Mission Statements What is a mission statement?A Program’s Needs-goals-objectivesGetting to the heart of stating the problemDo you understand what is needed and have some idea of where to begin? Today’s words to the wise - Don’t assume that the original problem statement is best one, or even the right one. Example – ARPANET was originally envisioned to connect widely dispersed computers, each having specialized capabilities, so that complex scientific problems could be solved. The real problem was not to connect the computers – each was virtually self-sufficient – but to connect the researchers via email so that ideas could be exchanged. "Transmission of documents via telephone wires is possible in principle, but the apparatus required is so expensive that it will never become a practical proposition." -- Dennis Gabor, British physicist and author of Inventing the Future, 1962 Relationship to Design Rqmts1st step in requirements processSimple statement of purpose of the system/device/product being developedDiscusses environment in which it operatesSpecial considerationsEstablishes an understanding between the customer/client and the developer about what the product does or is forIt is the primary exhibit at the Systems Requirements Review (SRR)Mission statements apply at any level –Aircraft/spacecraft levelSubsystem levelComponent level Mission Statement - ElementsBrief description of the product capabilities with key customer benefitsDo not specify a specific product even though you know the general type of product involved Assumptions and constraints that guide development effortsExample - An affordable, reliable, attack vehicle to enhance Air Force operations (we can probably conclude that it will be an airplane, but not necessarily manned or unmanned or a fighter or a bomber)Key business goalsTarget markets for the productStakeholders Mission statement - ElementsKey business goalsCost, time, qualityTiming, financial performance, market share goalsExample - Serve as a major part of Air Force offensive operations for the next 20 years - compete with JSF – affordability Target marketsPrimary and secondary marketsExample - U. S. Air Force, allied air forces, U. S. Navy StakeholdersList everyone who has a “stake” in this project.Who is affected by success or failure of this product?Who is the “end user?”Who makes the “buying decisions?”Consider the needs of everyone who is influenced by the product.Examples - Purchasers and users; manufacturing operations; service operations... Mission Statement - SummaryA broad, qualitative statement of what can not be accomplished to satisfy a particular need.Can have context statementNot quantitative FireSat Mission An Example Mission Statement - Firesat Because forest fires have an increasing impact on recreation and commerce and ever higher public visibility, the US needs a more effective system to identify and monitor them. In addition, it would be desirable (but not required) to ...

1. Mission Statements
What is a mission statement?A Program’s Needs-goals-
objectivesGetting to the heart of stating the problemDo you
understand what is needed and have some idea of where to
begin?
Today’s words to the wise - Don’t assume that the original
problem statement is best one, or even the right one.
Example – ARPANET was originally envisioned to connect
widely dispersed computers, each having specialized
capabilities, so that complex scientific problems could be
solved. The real problem was not to connect the computers –
each was virtually self-sufficient – but to connect the
researchers via email so that ideas could be exchanged.
"Transmission of documents via telephone wires is possible in
principle, but the apparatus required is so expensive that it will
never become
a practical proposition."
-- Dennis Gabor, British physicist and author of Inventing the
Future, 1962
Relationship to Design Rqmts1st step in requirements
processSimple statement of purpose of the
system/device/product being developedDiscusses environment
in which it operatesSpecial considerationsEstablishes an

2. understanding between the customer/client and the developer
about what the product does or is forIt is the primary exhibit at
the Systems Requirements Review (SRR)Mission statements
apply at any level –Aircraft/spacecraft levelSubsystem
levelComponent level
Mission Statement - ElementsBrief description of the product
capabilities with key customer benefitsDo not specify a specific
product even though you know the general type of product
involved Assumptions and constraints that guide development
effortsExample - An affordable, reliable, attack vehicle to
enhance Air Force operations (we can probably conclude that it
will be an airplane, but not necessarily manned or unmanned or
a fighter or a bomber)Key business goalsTarget markets for the
productStakeholders
Mission statement - ElementsKey business goalsCost, time,
qualityTiming, financial performance, market share
goalsExample - Serve as a major part of Air Force offensive
operations for the next 20 years - compete with JSF –
affordability
Target marketsPrimary and secondary marketsExample - U. S.
Air Force, allied air forces, U. S. Navy
StakeholdersList everyone who has a “stake” in this
project.Who is affected by success or failure of this
product?Who is the “end user?”Who makes the “buying
decisions?”Consider the needs of everyone who is influenced by
the product.Examples - Purchasers and users; manufacturing
operations; service operations...

