BKCASE Workshop VI

Tuesday 12 April

SEBOK Part 2

Rick Adcock (Lead)

Part 2 team

• SEBOK Part 2: Systems– Terms, concepts and ideas that reflect the current

body of knowledge about Systems. Note: This is distinct from the principles and practices for how to engineer systems (i.e. systems engineering).

• Author Team– Rick Adcock, Nicole Hutchision– Brian Wells, Scott Jackson, Sandy Friedenthal, Cihan

Dagli (active since Workshop V)– Erik Aslasken, Bud Lawson, Richard Beasley

Purpose

• The purpose of Part 2 within the SEBoK is to give a guide to foundation systems knowledge which can be used to– Provide the context within which the scope and value of Systems Engineering can be

described (in SEBoK Part 1)– Provide the Systems foundations of Systems Engineering Practices (in SEBoK Part 3)– Provide the challenges for Systems Engineering Deployment (in SEBoK Part

• Part 2 of the SEBoK contains the following: – Terms, concepts and ideas that reflect the current body of knowledge about Systems.

Note: This is distinct from the principles and practices for how to engineer systems (i.e. systems engineering).

– The systemic issues and challenges arising when we think about systems in the realworld (associated with technology, finance, people, organisations, society, etc)

– The languages, notations and models used to represent systems and systemic issues– The key System Principles, based on this system knowledge, which form the basis of

the Systems Approach to complex problems

Deliverables by end of March

• Review Comments:– Quick look, to help validate P2 structure– Allocation to new Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 (accept comments from them)– Initial responses

• Create Part 2 Top down Structure– Agree KA and Topics (Wiki articles?)– Write “1-2 page” overview for each KA

• include key sources• Identify key links

– Create a Part 2 terminology list, terms we want to define in P2 and have everyone use

• Populate Part 2 bottom up (as time allows)– Review 0.25 material, what do we keep?– Begin to populate in detail

Adjudication

• Adjudication of review comments–Clean up results of quick look complete–Of the original 723 comments assigned to Part 2

• 306 comments requiring action. • The others were either "noted", "declined", • or allocated to other parts (211 of these, including those where

we "copied" other parts for awareness but kept the comment for Part 2--these are flagged).

–The 306 have been allocated to Part 2 KA’s marked as (General, Overview, Types, Challenges, Models, Principles and unallocated).

–Detailed adjudication will be done at and after the April workshop

Consolidated Comments

The following general themes came out of the review, to be considered as you look at topics

“There is a need for a clearer logic to, and for links between, the parts of the SEBoK”

“The sections on System are abstract and academic. You need to be clear why systems knowledge is being included in the SEBoK and what use it is to Systems Engineers….”

“… and to show the link between systems thinking and Systems Engineering.”

“The first chapters have to much detail and are hard to read; but the detail contain is all mostly relevant and needed”

“Include some better examples, but don’t agree with the examples used”

“Don’t use none standard ideas, stick to the common one, but different ideas of what common is”

Some paradoxes to sort through!!!

Knowledge Areas

1. Overview of Systems – Erik\Rick– Overview of the Systems BoK

2. System Principles – Rick\Scott– Key Principles (relevant to SEBOK)

3. Types of Systems – Brian– Focus on Engineered System

4. Representing Systems with Models – Sandy– Models for different system types

5. Systems Approach – Scott– Approach to problem resolution

6. Systems Engineering Challenges – Cihan– Systemic Challenges to SE

7. Part 2 Glossary – Nicole– System Terms relevant to whole SEBOK

Knowledge Areas

• Each author to produce following for their KA:– An Introduction to the KA (section n.1) – A set of topics, for each topic

• brief description of each sub topic (key issues, links, risks, questions)• Key reference sources and critical terms for sub topic (if

appropriate)• Candidate content (from 0.25 or else where if available)

– Topics will be expanded into sub topics as needed down to single WIKI articles

• e.g. 3-5 pages, a single digestible bites of info.

2. System Concepts and Systems Thinking Knowledge Area

Part 2 KA

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Fundamentals Overview of Systems Part II KA 1 – Topic 1.2

2.3 System Concepts Knowledge Area

2.3.1 Types of Systems Part II KA 3 – Topic 3.2

2.3.2 System Topologies Types of System

Part II KA 3 – Topic 3.2

2.3.3 System-of-Interest (SOI) Part II KA 1 – Topic 1.3

2.3.4 System Perspectives Part II KA 1 – Topic 1.5

2.3.5 Complexity Part II KA 1 – Topic 1.5 & KA 2

2.3.6 Roles of Systems

Overview of Systems

System Principles

Part II KA 1 – Topic 1.5

2.3.7 Relating the Concepts Systems Approach Part II KA 5

2.4 Systems Thinking Knowledge Area

2.4.1 Some Definitions System Principles

Systems Approach

Part II KA 2 & KA 5

2.4.2 Hard and Soft Systems Thinking Types of System

Systems Approach

Part II KA 3 and KA 5

2.4.3 Paradoxes Systems Approach Part II KA 5

2.4.4 Models and Languages Models Part II KA 4

2.5 Practical Considerations Systems Approach Part II KA 5

2.6 Primary References

2.7 Additional References & Readings

Part II

2.8 Glossary

2.8.1 Acronyms

2.8.2 Terminology

Part 2 Part II, and across v 0.5

3 Systems Engineering Overview

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Fundamentals of Systems Engineering

