Faculty Contact Information:
Phone: 06224/929773 (Note -- this will change around 1 August. The new number will be posted on my web site:
http://faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~sdean/
Snail Mail:
UMUC - Unit 29216
APO AE 09102 | |
Consultation:
"Office hours" take place in the classroom 30 minutes prior to the beginning of class, and during the lunch break. Other times available by appointment.
Class meetings:
28/29 Aug, 25/26 Sept, 6/7 Nov, 11/12 Dec. 0900-1600. | |
Required Texts and Readings:
American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Blanchard, Benjamin S. & Wolter J. Fabrycky. (1998). Systems engineering and analysis (3rd ed). Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-135047-1. Various documents distributed via handout, e-mail, and URL references
| |
Supplementary Readings:
Please note that you are not required to buy these books:
Buede, Dennis M. (2000). The engineering design of systems, models and methods. Wiley-Interscience. ISBN 0-471-28225-1.
Buede addresses a common failing of engineering education; from the preface,
"Many engineers do not understand systems engineering. Even those that do may not have a good perspective on a complete and unified process for engineering a system. The desire to suppress the number of decisions being made during design is quite strong in most engineers. While engineers have learned modeling throughout their academic life, and most have developed models during the practice of engineering, very few engineers working on a system are knowledgeable of the modeling techniques required in system engineering."
Buede stops just short of noting that the thought processes required for competent systems engineering are somewhat different than those required for successful engineering of component parts of a system. His is a very useful book to establish understanding of the fundamentals of systems engineering.
Chapanis, Alphonse. (1996). Human factors in systems engineering. Wiley-Interscience. ISBN 0-471-13782-0.
In the beginning of the air war over Europe in WWII, about one in ten B-17s of the USAAF 8TH Air Force would crash on returning from a bombing mission. The crew had been subjected to numbing cold, terror, and fatigue for hours. Landing and rollout were fine, but when turning onto the taxiway, one in ten bombers would retract its landing gear, grinding into the tarmac at about 40 miles per hour. Not enough speed to hurt anybody, but enough to do serious damage to the aircraft. The Army Air Corps rear echelon mumbled darkly about "cowardice" and "pilot error." Young experimental psychologist Alphonse Chapanis was called in to investigate. His findings: not cowardice, not pilot error. The accidents were caused by a design error. The toggle switch that retracted the flaps (cleaned up the wing from its landing configuration) was located adjacent to the toggle switch that retracted the landing gear. One time in ten a chilled, exhausted pilot would hit the wrong switch. The solution: add a spring-loaded cover to the landing gear switch so that it would be all but impossible to activate it by mistake. This book, a recent opus of Dr. Alphonse Chapanis, distills his lifetime of practical and academic experience into a clearly written set of guidelines that emphasizes the methods used to generate human factors inputs for engineering work products, and the points in the development process where these inputs are needed.
Oliver, David W., Timothy B. Kelliher, and James G, Keegan, Jr. (1997). Engineering complex systems with models and objects. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-048188-1.
David Oliver and his team have bridged the gap between conventional system design and object-oriented design of complex hardware and software systems by applying object-modeling technology (OMT) to the world beyond software engineering. Merging the best practices of systems engineering with computer-based modeling techniques, this guide provides a complete and cohesive methodology for analyzing, specifying, designing, and building large or small complex systems.
Sage, Andrew P., and William B. Rouse. (Eds.). (1999). Handbook of systems engineering and management. Wiley-Interscience. ISBN 0-471-15405-9.
The contributors to this monumental volume reads like a who's who in systems engineering. This is a handbook, and as such it covers a great deal of territory. It describes systems engineering in terms of its relatively large number of dimensions, and especially from the process and systems management perspectives. It is primarily focused on systems engineering and system management for systems of all types, especially systems that are information-technology and knowledge intensive. This book deserves a place on every practicing systems engineer's bookshelf.
Wymore, A. Wayne. (1993). Model-based systems engineering. Boca Raton, FL:CRC Press, ISBN 0-8493-8012-X.
Professor Wymore's 1993 tour de force of the theory underlying systems engineering remains the landmark work in the field. The book provides the solid system-theoretic foundations necessary to the study and practice of systems engineering, and demonstrates mathematical system theory as the basis for the development of models and designs for large scale, complex systems consisting of personnel, machines, and software. It is a necessary reference for systems engineers at the cutting edge of technology. | |
Recommended Journals:
| Publications of the various professional societies (such as ACM -- the Association for Computing Machinery, the IEEE Computing Society, and the various management professional societies) are strongly recommended. In addition, there are many trade journals (such as eWEEK) that MIS professionals should become familiar with, many of these being published both weekly and on-line. | |
Course Description:
Systems Engineering is an interdisciplinary approach to developing complex systems that satisfy a client mission in an operational environment. Information technology is at the heart of most systems. This course is an examination of the systems engineering process with special emphasis on computers and software systems. The course includes an overview of system theory and structures, elements of the systems life cycle (including systems design and development), risk and trade-off analyses, modeling and simulation, and the tools needed to analyze and support the systems process. Case studies from the information technology domain will be used to illustrate the systems engineering principles.
| |
Course Goals:
Upon successful completion , the student should be able to:
1. Implement all of the facets of the full life cycle of a large hardware and software project, demonstrating mastery of currently accepted techniques in defining the scope of the project along with its full life cycle management.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the systems development life cycle and the technical and economic factors influencing design.
