Aa04 Bart Simpson

Bart Simpson’s Guide?  How do we sell systems engineering convincingly to: your customer? your CEO? the technical director of a 10-man SME? Your 17-year-old son or daughter? A 2nd year undergraduate? Tony Blair?

 And having sold, how do you make sure you deliver on the expectation?

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A possible framework

Only on big projects Scale Invariant

more on bigger projects Only on small projects

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Traditional defence and aerospace “command and control” model: • process oriented; • defined structures & frameworks • leverage individual effort and creativity for the benefit of the whole Effectiveness is increased by ability to leverage large resources; but limited by inertia in sensing and responding to changes in the environment Efficiency is limited by: • communication overhead • high cost leads to high desire for control • lack of shared understanding • tendency to bureaucracy

The key issues

Only on big projects Scale Invariant

more on bigger projects Only on small projects

Lightweight “small innovative team” model: • output oriented; • everyone knows everything & everyone • responsive Effectiveness is reduced by inability to leverage large resources; dependence on what the team happen to know; dependence on what’s inside peoples’ heads Efficiency is maximised by: • low communication overhead • low cost leads to low desire for control INCOSE UK Autumn Assembly • shared understanding th 10 Anniversary H Sillitto November • no bureaucracy 2004

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What now?  “Actors” will roleplay each character to give a 2-3 minute precis of things they have heard about systems engineering that interest them, and their objections to using it.  The audience is invited to note the first and respond to the second.  Rapporteurs will try to capture a consensus that captures the plus points and deals with the objections. • Focus on “scale invariant” and “scaleable” aspects; be wary of things only relevant to “big projects” • but a possible conclusion is that systems engineering’s value is to do things we can’t do any other way - i.e. big projects.

 SEPDC chair will then explore best way to turn the results into an INCOSE UK Chapter “product”. • Volunteers for working group to do this are solicited! INCOSE UK Autumn Assembly

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Closing remarks

Hillary Sillitto President elect UK Chapter

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Thanks to  Presenters  John Mead and Pete Lister for the admin  Dipesh for organising the programme  Every one of you for your enthusiasm and the brilliant audience participation

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Themes  How we are organised, what we’re doing new tech board, local groups, working groups please comment on tech vision and competency framework

 Risk different viewpoints and perspectives financial model mountaineering analogy

 business benefit different ways of looking at SE, business benefits, - people stuff: • simple practical deployment, competencies and requirements • Bart Simpson’s Guide

 Modelling - SysML is coming! INCOSE UK Autumn Assembly

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Some key points  The central INCOSE organisation is “INCOSE centre” or “INCOSE International”  EuSEC 2006 in UK  Papers for Spring Conference integration of complex systems innovation and creativity in system creation metrics ---

 Please fill in conference assessment form

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Back to basics - can we define Bart Simpson’s Guide to Systems Engineering?

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The customer  I want reassurance that I will get what I asked for and am paying for.  If the supplier has to change things or has to do trade-offs I won’t feel hoodwinked but will be included in the process.  Traceability will allow me to understand how technical features relate to my needs and help me to decide when it is worth persisting to solve difficult technical problems.

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The CEO  I have been offered all sorts of silver bullets over the past ten years - EFQM, 6 sigma, PRINCE 2, TQM, CMMI, - - and none has delivered the claimed benefits.  I agree most of my projects are running late and I’d like to improve that situation.  But you’re telling me that systems engineering will add delays up front.  So if you want me to take you seriously, you have to show me the ROI from introducing systems engineering - and prove it! INCOSE UK Autumn Assembly

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Technical Director of 10-man SME  I want systems engineering sold as a simple exercise to integrating engineering activities to deliver what’s wanted when it’s wanted, and give me a broad perspective on the technical aspects of the business.

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Prime minister  Systems engineering would be interesting if it can resolve conflicts to deliver vital public services health service - transportation - schools - and deal with the huge security issues we now face.  This is important to me because I want to make sure I am remembered for the enduring success of the achievements of my three terms in office  But there isn’t much time left and I need results soon.

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Undergraduate  INCOSE needs to know what it’s selling.  I’ve only been involved in systems engineering for 2 months and lots of people have described systems engineering to me but all the descriptions are different.  A “unified theory of everything” would be a really good idea.  We need to show how systems engineering works with other disciplines and what other disciplines need to understand about systems engineering. INCOSE UK Autumn Assembly

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More input from recent graduate  What does a systems engineer do?  INCOSE needs to know/present purpose - as with any project, present a unified front.  Interaction of SE with other disciplines  To sell SE to undergraduates, the SE community needs to know what they are selling, and know how to sell it and show benefits to different groups.

 Show SE is part of all engineering disciplines  make sure undergraduates on other engineering courses understand SE needs to be part of their skill base, show them how what they are learning can be applied within SE  show the undergrads what they can expect in the future - NOT ALL OF THEM WILL BE RIGHT FOR SE. Empower them with the information to make that decision for themselves.

 Unified theory - very difficult but necessary  other disciplines are very well defined  SE has many definitions (some complementary, some at different ends of spectrum)  Fewer diagrams/processes/lifecycles but better defined;  Simplify language, remove buzzwords

 Communication very important - relate ideas to known domains, everyday events,  Simple ideas, analogies, case studies: supermarket choice, mountaineering, -  Sell through use of SE on real projects: show successes/failures of exciting projects with/without SE  Successes - battle of britain - failures - many defence projects

 Final thought  It’s not just about recruiting new systems engineers - it’s also making sure that other

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 Consider re-branding: “Structured problem solving” does it for schoolkids!

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17-year-old  Can you explain to me what you do at work in 2 minutes in words I can understand?  Why are you often so stressed when you get home?  Can you make me a mobile that looks cool and works properly?  Will I get paid more as a systems engineer than as an accountant?  And by the way, can I have the car keys please?

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Key themes  SIMPLE  UNIFIED THEORY  STRUCTURED PROBLEM SOLVING  REASSURANCE  ROI  MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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The plan  “Snapshot” article in Pre-View  Offers to take this forward in a working group are solicited

 desired INCOSE UK product(s): a 2-side A4 sheet that sells SE effectively to “nonbelievers”

 and if possible validate/expand stakeholder viewpoints? well-documented case studies - successes, failures and why INCOSE UK  Autumn ?? Assembly 10 Anniversary H Sillitto November th

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