1. The Eighth International Conference
INCOSE_IL 2015
Integration of System Engineering and
Software Architecture
The Glue and the Connector
Tomer Peretz, Ram Oron
Orbotech
2. The Industries We Serve
Bare PCB Production FPD Manufacturing
Installations
(# of systems)
11,500 1,700
Solar Power
Advanced Packaging &
MEMS
Installations
(# of systems)
4,000 Initial Sales 2014
Semiconductor Device
Manufacturing
2 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
3. Orbotech in the Electronics Value Chain Today
Flat Panel
Displays (FPD)
Touchscreens, Advanced
Packaging, MEMS, RF,
Power
Printed Circuit Boards
(PCB)
3 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
4. About Us
Ram Oron
o System engineering discipline manager – establishing
system engineering as a discipline in Orbotech
o Ph.D. in physics, led the physics and system engineering
development of several PCB machines
Tomer Peretz
o Chief software architect at Orbotech, leader of the
software architecture group
o Presidency member at ILTAM, leader of the software
activities
4 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
5. Background
• Creation of a global product organization to enhance commonality,
professionalism and wide disciplinary view
o New system engineering discipline and software architecture group
• Environment
o Multi disciplinary products, that involve mechanics, optics, electronics, SW and
algorithms
o 3 divisions, each has several product lines
o 4 large (product line level) development centers worldwide
o Most of the development is performed in product lines and managed locally
5 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
6. The Challenges We Faced
• SW often delays readiness of products – long time from HW
readiness to (sufficient) SW readiness for integration
o SW “always late” (TTM) and incomplete (performance / quality)
• SW often not modular enough to enable rapid changes and reuse
o Dynamic / rapidly changing environment – long time to adapt / change
o Hard to reuse SW components in other products
o Minor system changes requires software attention
6 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
7. How to Face Challenges?
• Changes can be done at certain levels
o Knowledge
o Methodology
o Organization structure
o Strategic
o Organization cultural
7 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
8. Culture Explained to Engineers
8 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
• Organizations which design systems are constrained to produce
designs which are copies of the communication structures of
these organizations (M. Conway)
• Structure follows strategy (Alfred Chandler)
• Culture eats strategy for breakfast (Peter Drucker)
9. Cultural Change
• Organization culture are artifacts, espoused values and basic
underlying assumption.
• One of the reasons changes fail, is due to lack of assimilation in the
organizational culture.
• Culture is the most difficult organizational attribute to change.
• One of the ways culture reflects is in the organization language
9 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
10. The Glue and the
Connector
System Approaches to Software
11. Software as a Glue
• Software was conceived in Orbotech for a long time as the Glue that
sticks the system together.
• Glue is not just a word, it reflects the real beliefs and conceptions of
people who are involved in the project.
11 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
12. The Glue Approach
• Glue is used when all the other parts are shaped
Exploration Planning Development Production
Product Lifecycle Management
System design
starts here
Software design
starts here
All decisions taken,
including software
constrains and tradeoffs
12 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
13. The Glue Approach
• To Glue objects together, you usually need to understand only the surface.
• Shaping the Objects does not require to understand the glue.
• The interests of the Software Architects and System Engineers were not
appropriately reflected to each other.
13 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
14. The Glue Approach
• Glue takes a long time to dry
• SW “always late” (TTM) and incomplete (performance / quality)
The software
tail
SW/Alg Dev (SW with reduced spec)
HW Dev (machine 90% complete)
SW/Alg Dev (SW ready)
HW Dev 90% complete
Technology Development
G4
15 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
15. The Glue Approach
• Once the glue is dry, it is very hard to reuse.
• Plans to reuse subsystem should take into
consideration software cost and design for reuse.
System A System B
Hardware Reuse
??
SW Reuse
16 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
16. The Glue Approach
• Changing the way parts are connected, is difficult after the glue is dry
Cost of Change
Time
17 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
17. The Glue Approach
• Trying to speed up development in the glue approach can end up with a badly
shaped system.
18 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
19. The Connector Approach
• Designing and building the connectors can start before
all the parts are finished
Exploration Planning Development Production
Product Lifecycle Management
System design
starts here
Allows Software
Architects to start learning
the new environment
Software design
starts here
Allows System Engineers
to get feedback on
software implications
Allows for better
understanding of software
required allocations
20 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
20. • Connector has to be shaped as part of the system design
• The way parts are designed is influenced by the connector
o Software architect involvement in early stages of the system design
System
decision
Software effort of
4 months
Software effort of
4 weeks
The Connector Approach
21 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
21. The Connector Approach
• Proper connector design would allow flexibility for future changes
o Mutual stakeholders interview
o System and software requirements traceability
Focus on what is
really important to
the stakeholders
22 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
22. The Connector Approach
• When working with standards, connectors can be reused across systems.
o Plans to reuse subsystem should involve
software representatives
Create your
reusable software to
fit here
23 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
23. The Connector Approach
• Connector are more complex and requires more skills, knowledge and
innovation.
• The creation and of system engineers and software architects
• Involvement of system engineers and software architects in mutual
training
24 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
24. How to Make Connectors?
• Create connectors culture.
• Actively involved software representatives in early stage of the system design
• Prioritize quality scenarios (illities), and design accordingly.
o Focus both on customers and development requirements
• Connectors approach requires more skills and design.
o Constantly invest in learning and effective knowledge flow
25 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
25. Glue Vs. Connector
Glue Connector
Software involvement
starts
Late in the system design
phase
Early in the system design
phase
Software TTM Low for simple systems
High for complex systems
Moderate
Software created for
first usage
Just what needed The most suitable solution
Ability to change Easy at the beginning.
Hard at later phases
Easy at the planned areas
Maintenance cost High Moderate
Software expertise Mainly technical Holistic
Ability to reuse Low Medium
26 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
26. Where to Use Each Approach
Glue Connector Glue
Stable Chaos
Environment & Requirements Stability
We are here
27 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
27. Summary
• Two approaches to system engineering in relation to SW in multi-disciplinary
products environment
• Each approach is reflected in the organization culture in a different way
• The connector approach is our preferred approach
• Initial outcomes are promising
• There is still a long way to go
28 | System Design / Integration of System Engineering and Software Architecture
