- Current section: Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 Why is systems engineering important?
- 1.1 Introduction: what is the problem?
- 1.2 The Phoenix project
- 1.3 Example 1 The Workcenter that didn't
- 1.4 Example 2: The Bridge of Sighs (and Wobbles)
- 1.5 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: the underlying relationship
- 1.6 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: mystery and mechanics
- 1.7 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: a spectrum of systems intractability
- 1.8 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: are systems becoming more complex?
- 1.9 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: summary
- 2 What is engineering?
- 3 What is systems?
- 3.1 Introduction
- 3.2 Systems concepts: system
- 3.3 System concepts: holism
- 3.4 Systems concepts: structure
- 3.5 Systems concepts: dynamic behaviour: input-transformation-output
- 3.6 Systems concepts: dynamic behaviour: control
- 3.7 Systems methodologies for managing change
- 3.8 Systems methodologies for managing change: hard systems approach
- Stage 1: Problem definition (what is the problem?)
- Stage 2: Analysis of the existing situation (where are we now?)
- Stage 3: Identification of objectives and constraints (where would we like to be?)
- Stage 4: Generation of routes to objectives (how could we get there?)
- Stage 5: Formulating measures of performance (how will we know when we have arrived?)
- Stage 6: Developing the options (what would the options be like?)
- Stage 7: Option testing (how well will each work?)
- Stage 8: Choice (OK, let's go)
- Implementation
- 3.9 Systems methodologies for managing change: soft systems approach
- 3.10 Systems techniques
- 3.11 Summary
- 4 What is systems engineering? The career of a concept
- 4.1 Beginnings
- 4.2 The use of systems analysis in public policy
- 4.3 The use of systems engineering in organisations
- 4.4 The use of systems engineering in organisations: different organisational arrangements
- 4.5 Methodologies associated with information technology
- 4.6 Systems engineering: the recent development of a discipline
- 4.7 Summary
- 5 The orignial course team's approach to systems engineering
- 6 Summary
- References
- Acknowledgements
- Module team
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Systems engineering: Challenging complexity
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This unit examines system engineering and why it is important. You will...
This unit examines system engineering and why it is important. You will learn to identify and evaluate the importance of relationships within the process and assess the relative importance of stakeholders. You will also be able to classify a systems engineering project in terms of the balance of demands, choice and constraints.
After studying this unit you should be able to:
- evaluate a specific example or case of a product development process in terms of the ‘waterfall’ life cycle model of software development;
- classify new product developments as: fault correction, enhancements, new but similar products, radically different, revolutionary or iconoclastic products;
- analyse the causes of a systems failure;
- identify and evaluate the importance of the relationships of the factors leading up to system complication and complexity;
- answer the question ‘why is systems engineering important?’
- define the difference in process between science and engineering;
- identify and analyse the importance of stakeholders involved in a systems engineering project;
- classify a systems engineering project in terms of the balance of demands, choice and constraints;
- analyse a system using input-output diagramming;
- estimate the lag involved in controlling a system;
- analyse a ‘rich picture’;
- evaluate the differences between a generic model of systems engineering and a software specific model;
- summarise the characteristics of the systems engineering approach;
- identify the main features of the approach to systems engineering adopted by the OU course team and which forms the basis for the structure and teaching in the original course.
- Duration: 25 hours
- Published on: Thursday 28th July 2011
- Level: Masters
- Posted under: Systems (Computer)
Systems engineering: challenging complexity
Introduction
The aim of this unit is to answer five questions:
-
Why is systems engineering important?
-
What is modern engineering?
-
What is systems?
-
What is systems engineering?
-
What approach to systems engineering does the course adopt?
This unit is from our archive and is an adapted extract from Systems engineering (T837) which is no longer taught by The Open University. If you want to study formally with us, you may wish to explore other courses we offer in this subject area [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .
Archive content
This is an extract from an Open University course which is no longer available to new students. If you found this interesting you could explore more free Systems (Computer) course units or view the range of currently available OU Systems (Computer) courses.
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