce a constraint property that will calculate the score for every option

              b.  The constraint equation is written along with the weightage of each attribute  (weightage can be decided using various methods such as customer survey,internal survey,linear weighting, etc., to reduce the risk of favoritism affecting  the results)

             c.  A negative sign is added to the equation if the lower the value the better (like in case of cost, mass, etc.) as automatically the biggest scoring option is set as “winner”

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4.  To get value inputs for each part of the system we create reference properties, drag respective part blocks onto the reference property, connect them with the part inside the system using a binding connector, and finally set the stereotype as “alternative”. (Stereotype is hidden by default you can unhide it from symbol properties)

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a.  You can set Kind and Source of data for each alternative by :

       i.  Go to specification → Tags → Kind and Source

      ii.  Kind can be Table (instance table), Excel or Subtypes, Source is the instance table where data is written or instance table which is synced to an excel file

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5.  To run this study we need to create a simulation configuration diagram

         a.  Set the context block as the execution target, set a package as the result location (where instances will be stored),you can record timestamp for later reference

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        b.  Create an instance table in the results package with the context block as classifier and results package as scope

6.  Now you can run this simulation and the results will appear inside the set instance table. You can see the ratio of the number of options that failed, the number of simulations run, the score of the winning combination and the winning combination

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This is how we can simplify the process of going through each and every combination of available options and chosen attributes to find the set of options that are the most appropriate solution for our problem by performing a trade study.

Conclusion:

Trade study can be used to identify the most acceptable solution among a set of proposed suitable solutions. Solutions of trade study are concluded based on their satisfaction of a set of properties, which may be in agreement, disagreement or unique.

Any biases that we have when selecting the weightage of an attribute will impact the results. Hence, the results should not be considered to be perfect. To reduce any bias, a study can be performed to see the sensitivity of results based on changes in attribute values and weightages. Or the weightages can be selected based on a product survey from consumers, etc.

Trade study can be used to satisfy multiple objectives such as :

  • Alternative designs based on performance, cost, -ilities, etc.
  • Deciding on COTS (commercial off the shelf) products for purchase
  • Reducing risk by having explored all options in the design space, and many more.

If you are interested in understanding how to adopt systems engineering and model based systems engineering practices within your organization, reach out to BlueKei Solutions team at info@Blue-Kei.com. We specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions such as compliance to ISO15288, ARP 4754A, ISO 42020, digital transformations. We can also conduct capability development workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization and create the digital thread.

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FMEA using SysML

Faillure Modes and Effect Analysis using SysML

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) helps you to understand your design processes in detail. It highlights the risks and develops counter-measures. Many organizations use FMEA as a step-by-step approach to identifying all possible causes of product failure. Now, many industries are adopting MBSE which is “Model-based systems engineering (MBSE), the formalized application of modeling to support system requirements, design, analysis, verification and validation activities beginning in the conceptual design phase and continuing throughout development and later life cycle phases.”  

MBSE is known for its interconnectedness and consistency of system artifacts developed throughout the product development lifecycle. MBSE tools such as MagicDraw/EA/Rhapsody, which support SysML, can also be used for FMEA, in addition to developing architectures, requirements, behavioral diagrams, etc. Instead of recording the FMEA results in a separate spreadsheet for each component, subsystem or system, the MBSE tools can be used to link the FMEA results with the artifacts within the model, maintain the connectedness/traceability throughout the product development & generate the FMEA data for the artifact instantly. In this article, we will explore how the model artifacts are linked with the FMEA results.

Importance of FMEA :

FMEA is a method for identifying probable failure modes in a system, as well as their causes and effects, by analyzing as many components, assemblies, and subsystems as possible. Failure modes and their impacts on the rest of the system are recorded in a separate FMEA spreadsheet for each component. Customers have high expectations of manufacturers and service providers when it comes to quality and dependability. In the later stages of development, intensive testing and predictive modeling are frequently used to discover flaws in goods and services. However, discovering an issue this late in the cycle might result in huge costs and delays. The issue is to build quality and reliability into the process from the start, ensuring that faults never occur. An FMEA is often the first step of a system reliability study.  A few different types of FMEA analysis exist, such as Functional, Design, and Process etc.  

The FMEA process includes the following steps:

  • Review the Process
  • Brainstorm potential failure modes
  • List potential effects of each failure
  • Assign Severity rankings
  • Assign Occurrence rankings
  • Assign Detection rankings
  • Calculate RPN
  • Develop the action plan
  • Take action
  • Re-evaluate the RPN

Risk Priority Number :

An FMEA uses three criteria to assess a problem:

1) The severity of the effect on the customer,  

2) How frequently the problem is likely to occur and  

3) How easily the problem can be detected.  

Participants must rank the severity, occurrence, and detection level of each of the failure categories on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = low, 10 = high). Despite the fact that FMEA is a qualitative procedure, it is critical to use data (where available) to qualify the team’s ratings determinations. The table below provides a more detailed explanation of the ratings.

