SE WHITEPAPERThe added value of Systems Engineering

How the customer explained it

How the project leader understood it

How the analyst designed it

How the business consultant described it

How the project was documented

What operations installed

How the customer was billed

What the customer really needed

INTRODUCTION

We live in a time where projects increase in complexity on a daily basis. They typically involve a number of stakeholders, who are rapidly generating and sharing enormous amounts of information. This has resulted in a variety of new challenges, increasing the risk of errors as the complexity of the work grows. As the level and speed of information increases this process cannot be handled by people alone and we need support from technology.

To tackle this, the industry has created a variety of initiatives. The sum of which is known as Building Information Modelling (BIM). The goal of BIM is to improve and deliver better support for the processes that we encounter in our projects. This will result in reduced costs and a higher standard of output.

This paper explains Systems Engineering (SE). SE is one aspect of BIM. SE is an interdisciplinary way of engineering management that evolves and verifies an integrated, life-cycle balanced set of solutions that satisfy customer needs.

WHAT IS BIM?There are a variety of definitions for BIM. Arcadis defines BIM as: “The processes and collaborative behaviours associated with the creation and sharing of object orientated databases of an asset in its environment, relevant to all stages of the asset’s life cycle including design, construction and operation.” In short, with BIM we:• have an (3D, 4D, 5D or nthD) object orientated model;• combine different information sources (e.g. GIS and

design data);• use open BIM standards;• come to an agreement with the client about the

delivery of computer interpretable information.To describe more specifically what BIM is, and how and when it can be used, it is necessary to distinguish different phases in the maturity (growth model) of BIM. In short we:• do BIM Level 1, when we make use of an object

oriented model;

• do BIM Level 2, if we make use of an federated model which is a joined up view of multiple, separate models which enables the analysis of integrated aspects of (for example) the design;

• and if this federated model is based on a predefined and structured information process (what, who and when) as described in a BIM Execution Plan.

THE BENEFITS OF BIMThe benefits of BIM for Arcadis are enormous and are already being achieved across a variety of projects. In the Arcadis BIM whitepaper we have compiled a list of the key benefits of working in the BIM environment:• Increased efficiency due to the sharing of

information;• Better quality (de-risked) design through improved

coordination and more effective use of analysis tools;

• Reduced risk of inaccuracies on the project;• Reduced production time with dynamic updates,

based on relationships and constraints and reflected throughout the process;

• Lower costs related to more accurate design, reduced duplication of work and better coordination;

• Reduced transaction costs, such as the exchange of information with contractors or the creation of operating and maintenance documents;

• Adoption of open and transparent information exchange processes with clients and stakeholders;

• Lifecycle benefits due to the availability of information regarding the designs, specifications, construction methodology and maintenance regime.

BIM has, and will continue to have, a significant impact on the industry and will challenge clients and their supply chain. Despite these potential challenges, simple steps can be taken towards early adoption of BIM.

To explain the range of possibilities when using BIM on a project Arcadis has developed the BIM menu (see also: Arcadis BIM Menu – BIM uses and their benefits). Every BIM use has a recipe for success; a specific purpose and a benefit for all stakeholders of a project. The BIM uses are categorized into five primary purposes (i.e., Gather, Generate, Analyse, Communicate and Realize). These are then split further into sub-categories (Table 1). Currently, SE specifically

contributes to the ‘Generate’ and ‘Analyse’ uses. This is explained further when we connect BIM to SE.

Gather Generate Analyze Communicate Realize

Capture Prescribe Coordinate Visualize Fabricate

Quantify Arrange Forecast Transform Assemble

Monitor Size Validate Draw Control

Qualify Document RegulateTable 1 BIM uses

WHAT IS SE?SE can be traced back to the 1940’s, and was conceived by Bell Telephone Laboratories who needed a method of structuring their complex projects. What they thought of was an interdisciplinary way of engineering management that verifies an integrated, life-cycle balanced set of solutions that satisfy customer needs. It wasn’t until the 1990’s that international groups were founded and that standards were developed. The most recognised standard nowadays is the ISO/IEC 15288. This standard was developed to create a common terminology and to integrate the different disciplines and processes. This led to a comprehensive document that describes a set of processes which can be used to create, maintain, document, and manage a system, or a project in every life cycle stage of its existence. SE describes steps to ensure that work is delivered as the client has requested, nothing is forgotten and that it is possible to retrace steps.

SE for Arcadis is, as for now, mainly focussed on the design process and is done by (iteratively) undertaking the following steps: 1. Every stakeholder involved is identified and their

requirements are documented This is done, so that all stakeholder requirements

can be identified. This results in the right base to start work from. This step is taken so all wishes can be taken into account. As a result all stakeholder requirements have to be documented and double checked with each stakeholder.