3. Establish a systems engineering development environment infrastructure.
| |
Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion , the student should be able to:
1. Implement all of the facets of the full life cycle of a large hardware and software project, demonstrating mastery of currently accepted techniques in defining the scope of the project along with its full life cycle management.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the systems development life cycle and the technical and economic factors influencing design.
3. Establish a systems engineering development environment infrastructure.
| |
Grading Information:
Final grades will be calculated as follows:
25% - Mid-term Examination
25% - Final Examination
20% - Continuing Case Study, including in-class presentation(s)
20% - Homework and In-Class Work
10% - Conference/Class Participation and Focus Questions Discussions
GRADING GUIDELINES:
According to Graduate School grading policy, the following symbols and scale are used:
A = excellent
B = good
C = passing
F = failure
The grade of "B" represents the benchmark for the Graduate School. It indicates that the student has demonstrated competency in the subject matter of the course, i.e., has fulfilled all course requirements on time, has a clear grasp of the full range of course materials and concepts, and is able to present and apply these materials and concepts in clear, reasoned, well-organized and grammatically correct responses, whether written or oral.
Only students who fully meet this standard and, in addition, who demonstrate exceptional comprehension and application of the course subject matter, merit an "A."
Students who do not meet the benchmark standard of competency fall within the "C" range or lower. They, in effect, have not met graduate level standards. Where this failure is substantial, they earn an "F."
| |
Course Requirements:
1. Examinations: There will be a mid-term and a final examination.
2. Continuing Case Study: The class will prepare the systems engineering documents for a point-of-sale terminal system, following outlines and processes to be presented in the textbook and lecture.
3. Homework other than the Case Study: Problems selected by the instructor from the textbook, 1 to 5 in number, will be assigned and graded each week.
4. Participation: There will be required essay assignments ("Focus Questions") requiring research. These and demonstrating an active interest in the affairs of the class comprise the basis for the participation grade.
Note that items 2-4 include both work done/submitted in class, and work done and submitted electronically between class meetings.
ATTENDANCE:
Students are responsible for all material covered in class and should make arrangements with other students to obtain notes when absent. The instructor does not provide class notes or makeup lectures. As such, no credit is given for attendance alone. | |
Description of Course Requirements:
STATEMENT ON WRITING REQUIREMENTS:
Effective managers and leaders are also effective communicators. Written communication is an important element of the total communication process. The Graduate School recognizes and expects exemplary writing to be the norm for course work. To this end, all analyses and papers must demonstrate graduate level writing ability and comply with the format requirements of The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (latest ed.). All writing assignments will be graded on the basis of content, logic, analysis, mechanics, organization, and research. Careful attention should be given to source citations, proper listing of references, the use of footnotes, and the presentation of tables and graphs. Work submitted online should follow standard procedures for formatting and citation.
RESUBMISSION OF WORK FROM OTHER COURSES:
This is not allowed without prior approval of the instructor, and will result in a grade of 0 for the assignment.
COURSE EVALUATIONS:
Feedback on each graduate course and instructor is important to the University, your professor, and to all UMUC students. UMUC has the responsibility to assess the effectiveness of classroom instruction, and each student has the responsibility to provide accurate and timely feedback through completion of the course evaluation form. This is a shared obligation for us all. It is therefore important that you complete the evaluation form for each course you attend. This should be viewed as an additional course and program requirement. | |
Course Schedule:
Projected schedule -- subject to change as needed.
Please read assigned material in the textbook before the class meeting at which it is to be discussed.
Sat 28 Aug AM: Session 1. Introduction to Systems Engineering
1. Definitions of "systems" and "subsystems." Boundaries.
2. Elements of systems and their hierarchy.
3. Introduction to cybernetics and the history of systems thought.
4. Introduction to complexity issues in systems theory.
5. Introduction to General Systems Theory.
6. Introduction to the ancient art of design.
7. Discussion of the system design life cycle.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky. Ch.1 and Ch.2 pp. 1-43.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sat 28 Aug PM: Session 2. Conceptual System Design
1. Operational need and its identification.
2. Feasibility analysis.
3. System requirements analysis.
4. Technical performance measurements and their use in control of
design,
5. Functional analysis and representation.
6. Functional allocation.
7. Specifications (system, development, product, process, and material).
8. Conceptual design review.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.3, pp. 45-72.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sun 29 Aug AM: Session 3. Preliminary System Design