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Table 1: Severity, Occurrence and Detection

After ranking the severity, occurrence and detection levels for each failure mode, the team will be able to calculate a risk priority number (RPN). The formula for the RPN is: 

RPN = severity x occurrence x detection

You will need to define a number that, if exceeded, requires a corrective action. Completing this corrective action will reduce the RPN number. After assessing all failure modes, the team should revise the FMEA to list failures in descending RPN order. This highlights the areas where corrective measures can be concentrated. If resources are limited, practitioners must prioritize the most serious issues first. There is no set RPN threshold for determining which areas should be prioritized; this is determined by a variety of factors, including industry standards, legal or safety requirements, and quality control.

Providing Recommended Actions :

When the priorities have been agreed upon, one of the team’s last steps is to generate appropriate corrective actions for reducing the occurrence of failure modes, or at least for improving their detection. The FMEA leader should assign responsibility for these actions and set target completion dates.

The FMEA is a valuable tool that can be used to realize a number of benefits, including improved reliability of products and services, prevention of costly late design changes, and increased customer satisfaction.

Setting up FMEA in the tool: (MagicDraw 19.0)

First of all make sure if the ‘Cameo safety and Reliability Analyzer’ plugin is installed in your tool. If not installed follow the below procedure to setup. 

1.Download the plugin for MagicDraw 19.0 from the link below [https://www.magicdraw.com/main.php?ts=navig&cmd_show=1&NMSESSID=b2751cfbae4bd29d636d331140f14335&menu=download_all_in_one_plugins&back_cmd=cmd_show

B. Open the MagicDraw tool→go to ‘Help’→Resource/plugin Manager

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C. Click on the highlighted drop down menu→ Click Add→ Select the downloaded file & click Open→ Click ‘Ok’.

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D. Select the ‘Cameo Safety and Reliability Analyzer’→Click on download/Install→ Click on Close and restart the MagicDraw tool.

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E. Open MagicDraw tool→ Select ‘FMEA Project’ from the options below→ Provide name, Project location & select the create directory option→ Click ‘ok’.

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Here we begin,

  1. Create a new BDD, IBD, Activity diagram or you can also use any previously created architecture which shows the system and its functions or components, wherein we perform FMEA for these elements.
    Here in this example I have created a simple architecture of a Package Delivery Drone (as a system) and displayed a few subsystems/components of the system in the BDD.
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2.  Expand the model packages in the containment tree→ In FMEA package, double click on the FMEA table→Click on ‘Add New’ from the menu bar. You can view the complete FMEA table with many attributes used to perform FMEA for any function/component. You can hide the columns and use the important columns as per your own preference.

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3. Start filling out the details,

a.  Provide the ‘Id number’ and ‘failure name’ for your component. In this example I have mentioned the failure name as ‘Actuator failure’ for the ‘actuator mechanism’ block/component.

b.  Select the classification for your failure item i.e whether it is a mechanical/electrical/software related item.

c.  For the ‘Item’ column you need to drag and drop the block/activity/part property which was created earlier to perform the FMEA. This artifact is now allocated as the FMEA item and all the other properties which we provide further will be allocated to the same artifact..

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4. Now, for the ‘Failure Mode’ and other attributes you need to add separate items from the containment tree.

a. From the containment tree→ go to ‘Failure mode’ package→ Right click on the package→ Create element→ below under the FMEA elements select the ‘Failure mode’ item→ Provide the failure mode to the item.

b. Once you write the details of failure mode simply drag and drop the ‘FM item’ onto the Failure mode column.

c. Similarly you need to follow the same steps for the other columns/attributes.

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5. Once you complete few of the columns with the FMEA items,

a. Now we need to provide ‘Recommended Action’ by simply typing in that particular column.

b. Next we have ‘Mitigation’, here we need to create a requirement artifact from the containment tree.
Right click on the FMEA package→ create element→ select Requirement→ Write the ‘Mitigation plan’ for the Failure item in the Requirement box/artifact.
Now, Drag and drop the ‘Mitigation Requirement’ onto the Mitigation column.

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6. Now, it’s time to fill in the Severity, Occurrence and Detection columns for the FMEA item. You can directly type the numbers from 1-10 in these columns. For more details please refer to ‘Table 1’.

a. The Severity number in my example for ‘Actuator failure’ is given as ‘6’

b. The ‘Actuator failure’ is less likely to occur, so I would provide the number as ‘3’

c. The ‘Actuator Failure’ can be detected and acted upon at earliest, so I have provided the number as ‘3’.

d. Now, the RPN (Risk Priority number) is obtained which is automatically calculated in this tool. The RPN provides us a relative risk ranking, higher the RPN, higher the potential risk.

e. In some cases, it may be appropriate to revise the initial risk assessment based on the assumption (or the fact) that the recommended actions have been completed. This provides an indication of the effectiveness of corrective actions and can also be used to evaluate the value to the organization of performing the FMEA. To calculate revised RPNs, the analysis team assigns a second set of Severity, Occurrence and Detection ratings for each issue (using the same rating scales) and multiplies the revised ratings to calculate the revised RPNs

f. Similarly you need to follow the same steps for the other components.

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7. Once you perform the FMEA for various components/subsystems, the entire FMEA data gets linked with the component/subsystem & you can extract the information in other SysML diagrams as well such as BDD. 