2. The functional and (system) requirement analysis All stakeholder requirements have to be

transformed in to a design that can perform all the functions required by an asset through its lifespan. This will result in a transparent list of functions that the design must deliver and a list of requirements on how this should be achieved. If all functions can be performed, the design will achieve its goals.

3. Verification plan is defined In the verification plan, all the verification methods

are established to ensure that the requirements identified under step 2 have been satisfied. If possible the requirements identified in section 2 should be redefined to enable them to be measured.

4. Designing After the boundaries are set, the design can start.

Through a variety of design decisions and trade-offs a design is produced that performs all functions and satisfies all requirements. This results in a system design or a so called product tree.

5. Verifying the design The last step is to prove that the design satisfies

all requirements. This is done via the defined verification methods established in the verification plan under step 3. If done correctly, this results in a verification report with proof (documents) that all requirements have been met.

Although the focus is on design, we are convinced that the way a project is managed cannot be separated from the development of the system. This is in line with the SE standard which describes ways to integrate processes like risk management, planning and information management.

THE BENEFITS OF SE But why do we need this? And why now? SE is utilized to address several issues:1. Making sure the client gets exactly what they want

the first time around Arcadis strives for perfection and delivers all its

projects as efficiently as possible. Following our corporate strategy; we have the ambition to be recognized as being the best in everything we do, we aim to create solutions for our clients that are exactly what they need and we always aim to be right the first time. SE is one process that enables us to do this. The SE process enables us to derive the right questions for us to produce the most appropriate answers to. SE also helps us to provide a transparent design process. There are many choices made throughout the life of project that are

important later on in an assets life cycle. With SE these choices can be verified and documented for future reference.

2. The same optimized processes enabling everyone to work efficiently and share the work across the teams

The benefits of standardising our processes is that we can:• Optimize them by iteratively testing them until

the process reaches its maximum efficiency;• Reduce errors;• Deliver a better quality;• Work to identical efficient processes towards the

same goal across globally spread teams. 3. Implement BIM more widely and with less effort With SE the design process can be standardised.

Once standardised all the information which is generated becomes much more aligned. This makes it easier to implement BIM and Information Management. This complies with the goal of the EU BIM programme and the Performance Excellence program to take best practices and standardise them.

4. Be compliant with a well-known, internationally accepted, standard

To realise an efficient implementation of BIM and SE defined generic processes that we can use within the modern global business environment. The processes that we define have to be internationally accepted. The logical choice is to commit ourselves to an internationally recognized standard.

This has several advantages: • Our clients and other parties, with whom we

interact, understand and recognize the processes and standards we use;

• We don’t have to put in the effort and time to discover everything ourselves.

Benefits of BIM with SEArcadis chose to implement SE as an integral part of BIM because the two complement each other.

BIM is more focused on the physical objects that are designed or built. While SE is more about the relationship between the objects and their information. This can be considered as a more holistic approach. SE considers the object as a system, which functions within a system. BIM does not define why the object exists (i.e., what its function is). This is done with SE. SE also enables the storage of all the information that is created prior to and during the design process which could apply to an object within a 3D model.

The combination of SE and BIM enables us to understand more than the geometrical properties of an asset. However the geometry can be different in each design phase and a designer of an object can have a different perspective on an object than somebody who maintains the object. The most difficult part to comprehend is that the BIM model merely represents a view on the object and a selection of information connected to that objects production (e.g., manufacturer, cost, material, etc.).

However, in each different phase or view (or perspective) there is additional information which is just as important. This is why in SE we define an object which holds all the information about the object each life cycle phase. This object can be represented in a certain state with a 3D model in BIM. The benefits of this are:• We can verify the information within a BIM model

and ensure the clients requirements are satisfied (e.g., with automatic and parametric verification we can show if enough space has been provided in each room);

• We can disconnect data from the applications, so everyone can use their own applications.

• This holds for example for the geometrical data. The ‘SE’ object is in the middle and the geometry is just an ‘attribute’ or representation of it. Another example: 3D BIM software needs 3D information to represent information. But in a phase where only requirements or stakeholder wishes are available, there is no such information. Therefore other software is needed. We can store data in such a way that all applications can access the information needed for the process that they serve;

• Information needs to be available throughout the life-cycle. At any given time in the cycle you can specify the needed information at that certain moment;

• Within the BIM process an object is developed across the various design stages. At each stage additional information is added (e.g., requirements are updated) and the level of detail (development) within the model is updated. Using SE as part of the BIM process enables us to record this information in a structured and transparent way;

• BIM is all about the exchange of information. BIM users regularly create and control information that is mutually coherent and consistent and in an ideal situation can be exchanged between different software on different computers. To enable this without creating errors in the information, such as redundancy or contradictions, SE processes must be used in conjunction with BIM to clearly define and generate the required output.