3.2.1 Definition and Scope of Systems Engineering

Part I

3.2.2 Value of Systems Engineering Part I

3.2.3 Systems Engineering Approach to problems

Overview of Systems

Systems Approach

Part II KA 1 and KA 5

3.3 Systems Engineering as a Lifecycle Approach Part III

KA 1: Overview of Systems

1.1 Introduction1.2 What is a System?

– a collection of elements (Product)– a means to achieve an outcome (Service)– everything related to a purpose (Enterprise)

1.3 System Context– System of Interest/wider system– System of Systems

1.4 Overview of System Science– Key Authors and references

1.5 System Perspectives – System metaphors– Complexity/chaos– People in systems

KA 2: Systems Principles

2.1 Introduction– A set of key system principles of value to Systems

Engineering 2.2 The Principle of Holism2.3 The Principle of Grouping2.4 The Principle of Functions2.5 The Principle of Interactions2.6 The Principle of Boundaries2.7 The Principle of Cohesion2.8 The Principle of Emergence2.9 Additional Principles

KA 3: Types of System

3.1 Introduction3.2 Classifications of Systems

– Classification Methods– Man-made versus Natural Systems

3.3 Engineered Systems– Product Systems and Service Systems– Dynamic and Static Systems– Simple and Complicated Systems– System Hierarchies

3.4 Groupings of Systems– Systems of Systems (SOS)– Federation of Systems– Families of Systems– Enterprise Systems

3.5 System Domains – Types of Domains – by environment, by technology, by area of application

KA 4: Representing Systems with Models

4.1 Introduction4.2 What is a model

– Definitions, Syntax, semantics, well formed models4.3 Why model

– Different purposes and uses of a model – Measuring the goodness of a model

4.4 Types of models– Taxonomy of models – Relationship among models (or integrating models)

4.5 Representing Systems with a System Model– Views and viewpoints– Typical system views (behaviour, structure, properties, ..)– Model abstractions

4.6 Modelling Standards

KA 5: Systems Approach

5.1 Overview5.2 Establishing Stakeholder value5.3 Identification of the Elements of a System5.4 Grouping of Elements5.5 Identification of the Boundary of a System5.6 Identification of the Function of Each Element5.7 Identification of the Interactions among the Element5.8 Synthesis of the System5.9 Proving the System5.10 Incremental Problem Resolution

KA6: System Engineering Challenges

6.1 Introduction6.2 Complex System Architecting Challenges 6.3 Attributes of Complex Systems Architectures 6.4 Dynamically Changing Meta-Architectures 6.5 Interoperability and Network Centric

Architectures 6.7 Evolutionary System Architecting 6.8 Executable Architectures

Potential “Primary References” (Top 5)• Ackoff, R. L. 1971. Towards a system of systems concept. Management Science 17 (11): 671. • Aslaksen, E.W. 1996. The changing nature of engineering. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. • Blanchard, B. S., and W. J. Fabrycky. 2005. Systems engineering and analysis. Prentice-hall international

series in industrial and systems engineering. 4th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA: Prentice-Hall. (Key-sf)• Boardman, J., and B. Sauser. 2008. Systems thinking: Coping with 21st century problems. 1st ed. Boca

Raton, FL, USA: Taylor & Francis. • Checkland, P. B. 1999. Systems thinking, systems practice. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. • Flood, R. L., and E. R. Carson. 1993. Dealing with complexity: An introduction to the theory and application

of systems science. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Plenum Press. • Forrester, J. W. 1975. Collected papers of Jay W. Forrester. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada: Pegasus

Communications. • Hitchins, D. 2009. What are the General Principles Applicable to Systems? Insight. International Council on

Systems Engineering.• Giachetti, R. E. 2009. Design of enterprise systems: Theory, architectures, and methods. Boca Raton, FL,

USA: CRC Press. • Kasser, J. 2010. Holistic thinking and how it can produce innovative solutions to difficult problems. Paper

presented at 7th Bi-annual European Systems Engineering Conference (EuSEC), 24-27 May 2010, Stockholm, Sweden.

• Senge, P. M. 1990. The fifth discipline: The art & practice of the learning organization. • Edson, R. 2008. Systems thinking. applied.: A primer. Arlington, VA: Applied Systems Thinking (ASysT)

Institute, 2008. • von Bertalanffy, L. 1968. General system theory: Foundations, development, applications. Revised ed. New

York, NY: Braziller.• Wasson, C. S. 2006. System analysis, design and development. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Glossary

• abstraction• behavior• boundary• chaos• closed system• complexity• complicated system• dynamic system• emergence• enterprise system• Environment• emergence• function• family of systems (FoS)• hard system• hierarchy• model• natural systems• network• open system• product system• Properties• reductionism

• resilience• semantics• service• service system• soft system• structure• sub-system• syntax• system model• system purpose• system type• (system) classification• (system) context• (system) model• (system) perspective• system-of-interest (SOI)• system-of-systems (SOS)• systemic challenges• systems principle• systems thinking• topology• view• viewpoint

Questions

• Where are following:– Relationship to other disciplines?– Systems Engineering standards?

• How are Product, Service and Enterprise issues split across parts?

• Which terms does Part 2 need to define?

• How to link Systems Approach to Systems Engineering lifecycle and process?