1. Operational concept.
2. Subsystem functional analysis and functional flows.
3. Allocation of system functional requirements to system components and subsystems.
4. Various design goals and how the selection of goal drives the system configuration.
5. Computer aided engineering design.
6. Functional system synthesis.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.4, pp.74-96.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sun 29 Aug PM: Session 4. Detailed Design and Development
1. Candidate solutions.
2. System component allocation.
3. Identification of performance requirements and allocation to hardware, software and human components.
4. Necessary interfaces between disciplines.
5. Design aids and Computer aided software engineering tools (CASE).
6. Design documentation.
7. System part-task and full prototypes.
8. Design reviews.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.5, pp. 97-119.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sat 25 Sept AM: Session 5. System Test and Evaluation
1. The philosophy of component and system testing.
2. Categories of system testing.
3. Test planning and evaluation.
4. System test specification and acceptance criteria.
5. Test facilities.
6. System performance data acquisition and analysis.
7. Feedback and design modifications.
8. On-going performance analysis and engineering change proposal(ECP) generation.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.6, pp. 121-140.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sat 25 Sept PM: Session 6. Alternative System Designs
1. Models and their role in decision making as applied to selection of an optimal design.
2. Decision evaluation theory.
3. Decision criteria.
4. Decision criterion weighting factors.
5. Matrix displays of decision parameters.
6. Decisions under assumed certainty.
7. Decisions under uncertainty and risk.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.7, pp. 143-166
Assignment: (TBA).
Sun 26 Sept AM: Session 7. Mid-Term Examination
Sun 26 Sept PM: Session 8. Reliability
1. System reliability and measures of reliability.
2. Network arrangements to enhance system reliability.
3. System effectiveness.
4. Cost effectiveness.
5. Reliability models, chains, and redundant networks.
6. Component selection and derating.
7. Fault-tree analysis.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.12, pp. 345-396.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sat 6 Nov AM: Session 9. Maintainability
1. System maintenance as a design driver.
2. Measures of maintainability.
3. Maintenance cost factors.
4. Maintainability allocation from the system level down to the component level.
5. Trades between reliability and maintainability.
6. Throw-away analysis.
7. Maintenance task analysis.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.13, pp. 401-454.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sat 6 Nov PM: Session 10. Human Factors
1. Human factors as they affect the ability of a human to exercise functional responsibilities as a component of a system.
2. Human interaction with the system as a part of the environment in which the system is embedded.
3. Anthropometry.
4. Human sensory factors.
5. Human psychological factors.
6. Allocation of requirements to the human component of the system.
7. Methods for analyzing human performance.
8. Personnel selection and training.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.14, pp. 459-488.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sun 7 Nov AM: Session 11. Management of a System in the Field; Producibility and Disposal
1. Integrating logistics support.
2. Environmentally conscious design and manufacturing.
3. Producibility and disposability influences on the system life cycle.
4. The life cycle cost value flow diagram.
5. Design for economic producibility.
6. Modeling manufacturing processes.
7. Integration of producibility and disposability in manufacturing.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch. 15, pp. 490-532; Ch.16, pp. 535-554.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sun 7 Nov PM:Session 12. Life-Cycle Cost and Affordability
1. Life-cycle costing.
2. Designing to a client spend profile.
3. Pre-planned product improvement (P3I).
4. Life-cycle cost analysis.
5. A supportive organizational environment for life-cycle costing.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.17, pp. 557-602.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sat 11 Dec AM: Session 13: Institutionalization of Systems Engineering Processes
1. Management issues in planning for and developing systems engineering skills.
2. Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP).
3. Statement of Work (SOW) and Project Management Plan (PMP).
4. Network scheduling methods, PERT and CPM.
5. Organizing to perform systems engineering.
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.18, pp. 609-638.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sat 11 Dec PM: Session 14. Program Management and Control
Reading: Blanchard and Fabrycky, Ch.19, pp. 640-662.
Assignment: (TBA)
Sun 12 Dec AM: Final Examination
Sun 12 Dec PM: Presentations of Case Studies | |
Academic Policies:
The University has a license agreement with Turnitin.com, a service that helps prevent plagiarism from internet resources. I may be using this service in this class by either requiring students to submit their papers electronically to Turnitin.com or by submitting questionable text on behalf of a student. If you or I submit part or all of your paper, it will be stored by Turnitin.com in their database throughout the term of the University's contract with Turnitin.com. If you object to this temporary storage of your paper, you must let me know no later than two weeks after the start of this class. Please Note: If you object to the storage of your paper on Turnitin.com, I may utilize other services to check your work for plagiarism The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: "Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi."
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center. | |
Faculty Bio:
Dr. Dean earned the BA in Mathematics from Vanderbilt University, and the MS and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She has worked at various times as a programmer, programmer/analyst, systems analyst, and project manager in the areas of medical information systems, small business support, and life insurance. Since 1975, she has been involved in teaching and curriculum development in computing and mathematics, most recently at Samford University in Birmingham, AL. She has served on the Board of Directors and as President of the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges. She serves on the Regional Board of the CCSC Southeastern Conference, and as Associate Editor of the Journal for Computing Sciences in Colleges. Her areas of interest include curriculum development, database management systems, programming languages, security, and operating systems.
| |