Introduction to Systems Engineering

1. SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
(MODULE 1-INTRODUCTION)

2. WHAT IS A SYSTEM?
 It is an assemblage or combination of functionally
related elements or parts forming a unitary whole.
 Ex: water system or a transportation system
 A random group of items in a room would constitute
a set with definite relationships between the items,
but will not qualify as a system because of the
absence of functional relationship.

3. WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A SYSTEM?
1. Components-parts of a system.
2. Attributes-are the properties (characteristics,
configuration, qualities, powers, constraints and
state ) of the components and of the systems as a
whole.
3. Relationships between pairs of linked components
are the result of engineering the attributes of both
components so that the pair operates together
effectively in contributing to the system’s
purpose(s).

4. WHAT IS PHYSICAL SYSTEM
 Manifest itself in physical form.
 Composed of components
 Consumes physical space

5. WHAT IS CONCEPTUAL SYSTEMS
 Symbols represent the attribute of components
 Plans, ideas, concepts and hypotheses
 Organization of ideas

6. WHAT IS SOS?
 System–of-systems
 Related systems that are normally analyzed
individually may be studied as a group, the group is
called system-of-systems (SOS).

7. WHAT IS DYNAMIC SYSTEM?
 Exhibits behaviors because it combines structural
components with operating and/or flow
components.
 Ex: school-combining building, teachers, students ,
books, curricula, knowledge

8. WHAT IS STATIC SYSTEM?
 State does not change because is has structural
component, but no operating or flow components,
as a bridge.

9. WHAT IS A CLOSED SYSTEM?
 One that does not interact significantly with its
environment.
 Usually exhibits the characteristics of equilibrium
 Few closed system in the natural and human-made
environment

10. WHAT IS AN OPEN SYSTEM?
 Allows information , energy and matter to cross it
boundaries
 Interact with environment
 Steady state-system elements adjust to changes in
the environment

11. WHAT IS ENTROPY?
 Both closed and open systems exhibit entropy
 It refers to the degree of disorganization in a
system and is analogous to the use of the term in
thermodynamics.

12. WHAT IS SYSTEMS ENGINEERING?
 Systems engineering is a multidisciplinary
(technical and business) approach to decision
making and project management with the purpose
of leading the design of a complex interrelated set
of components working together toward a common
purpose.

13.  An interdisciplinary approach and means to enable
the realization of successful systems.
 An interdisciplinary approach encompassing the
entire technical effort to evolve into and verify and
integrated and life-cycle balanced set of system
people, product and process solutions that satisfy
customer needs.
 It encompasses 1)technical efforts related to the
development, manufacturing, verification,
deployment operations, support, disposal of, user
training for systems products and processes; 2)the
definition and management of configuration, c)
development of information for managing decision-
making.

14.  The application of scientific and engineering efforts to 1)
transform an operational need into a description of
system performance parameters and a system
configuration through the use of an iterative process of
definition, synthesis, analysis, design, tests, and
evaluation; b)integrate related technical parameters and
ensure compatibility of all physical, functional and
program interfaces in a manner that optimizes the total
system definition and design and c) integrate reliability ,
maintainability, safety, survivability, human engineering ,
and other such factors into the total engineering effort to
meet cost, schedule, supportability and technical
performance objectives.

15. WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF SYSTEMS
ENGINEERING?
 The scope of the practice ranges from concept to
production and acquisition to post-deployment
support (operation).

16. WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF SYSTEMS
ENGINEERING?
 The objective of systems engineering is to be
involved through all facets of a system to ensure
that the end-product has the optimal solution with
respect to the ultimate goal of providing a quality
product which meets certain requirements
(customer needs, maximizing safety, minimizing
cost, maximizing throughput, etc.).