BIM and SE in shortIn the previous explanations it is obvious that SE and BIM have some interfaces:• SE can help BIM deliver structured information to

keep the model manageable;• SE enables a structured start and a clear way of

documenting information requirements at the beginning of a project.

• When BIM starts at the design stage, a suitable structure is in place and a clear way of recording information is not skipped or forgotten;

• Applying SE to a BIM project enables a project team to ensure they have satisfied all stakeholders’ requirements, delivered the right solutions and created appropriate designs A project that is built on a bad idea will not deliver a better outcome just because BIM has been used. It also could fail to satisfy the requirements;

• With SE we capture information and we provide insight into the information creation process. With BIM we can provide these and other insights via nthD (3D, 4D, etc.) modelling;

• With BIM we can do clash control on our designs. This helps to do a technical verification as part of the SE verification process;

• BIM also lets us represent alternative design options, this is helpful for the design decisions and trade-off analysis. These are an important part of both SE and BIM processes;

• BIM and SE are also about collaboration and working together. There are tools which focus on working together in one environment. In this environment, BIM and SE can be handled together.

IN PRACTICEAs discussed earlier in “Benefits of BIM” Arcadis has produced an Arcadis BIM menu which lists the BIM uses and their benefits. The primary areas where the combination of BIM and SE has a significant benefit are ‘Prescribe’, ‘Arrange’ and ‘Validate’.

PRESCRIBE means that we determine the need for, and select specific facility elements. We used this process on a variety of projects to date within the Netherlands (e.g., temporary parking for the courthouse, Amsterdam). Because of the high profile of the courthouse and the dynamic situation, every optimisation made a difference (Figure 1). Optimisations included:• We systematically specified the requirements of the

client. In doing so, we understood the wishes and needs and therefore how to best serve the client;

• With a standardised and structured verification and validation process, we could make sure that we were consistent and coherent in our approach; This led to a 45% increase in efficiency in this perticular project;

• Using SE, our quality assurance methods ensured a 50% less change on errors. This was realised by systematically specifying the requirements in such a manner that they could merely be interpreted in one way.

Figure 1 Systematically define requirements

ARRANGE means to determine the location and placement of facility elements. For the University of Groningen (RUG) project we used parametric design and automatic verification to design a new facility on the existing premises (Figure 2). The figure shows that the SE data’s explicit values (e.g., a room needs to be minimal 10m2), automatically translated into the design in Revit. Combining BIM and SE provided a number of benefits. These included:• Through SE we identified the exact room areas and

uses required. This enabled us to create parametric 3D objects of the required spaces and move them around to create a suitable layout. By doing so we were able to achieve an improved modelling efficiency of around 80%;

ABOUT ARCADISArcadis is the leading global natural and built asset design & consultancy firm working in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes through the application of design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services. Arcadis differentiates through its talented and passionate people and its unique combination of capabilities covering the whole asset life cycle, its deep market sector insights and its ability to integrate health & safety and sustainability into the design and delivery of solutions across the globe. We are 28,000 people that generate €3 billion in revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world.

Please visit: www.arcadis.com

Please contact us at one of our offices:

AmersfoortPiet Mondriaanlaan 26 3812 GV Amersfoort P.O. Box 2203800 AE Amersfoort T +31 (0)33 477 1000E info@arcadis.nlI www.arcadis.nl

For other offices in Europe please visit http://www.arcadis.com/Locations.aspx

MORE INFORMATION?

• Periodically we ran automated control tests whether the Programme of Requirements was fulfilled by the proposed site. Because of this we saved almost 100% time for quality control, since this was done automatically during design.

VALIDATE means that we check or prove accuracy of facility information and ensure that it is logical and reasonable. With SE the validation is encapsulated explicitly within the BIM processes. Combining BIM and SE for validation purposes enables us to:• Validate the design process against the initial

requirements, providing benefits for both the client and contractors through a transparent process. This is an import process to prove that the asset meets the performance for the purpose it was designed for. Therefore, ensuring that the technical solutions for the asset and its elements satisfy the requirements;

• For complex assets we can ensure that design is constructible, maintainable, and usable, and that it is compliant with (legal) codes and standards.

CONCLUDING BIM is seen as the process of creating and using one or more (3D) object orientated databases of a construction in its environment, relevant for the design, realisation, maintenance, and repurposing of that construction during its life cycle.

SE is an interdisciplinary way of engineering management that evolves and verifies an integrated, life-cycle balanced set of solutions that satisfies customer needs.

Processes that operate so closely together and complement each other in such a way that they deliver the outcomes that our clients demand, should be used on all projects. With this we ensure not only that we can design, realise and maintain an object throughout its lifecycle. But also that we do it in a way the client receives the best suited solution, documented in a consistent and transparent process.

Figure 2 Parametric design with SE defined requirements