Courses

Perspectives on Systems

Engineers are frequently asked to solve problems of how to get to operate together in an effective way to achieve a goal. The term "systems engineering" (SE) is often used to refer to several different concepts, disciplines, and technical skills; engineering is both a set of rules and practices for what we do, and the processes of solving problems. However, confusion arises when proponents of one perspective interact with others, without a clear understanding of the variety of SE histories and tools. Each can play an important, complementary role in the development of a robust approach to SE and the role of the human in engineering systems. This course provides an introduction to, and references for, each of 4 distinct approaches to SE concepts/tools. Individual assignments and team projects based on readings from multiple approaches and selected case studies. Participants encouraged to bring own prior expertise and examples to discussions/projects. Course will discuss quantitative topics (including cybernetics, feedback control systems, and statistical process control), but the course itself will emphasize a more interdisciplinary conceptual integration rather than detailed implementations of these topics.

Tools and Methodologies for Designing Systems

Introduction to modeling tools and methods for designing engineered systems. Topics include: defining the design problem; defining and validating stakeholders and system requirements; discrete mathematics for system modeling; defining and modeling system operational scenarios; the system development life cycle; defining and modeling functional, physical, and allocated architectures; evaluating and modeling the tradeoffs between alternative architectures; and defining the system qualification process.

Practical Systems Thinking

Engineers, social scientists, and managers frequently bring people and technology together to address complex problematic situations in an equitable way that benefits people and the environment. Multiple systems concepts and methods have been developed to address these situations, and typical courses in systems focus on a relatively small portion of the rich assortment of available approaches to addressing systems problems. This course introduces students to multiple systems concepts and methods via readings and class discussion. The students then apply these concepts and methods on team-based projects. The course will emphasize critical thinking about how the concepts and methods are applicable to the problematic situations of the projects and how well the project teams were able to perform the required activities.

Systems Engineering Processes and Professional Competencies

This course covers life cycle processes performed by systems engineers and soft skills essential to being a successful systems engineer. Topics include systems engineering technical processes, technical management processes, organizational strategies and operations supporting system development, tailoring of processes to industry sectors and domains, cross-cutting systems engineering methods, specialty engineering, systems engineering competencies, and relevant soft skills.