3. Mission Statement - SummaryA broad, qualitative statement of
what can not be accomplished to satisfy a particular need.Can
have context statementNot quantitative
FireSat Mission
An Example
Mission Statement - Firesat
Because forest fires have an increasing impact on recreation and
commerce and ever higher public visibility, the US needs a
more effective system to identify and monitor them. In
addition, it would be desirable (but not required) to monitor
forest fires for other nations; collect statistical data on fire
outbreaks, spread, speed, and duration: and provide other forest
management data.
Ultimately, the Forest Service’s fire-monitoring office and
rangers in the field will use the data. Data flow and formats
must meet the needs of both groups without specialized training
and must allow them to respond promptly to changing
conditions.
Mission Statement - Firesat
Context: Because forest fires have an increasing impact on
recreation and commerce and ever increasing public visibility,
Broad Primary Need: the US needs a more effective system to
identify and monitor forest fires.
Secondary Need: In addition, it would be desirable (but not

4. required) to monitor forest fires for other nations; collect
statistical data on fire outbreaks, spread, speed, and duration:
and provide other forest management data.
Mission Statement - Firesat
Statement of Fact: Ultimately, the Forest Service’s fire-
monitoring office and rangers in the field will use the data.
Further Need: Data flow and formats must meet the needs of
both groups without specialized training and must allow them to
respond promptly to changing conditions.
Fig 1-4
Mission Objectives - FiresatPrimary ObjectivesTo detect,
identify and monitor forest fires throughout the US, including
Alaska and Hawaii, in near real time.Deliver processed data to
user
Semester Project
Pick a reasonably complex system to use as your semester
project. It can be any one of the examples or a system that you
chose. You must tell me what system you are choosing by
Saturday, Jan 28th at 11:59pm MT and I must approve it. I will
send you my approval by the next day.
Examples include:
· Radar systems – ground based, air bases or space based
· Drones or robots – underwater, on land or airborne for
surveillance
· Lighter than air balloons for surveillance
· Satellites – any mission

5. · Power or fuel plants
· A completely automated house
· Automated Information Exchange System – provides
commuters a safe and streamlined post-accident process for
drivers and insurers
· Building a home
· Portable Display System for a complex system
· Vehicle Fog Elimination System
· Outdoor Sound Submersion system
· Home Theatre Design
· Uninterrupted Power Supply Facility Design
· Implementation of a low cost satellite system for Search and
Rescue, surveillance, etc
· Automotive Traction Control System
· All in one bike system
· Building a new All-Terrain Vehicle system
· All electric Trail Bike system
· Wireless workout device
Once your system is approved, you will:
1. Write an acceptable mission statement for your system. Use
the Firesat example shown in class. You may not proceed to
step 2 until I approve your statement.
2. Write 10 system performance requirements
3. Write 5 subsystem performance requirements for each of 2
subsystems
4. Create a functional block diagram for your system (use only
verbs)
5. Create level 3 product Work Breakdown Structure
6. Create a risk matrix for your top 5 technical system risks.
Show and explain how these risks will be mitigated. Cost and
schedule are not to be used as risks
7. Create a technical performance measure graph for your
highest technical risk and explain the graphic.
8. Explain in bullet form how you will verify the system (Is it

6. built to requirements)
9. Explain in bullet form how you will validate system
performance (Customer Acceptance)
10. Describe in detail 2 trade studies that you would conduct to
reach a final decision on your system architecture.
11. Create a top level system architecture drawing of you
system. Include all subsystems.
Your final product will be a minimum of a 25-page power point
presentation that contains at least all of the above assignments.
See the Table of Contents example below
The course schedule will indicate the dates on which each
assignment is due.
EXAMPLE TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Project Description
1.2 Project Objectives
1.3 Stakeholders
2 System Formal Design Process
2.1 Mission Statement
2.2 Mission Level Requirements
2.3 Mission Elements
2.4 Subsystem Elements
2.5 Subsystem Requirements and Descriptions
2.6 Functional Analysis Flow Diagram
2.7 Work Breakdown Structure
2.8 Risk Analysis
2.7.1 Technical Performance Measures
2.9 Drawing of System Architecture
2.10 Description of Trade Studies to be accomplished
3.0 System Integration and Test
3.1 System Interfaces – N2 Diagram

7. 3.1.1 Interface Block Diagram
3.2 Integration Plan and Integration Flow Diagram
3.3 Test Plan and Test Flow Diagram (how will you test your
design)
3.4 Acceptance Test Criteria (how will you get the customer to
accept the product)
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 References
6.0 Appendices (if necessary
List of Figures
List of Tables