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Three Essential Elements of the System Engineering Process
Synthesis (design)
Analysis (predict performance of potential design elements)
Evaluation (predict relative performance of system design alternatives)
Traditional engineering tends to focus on bottom-up approach to create new systems.
Systems engineering draws on the appropriate blend of technological inputs from the traditional engineering disciplines together with the management principles to deliver a synergistic life-cycle approach to delivering a customer valued product (system).
Designing for the Life-cycle means thinking about the end before the beginning.
It questions every design decision on the basis of potential downstream impacts, satisfying the customer expectations, and achieving stakeholder acceptability.
An expanded concept of architecting is embodied within systems engineering
Information is "architectural" if it is needed to deliver "needs" of the user/user. This type of information is often referred to as architectural views.
A technical view is defined as a minimal set of rules governing the arrangement, interaction, and interdependence of system parts or elements.
A system view is defined as a description, including graphics, of a system and interconnections providing for, and supporting, the required functions—to satisfy the stakeholder requirements.
An operational view is defined as a description of the task and activities, operation elements, and information flows which have been integrated to satisfy the required functions—to satisfy the stakeholder requirements.
Interfaces are fundamentally important. If interfaces don't work, systems don't work. One "center of gravity" for systems architecting is to pay attention to what is going on at system interfaces.
Concern for the entire Life-cycle is strong within the Department of Defense (DOD). Their Acquisition Logistics requirements have strongly influenced the evolution of System Engineering.
Section 4 of MIL-HDBK 502 (1997) connects the role of Systems Engineering to the Acquisition process.
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