Engineering Economics: The Link to Systems and Software Engineering

Engineering Economics: The Link to Systems and Software Engineering

Center for Systems and Software Engineering (CSSE)

Annual Research Review

18 March 2008

Center for Systems and Software Engineering (CSSE)

Annual Research Review

18 March 2008

Marilee J. WheatonGeneral Manager

Systems Engineering Division

Marilee J. WheatonGeneral Manager

Systems Engineering Division

©2008 by The Aerospace Corporation ©2008 by The Aerospace Corporation

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•My Current Home

•Background: The Journey

•Systems Architecting and Heuristics

•Organizations, People and Teamwork

•Conclusion and Acknowledgements

Engineering Economics: The Link to Systems and Software Engineering

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Architect-Engineer for National-Security Space

• We provide the U.S. Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office comprehensive scientific and engineering support, analysis, testing, and verification for launch andsatellite programs

• We don’t manufacture anything; our product is world-class technical know-how, developed over the entire courseof the space era

• We provide broad support to national-security space programs with an engineering and technology “matrix”that can be applied across programs

• We also work on space projects for a variety of civil and commercial organizations in the national interest, including NASA, NOAA, DARPA, universities, and research organizations

• We provide the U.S. Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office comprehensive scientific and engineering support, analysis, testing, and verification for launch andsatellite programs

• We don’t manufacture anything; our product is world-class technical know-how, developed over the entire courseof the space era

• We provide broad support to national-security space programs with an engineering and technology “matrix”that can be applied across programs

• We also work on space projects for a variety of civil and commercial organizations in the national interest, including NASA, NOAA, DARPA, universities, and research organizations

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Aerospace Integration Structure

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY GROUP

Communication Architectures

Network Systems

Communication Systems Engineering

Spectrum Management

Digital Communication Implementation

Communication Electronics

Antenna systems

Computer Technology

Information Science

Software Engineering

Software Verification

Software Acquisition

Ground Systems

Operations Engineering

Guidance/Control

Real-Time Simulation

Flight/Fluid Mechanics

Thermal Control

Structural/Dynamics Analysis

Test and Evaluation

Risk Management

System Architecture

Modeling Simulation

Mission Performance

Concept Design

Cost Engineering

Resource Allocation

Operability Assessment

Reliability & Failure Analysis

Electronics and Photonics

Mechanics

Materials

Space Environment

Mission Oriented Research

Special Sensor Fabrication

Remote Sensing Signatures

MEMSCOLORADO

IMAGERY PROGRAMS

SPACE PROGRAMS

SPACE LAUNCH

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

PLANNING AND COMMUNICATIONS

ELECTRONIC PROGRAMS

SYSTEMS PLANNINGAND ENGINEERING

SPACE SUPPORT

Micro- electronics

Power Systems

Sensor Engineering & Exploitation

Optical Sensors

Radar Systems

LaboratoryOperations

SystemsEngineering

Computersand Software

Communicationsand

Networking

Electronicsand Sensors

VehicleSystems

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Background: The Journey

• Hired into the newly created Cost & Schedule Estimation Section in the Software Engineering Subdivision in 1980

– Educational background in Math and Engineering

• First management responsibility as manager of the section in 1984

• Program office assignments from 1986 - 1999 in Milstar, Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), National Systems Group (NSG), Satellite Control Network (SCN)

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Background: The Journey (con’t)

• Started USC MS program in Systems Engineering in 1989

– Introduced to heuristics in Systems Architecting and Engineering course

– Founder of program Dr. Eberhardt Rechtin, President Emeritus, The Aerospace Corporation

• Affiliate member for the Center for Software Engineering since chartered in 1993

• TRW Systems opportunity from 1999 – 2002

– Dr. Boehm’s organizational legacy lives on

– Processes, CMMI and Black Belt Training

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Background: The Journey (con’t)

•USC Fall 2003 taught CS 510, Software Engineering Economics

– If you would learn, teach

•Currently Adjunct Associate Professor, USC ISE and SAE

–Team teach SAE 549, Systems Architecting, instructor since 2004

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A Definition of Heuristics

• A fuzzy (imprecise) context dependent technique well suited to messy (complex) system architecting problems (and to life’s challenges)

• Two kinds of heuristics

– Descriptive: Describes the situation

– Murphy’s Law “If anything can go wrong, it will”

– Prescriptive: What to do about it

– Keep it Simple Stupid (KISS)

– Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

– The simplest solution is usually the correct one (Occam’s Razor)

Source: Systems Architecting, Creating & Building Complex Systems, Eberhardt Rechtin, 1991

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Systems Architecting and Heuristics

• Systems architecting is both an applied science, like engineering, and an art like major parts of civil architecture, law and medicine

• Cited by Dr. Rechtin as one of the pioneers

– “demonstrated the cost relationship of cost modeling to systems architecting”

• Cost Model Heuristic– A measure of the status of a conceptual

model is the number of TBDs remaining in its cost model

Source: Systems Architecting, Creating & Building Complex Systems, Eberhardt Rechtin, 1991

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A Favorite Heuristic

• Choose Watch Choose

– Choose as best you can

– Watch to see whether solutions show up faster than problems

– If so, the choice was probably a good one

– But, if problems are showing up faster than solutions

– Revisit the decision that causes this to happen and choose again

Source: Systems Architecting of Organizations: Why Eagles Can’t Swim, Eberhardt Rechtin, 2000

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Attributes of a System Architect

• High tolerance for ambiguity

• The ability to work consistently at an abstract level

• The willingness to back track, to seek multiple solutions

• Self-discipline self-confidence, a locus of control

• A purpose orientation

• A sense of faith or vision

• Drive, a strong will to success

• Curiosity, a generalist’s perspective

Source: Systems Architecting, Creating & Building Complex Systems, Eberhardt Rechtin, 1991

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Organizations, People and Teamwork

• Definition of a system

– A set of elements so connected or related as to perform a unique function not performable by the elements alone

• Organizations can be better understood if viewed as complex systems

– creators of emergent values

– virtually everything is connected to everything else

Source: Systems Architecting of Organizations: Why Eagles Can’t Swim, Eberhardt Rechtin, 2000

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Organizations, People and Teamwork (con’t)

• Fellow, AIAA– Deputy Chair, Economics Technical Committee

• Fellow Life Member, Society of Women Engineers (SWE)– Past SWE LA President, Current SWE LA Awards

Chair and National Life Membership Coordinator

• Long time active member in Cost Societies– Past Board Chair, Board Member and Conference

Chair for International Society of Parametric Analysts (ISPA)

– Past representative, Space Systems Cost Analysis Group (SSCAG)

• Member, International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE)– Member, Corporate Advisory Board (CAB)

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Organizations, People and Teamwork (con’t)

• 8th habit – Find your voice and empower others to find theirs

– COSYSMO

– Code Counting Independent Research course

• Find solutions to barriers, both real and perceived

• Identify resources, be innovative

• Collaborate and build bridges

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Conclusion and Acknowledgements

• USC CSSE is woven into the fabric of my journey

• Humbly honored to receive the CSSE Lifetime Achievement Award

• Give tribute to past recipients Dick Stutzke and Gary Thomas

• Receive this award in the company of long-time true colleagues and friends