Integration is the ‘Manhattan Project’ Facing Air Force Leaders | Air & Space Forces Magazine

Integration is a significant part of the System, System of Systems (SoS), and Family of Systems (FoS) lifecycle. While each of these categories have unique and special considerations, we cannot skip the fundamental functions of systems engineering of requirements, architecture, design, development, integration, test and deployment.

 

Another consideration is the digital aspects of these SoS and FoS. It is the digital integration of these current and future "platforms" that will make them mission capable. Robust designs which can be exercised by simulations which explore the SoS and FoS behavior across the spectrum of individual system combinations are necessary to validate the probability of mission success. This is the business of digital threads and digital twins. 

As the article points out communication is essential. This communication has to be understood through consistency and repeatability. Much to think about from systems' perspective. Systems thinking skills applied to learned engineering processes solve this version of the "Manhattan Project" much like they solved the first version. 

Integration is the ‘Manhattan Project’ Facing Air Force Leaders | Air & Space Forces Magazine: Mastering the Joint integration of organizations and force structure is the "Manhattan Project" USAF must accomplish to win future wars.

Systems and Software Development Processes for Small Business Growth

 

Part 1: Understanding the Technology Environment

All businesses develop, integrate, deploy, and use innovative technology. If a business isn't innovating, it is likely going out of business or suffering because the competitors are. This series of articles is intended to summarize the system software development process evolution at Prime Solutions Group, Inc. (PSG). The challenges are daunting, but must be embraced and aggressively worked at the business level in order to add value and fuel exciting growth potential.

PSG is a small business engaged in the defense industry primarily in the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) domain. Our specific expertise and experience is with the processing of data from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensor systems. Radar is a game-changing technology that emerged in defense during World War II and has been on an exponential technology innovation growth curve since. Like many technology applications introduced in defense, opportunities for commercial applications emerge and add to the expansion of the technology.

The above may not seem to be related to small business systems or software development processes, but it is. As the technology matures and expands (in this case radar), it presents evolving opportunities and use cases in increasingly complex systems. These come in the form of capability improvements, integration of current system capabilities into new systems and System of Systems, adjacent technologies such as multi-sensor intelligence and sensor fusion, cloud migration, and the on-going computer vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution. For a business (small or large) which wants to grow along with technology, process definition becomes a critical consideration for continuous and repeatable results accomplished on "just-in-time" timelines that support fast time to markets.

Given the nature of radar, radar sensors, RF communications channels that carry radar signals, and the ground processing algorithms that transform received signals into usable information, the common denominator is data. The ability to manage, process, transfer and use digital data is essential. This means this technology is also necessarily software intensive. This software intensive digital environment must react to systems which generate, sense, transfer, use, and apply massive data volumes from remote radar sensor systems. Users want more from these systems and they want it now. The small business (or any business for that matter) which can react to this want are the businesses which have a chance of surviving much less growing.

The physics-based technology in the radar systems domain is rapidly changing. Software development methods and tools are changing at the same pace. Digital transformation has sailed with digital engineering methods, tools, and standards also evolving. AI is influencing all the above. Complexity is increasing as systems are asked to do more and integrate into hierarchical architectures that also connect digitally. Gone are the days when a radar engineer can focus on one radar, a particular mode, or a fit-for-purpose mission. Gone are the days when customers can wait months and years for new capability needed today.

The pace of change is dizzying. Expertise in existing systems is disappearing in the face of new needs. Even if you have the expertise, you can't develop new capabilities on timelines that worked just 5 - 10 years ago. By the time you build it, the requirement has changed. To cope with the challenges of this environment, we see the need for fundamental change at the business level. That is what we are trying to do. I will describe that in Part 2: What are We Trying to Do? In the meantime, remember it is about systems, software and data.

Book Report: Systems Engineering of Software-Enabled Systems, Richard E. Fairley

This book, released in 2019, came highly recommended through the INCOSE Systems and Software Integration Working Group (SaSI WG). Richard Fairley, the author, shares his deep expertise and experience developing what he calls Software Enabled Systems (SESs). He continues by pointing   out that most systems developed today fall into the category of a SES.
What kept me glued to this book was the logical and clear descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of Systems Engineers (SE), Physical Systems Engineers (PhSE), Software Systems (SwSE) Engineers and Software Engineers. He explains why these engineering domains oftentimes don't understand the context and challenges addressed by adjacent domains. He goes on to suggest how these engineering domains can work toward common understandings that can result in improved results. As a systems and software business owner, you can imagine how this discussion caught my attention.
The book does a great job at providing references to the essential systems and software standards, guides, handbooks and wikis available to practicing engineers today. These include the two guideposts: ISO/IEC/IEEE standard 15288: Systems and software engineering - System life cycle processes; and ISO/IEC/IEEE standard 12207: Systems and software engineering - Software life cycle processes. However, the book provides a tremendous set of extended resources that systems and software engineers can use to improve competency, understand engineering context, and integrate systems and software concepts to make better systems.
Part II of the book puts systems and software engineering of SESs together into processes. The book proposes an Integrated-Iterative-Incremental (I3) system development model and walks the reader through an easy to follow vehicle simulator example. What strikes me as a reader is the logical progression of engineering tasks that fall into the category of "needs to be done" but when, where and why we do it is explained in the I3 system development model. Underlying it all is the common denominator of engineers accomplishing what was promised to their customers/stakeholders
Part III of the book, Technical Management of Systems Engineering, which I'm just getting into, is likely the best part of the book. I am anticipating this based on the content and quality of Parts I and II. As parcticioners, we know management is a competency many of us did not learn and develop in school, but have had to learn in practice. I'm certain this part has gens I won't want to miss.
Mr. Fairley has produced a brilliant piece of work. He has shared the lessons of a lifetime and career developing SESs. He has done an exceptional (best I've seen) job bringing two disciplines together in an easy to read and follow text. Get a copy today and Thank You to Richard for putting this much needed work together for all.
  
Systems Engineering of Software Enabled Systems

System of Systems - "What's in it for me?"

As a member of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) System of Systems Working Group (SoSWG), I was asked to present during a monthly webinar about SoS - "What's in it for me/" I was asked to present this topic because I brought up this question during the International Symposium in 2017 during a special session of the working group.

The "What's in it for me?" question applies not only to individual Systems Engineering (SE) professionals, it it also an organizational question that INCOSE has been dealing with in general. SoS has a special place because it is a complex topic. Systems are increasingly asked to do more with existing systems and in new operational contexts. New systems in this mix add additional challenges. A system developed today is likely software and data intensive. The system is probably connected via the internet and has a place in the Internet of Things located somewhere in the cloud. The new system must also not regress component systems, but interact with legacy systems built on different software foundations which may have little commonality with modern software implementations. A tough spot for the new system!

But complexity and challenges with implementing SoS wasn't at the core of my message. I wanted to poke at the answer to the "What's in it for me/" question. After thinking about it, my answer to that question includes the following response:

1. Participating and contributing to SoS and other SE disciplines enrich the individual and add to their value as engineers, employees, and thinkers
2. Learning about latest methods, techniques and concepts allow the individual to add value to their employer, business, customers or stakeholders whoever they may be
3. Engaging with others in the field improve and add value to INCOSE as an association

I go over some concepts as a summary level that I have learned by being associated with the INCOSE SoSWG and believe are important contributors to the value propositions above. Listen to the webinar at:

SoSWG Webinar