Right click on the block used as FMEA item→ Display→ Display related elements→ Click ‘Ok’

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Conclusion:

SysML is a general-purpose architecture modeling language designed for use in System Engineering applications. SysML allows for multiple views while maintaining consistency across all of them. When the entire system is built/developed using MBSE tools and the connectivity/traceability is established, it creates a gap when the FMEA is performed outside of the tool or in some spreadsheets. We can perform FMEA and establish traceability across system artifacts using MBSE tools or SysML, and you can easily view the FMEA data within various diagrams such as Block definition diagrams and generate traceability views.  

We can tailor the FMEA table, FMEA items, and other artifacts to the needs of the company, and we can also produce hazard risk analysis tables within MBSE tools.

If you are interested in understanding how to apply this approach within your organization, reach out to us at info@Blue-Kei.com. At BlueKei we specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions, digital transformations and conducting workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization. 

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Electric Vehicles – Upcoming Trends & System Dynamics

Electric Vehicles - Upcoming Trends & System Dynamics

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Electric vehicles in India have finally crossed that threshold of being just talked about and being owned by a hand-full of people, and are now becoming an emerging trend. This is quite evident with the rising number of EV companies offering a range of EVs both cars and bikes. This trend continues to be backed by a rising number of start-ups jumping in the EV space.

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2020 however saw a dip in sales of EVs, which I believe happened with all the automotive sector due to pandemic. What is interesting to note is the total number of EV sales over years, which is still a long way to compete with fossil fuel based vehicles. I believe range of an EV is the single most important factor for customers not adopting EV as their primary vehicle of choice. If we can see a good range of EV, with a network of charging stations easily accessible, something similar to CNG stations, with quick charging, EV market can see a boom in demand, and our dependency on petrol and diesel cars can come down. In-fact Bill Gates talks about range and adoption of electric cars and technology trends here in a YouTube video.

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If we have a look at the Gartner hype cycle for Automotive technologies, the EV charging infrastructure is already going through a ‘trough of disillusionment’. This means, the hype about this is already over, but still needs investments to push this technology towards productivity, and maturity. This however is a global trend, and I truly believe we will see this happening in India as well.

With some systems thinking and with the help System Dynamics causal loop modeling, one can simulate what could be the makers or breakers for EV adoption in India. This will however require good judgement of policies and other factors. Factors, such as fuel prices, battery technologies, ecosystem, subsidies, etc.

Below is a very simple example of System Dynamics model for EV adoption I built using a free online tool called Loopy. The circles or nodes in the diagram represent all the factors we want to understand, or have an impact over others. Such as if want to understand how EV demand will grow over years, we capture other nodes which impact this adoption, and connect them together with causal loops. These causal loops have either positive or negative relationships, e.g. improvement in ‘Battery Technology’ will have a positive impact on ‘EV Demand’. The distance between nodes, or the length of loops, represent the rate at which the effect propagates in this tool. Few other factors that stood out while building this model were policies, and fuel prices. If the government pushes the write policies such as subsidies for purchase or such policies which could help accelerate battery technologies, we could see EV becoming mainstream, vehicle of choice for the masses, sooner than later!

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If you are interested in understanding how to adopt systems engineering and model based systems engineering practices within your organization, reach out to BlueKei Solutions team at info@Blue-Kei.com. We specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions such as compliance to ISO15288, ARP 4754A, ISO 42020, digital transformations. We can also conduct capability development workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization and create the digital thread.

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The space-time continuum of the product development lifecycle

The space-time continuum of the product development lifecycle

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Imagine if the product development stage were mapped in terms of Time and Space. All the steps, all the artifacts that you develop during the lifecycle are placed spatially (in form of some documents). Their coming into being was through the time. The time that engineers, program managers and all the other stakeholders spent investing their energy and skills to build towards a saleable, marketable and long lasting quality product that their customers would cherish.

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Now what happens when something goes south? What happens if requirements aren’t met, the program is not on schedule, or an unfortunate event hampers the performance of your product for which there were no risk mitigation plans? Wouldn’t it be nice to travel back into the time and the space to look at all the artifacts you built through the complete development lifecycle ? Wouldn’t you wish this fabric of space-time continuum bent for you to travel back in time?

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Now imagine if all your hard work was captured in models and digital engineering tools, and connected, and managed for configuration and change, this would be your space-time fabric, your digital fabric. This will be a digital fabric where you will be able to travel in time and space both, to achieve the impossible, to reduce the turn-around time, to make fewer mistakes, and get things right the first time, and most importantly manage changes and help build resilient systems!

If you are interested in understanding how to adopt systems engineering and model based systems engineering practices within your organization, reach out to BlueKei Solutions team at info@Blue-Kei.com. We specialize in systems engineering consulting, project executions, process adoptions such as compliance to ISO15288, ARP 4754A, ISO 42020, digital transformations. We can also conduct capability development workshops which are experiential and tailored to your needs. With systems engineering adoption you can address the complexity, manage evolving risks and bring transformation in communication within your organization through digitalization and create the digital thread.