Systems Engineering—Introduction

Presenter: Dr Mike Ryan

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Duration: 3 Days | Price: $3,300

Course Aim

The Systems Engineering—Introduction course provides attendees with a practical understanding of systems engineering as a disciplined approach to conceiving, developing, producing, supporting, modifying, and retiring complex technical systems. The course introduces the systems life cycle and shows how systems engineering integrates stakeholder needs, requirements, constraints, interfaces, design decisions, verification and validation, technical risk, configuration management, reviews, audits, and support considerations into a coherent framework for delivering successful technical projects.

Attendees will examine the progression from business needs and stakeholder requirements through conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design, construction or production, utilization, support, and retirement. The course places particular emphasis on requirements engineering, trade studies, technical performance measures, interface management, technical reviews, test and evaluation, and the systems engineering management practices needed to maintain alignment between user needs, technical solutions, project constraints, and life-cycle outcomes.

The course also positions systems engineering in relation to adjacent disciplines including project management, quality assurance, integrated logistic support, software and hardware engineering, specialist engineering, and operational support. By the end of the course, attendees will understand the role and value of systems engineering across the system life cycle and will be better equipped to contribute to, manage, or govern technical projects using sound systems engineering principles, processes, tools, and management practices.

Attendees receive a copy of the presenters’ book, Applied Systems Engineering. The course also forms the first three days of the five-day Systems Engineering—Advanced course.

Course Outline

Detailed Design and Development: Integration of system elements |Additive manufacturing | Detailed design tools | Prototypes| Critical Design Review (CDR)

Construction and/or Production: Production Plan | Physical Configuration Audit (PCA} / Functional Configuration Audit (FCA) | Test Readiness Review (TRR) | Formal Qualification Review (FQR)

Utilization Phase: Operational Use and Systems Support | Modifications |Failure reporting, analysis and corrective action system (FRACAS)

Retirement: Transportation, handling, decomposition | Retirement from life cycle | Retirement vs Disposal | Retirement Process: Reasons for retirement, Potential retirement methods, design issues

Course Material

The following resources will be provided to attendees of this course:

A copy of the authors book Applied Systems Engineering.
A PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentations used for the course.

Course Brochure

Download the course brochure.

Your Presenters

Dr Mike Ryan has over 40 years of experience in the Department of Defence in communications engineering, systems engineering, capability management, and management. He is an INCOSE Fellow and is the co-chair of the INCOSE Requirements Working Group. He is the co-author of the authoritative INCOSE sources for writing requirements: the INCOSE Needs and Requirements Manual published by Wiley as well as the INCOSE Guide to Wri ting Requirements. Over the last 35 years, he has facilitated mission engineering and needs and requirements development activities for more than 50 major projects. He is the author or co-author of fourteen books, four book chapters, and over 450 refereed journal and conference papers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should attend Systems Engineering—Introduction? This course is suited to people involved in technical projects, capability development, acquisition, engineering management, project management, support, assurance, or governance who need a practical understanding of systems engineering across the system life cycle.

Do I need prior systems engineering experience? No. The course is an introduction and begins with foundational concepts such as what a system is, the system life cycle, stakeholders, needs, requirements, interfaces, and the role of systems engineering.

What topics are covered in the course? The course covers the full system life cycle, including conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design and development, production, utilization, support, retirement, requirements engineering, verification and validation, technical reviews, risk, configuration management, test and evaluation, and related disciplines.

Is this course related to Systems Engineering—Advanced? Yes. Systems Engineering—Introduction forms the first three days of the five-day Systems Engineering—Advanced course, with the Advanced course continuing over the following two days.

What materials are provided? Attendees receive a copy of the presenters’ book, Applied Systems Engineering, and a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentations used during the course.

Course Testimonials

“Overall, a really great course.”
“It covered a great deal of content, and it was great that we had a book provided for further information.”
“Fantastic summary of systems engineering and refresher for project management.”
“I rate this course very highly.”
“Gave an insight to systems engineering as a focal role and current terminology.”
“Great content and examples that complemented the content.”
“The course content is very detailed and thorough for each of the topics explained.”
“Good introduction to systems engineering for beginners in defence.”
“Provided a clear logical flow of the topics.”
“Project life cycle and mandated system review overviews.”
“Course content was spot on for an introductory-level course.”
“Very well explained, good concepts.”
“It gave an introduction to systems engineering in an easy-to-understand and consume fashion.”
“Clearly structured. Easy to follow.”
“Overall enjoyed the course. Lots of information to take in, so glad to have the textbook and presentation resources to refer back to.”
“Very good detail, clear and well supported by material.”
“Excellent and interesting course.”
“Holistic process overview.”
“All topics were useful and needed to be included; enjoyed learning.”
“Well presented and paced course.”
“It really helped to join the dots between concept design and requirements engineering.”

Presenter Testimonials

“I really appreciated the depth of knowledge from both Ian and Mike and their extensive use of examples to contextualise the learning.”
“Both presenters were very professional yet personable.”
“The subject matter experts were well versed in the details of systems engineering.”
“Both instructors had an excellent knowledge of the subject.”
“Knowledge of the presenters.”
“Instructors knew their subject area and were friendly and open to interjections.”
“Experiences and explanations from presenters with real-world examples.”
“Clear and extensive experience of the presenters, who were able to apply their real-world experience when explaining the content.”
“The presenters were clearly very knowledgeable in the topics discussed and provided extremely relevant insights.”
“Very informed and experienced presenters.”
“Great subject matter knowledge from the presenters. You guys make this look easy.”
“Excellent presenters, thorough knowledge and experience of the field.”
“Thank you to Ian and Mike for conveying complex concepts into usable information for the timeframe.”