Course Syllabus

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Department of Mechanical Engineering

School of Engineering Technology 

 

ME-59700

Introduction to Systems Engineering Principles

 

I. Instructors:

 

Dr. Dan C. Surber, ESEP                                                   Mr. Larry Hopp, CPL

Engineering Fellow, Retired                                               Logistics Manager, Retired

USAR, Retired.                                                                  Home email: llhopp@comcast.net

Home email: docsmurf74@gmail.com

 

II. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND RATIONALE:

 

Course Description:

This course offers an examination of the principles of systems engineering and their application across the system life cycle. Special emphasis is given to concept exploration, requirements analysis and development, analysis of alternatives, preliminary design, integration, verification, and system validation. The students will use the international space station (on-orbit modules) for practical application of the principles introduced in this course. This is the first of two courses in systems engineering and is a prerequisite to the Systems & Specialty Engineering course. Both courses use the same text book and have a 15% overlap of the text material.

 

Course Rationale: 

Systems engineering is a multi-disciplinary methodology for solving the problem of developing knowledge, goods, and services (products) that are based upon a total systems view of the customer/user stated need and wants. This introductory course to systems engineering will explore the system life cycle, the principles of systems engineering, and how they are applied across the system life cycle. The student will establish a foundational understanding that will be vital for a degree in engineering management. Therefore, the course will emphasize the “first things” of the systems engineering process: concept exploration, requirements analysis, requirements development, analysis of alternatives, verification and validation, and how these integrate into the rest of the product development phases: preliminary design, detailed design, integration, verification, and system validation. Practical in-class exercises, class discussions, mock design reviews, after-class readings, and a foundational textbook will enhance student learning and application of the key principles.

 

Prerequisites: Senior or Graduate Standing; this course is a prerequisite for GRAD590 Systems and Specialty Engineering.

III. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES:

Course Outcomes: After completion of this course, the students should be able to: 

 

1. Define systems engineering, the system life cycle phases, and the product development life cycle phases.
2. Describe the general phase gates and reviews that comprise a product development life cycle, and how other disciplines contribute during this process.
3. Describe the four types of system requirements, how they are elicited and used by the systems engineer during concept exploration phase.
4. Write ‘good’ requirements and explain the characteristics of: a ‘good’ requirement, a suitable requirement management process, and enabling tools.
5. Define functional analysis, decomposition, and requirement allocation, and their relationship to concept exploration and the later phases of the product development life cycle.
6. Explain the similarities and differences between verification, validation, and their relationship to system integration.
7. Describe and apply a general methodology for trade study and analysis of alternatives.
8. Describe how integrated product teams and specialty engineering are used to achieve effective product development.
9. Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose for phase gate reviews and how they relate to technical project management and systems engineering principles.

 

IV. COURSE CONTENT:

1. Overview of the systems engineering domain; definitions key to systems engineering; the system life cycle, and the product development life cycle. (1.15 hrs)
2. Phase gate approach to product development enabled by application of systems engineering principles. (1.15 hrs)
3. Concept Exploration and the four types of systems requirements that must be extracted from the customer’s statement of want and needs. (2.3 hrs) Dual nature of validation, and its differences from verification. (1.15 hrs)
4. Requirement analysis, requirements development, and how these relate to planning for systems integration, verification and validation. (1.15 hrs)
5. Functional analysis, interface analysis, requirement allocation, traceability, and use of commercial tools to enable effective application of SE principles in an integrated team environment. (1.15 hrs)
6. Development of a master compliance matrix, a test and evaluation master plan, and use of technical performance measures in defining system performance. (1.15 hrs)
7. Use of trade study methods for system definition. Applying these methods in concept exploration and system definition. (1.15 hrs)
8. Modeling, simulation and systems analysis enable analysis of alternatives in concept exploration. (1.15 hrs)
9. Applying specialty-engineering disciplines by the system engineer throughout the product development life cycle, and the system life cycle. Gaining practical experience in the use of reliability, system safety and human factors engineering. (1.15 hrs)
10. Examining risk management concepts, techniques, and tools and their utility in the concept exploration phase, as well as carry-over utility into the later phases of the product development life cycle. (1.15 hrs)
11. Exploring the technical management responsibilities and functions of the systems engineer applicable to the entire system and product development life cycles. (1.15 hrs)
12. Examining the later stages of the product development life cycle after Concept Development and understand how knowledge development continues through the phases: preliminary design, detailed design, integration and test, system validation, full rate production. (1.15 hrs)
13. Explore the ideas behind concurrent engineering, design for six sigma and total quality development as they apply to the systems engineering roles, responsibilities, and the development of high quality products in any market, industry or sector. (1.15 hrs)
14. Explore the fundamentals of how an integrated product and process development system can enhance the application of systems engineering principles and what an engineer should look for in a company’s “people, methods, tools/processes, and environment (PMTE)”. (1.15 hrs)
15. Class project briefings (oral & written work using principles from lectures, 5 phase gate review briefings).(12.0 hr)
16. Two chapter tests are timed, in-class (2.0 hrs), 8 quizzes are timed (1.3 hrs).

V. REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS:

 

TEXTBOOK: 

Benjamin S. Blanchard and Wolter J. Fabrycky, Systems Engineering and Analysis, 5th ed., Prentice Hall International Series in Industrial and Systems Engineering, (Upper Saddle River, NJ), 2006.  ISBN-13: 978-0-13-221735-4

 

References (purchase is NOT REQUIRED):

 

Students may choose to join the International Council on Systems Engineering for the Student Fee of $10.00, and thus gain access to the 4th Edition of the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook; the Primer on Metrics; the Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge (SeBoK); and, all of the proceedings from the last 21 years of international symposia on systems engineering. These benefits are good for an entire calendar year. [http://www.incose.org/]

 

Students may choose to download a free copy of the Defense Acquisition University manual on systems engineering, Systems Engineering Fundamentals, Defense Acquisition University Press, January 2001. [http://www.dau.mil/pubs/gdbks/sys_eng_fund.asp]

 

Charles S. Wasson, System Analysis, Design, and Development: Concepts, Principles, and Practices; Wiley-Interscience, John Wiley and Sons, Inc.: Hoboken, NJ; 2006. ISBN-13 978-0-471-3933-7. [NOT a required text – highly useful for a career systems engineer, NOT testable]

 

VI. EVALUATION AND GRADING:

Student briefings/class project reviews, in- class discussions, and homework constitutes 27.9% of the overall grade. Students will be graded on both their written and oral briefings submitted for the class project design reviews. There will be 8 quizzes, two chapter tests (each covering 4 chapters), and a final exam covering the full semester. Tests constitute 67.9% of the overall grade. Class participation constitutes 4.2% of the overall grade.

 

Class Participation        4.2%                           70 points determined by instructor

Homework                     9.7 %  160 points         8 assignments @ 20 points each

Quizzes                        19.4 %  320 points         8 quizzes @ 40 points each

Test 1 (4 chapters)          9.1 %  150 points      30 questions @ 5 points each

Test 2 (4 chapters)          9.1 %  150 points      30 questions @ 5 points each

FINAL EXAM                  30.3 %  500 points    100 questions @ 5 points each

In-class Project              18.2 %  300 points        5 project reviews @ 60 points each

TOTAL                            100 %                        1650 points

 

Grading Scale:

+/- grades may be added so refer to GRADEBOOK in online course website.

Letter grade	Percentage
A	91.0-100
B	81.0-90.9
C	71.0-80.9
D	61.0-70.9
F	< 60.9

 

Notes:

• In the event the instructor is out of town on travel a guest lecturer will be arranged and class attendance is required. There is no extra credit. Failure to submit assignments on the date due results in zero (0) points.
• Quizzes and chapter tests will be timed and taken in class. The final exam will be given at the assigned date/time established by IUPUI.
• Students are expected to complete all reading assignments prior to the class meetings to get the most out of lectures. 
• There will be 30 class sessions, two per week; each session is of 1.3 hours duration, plus the final exam meeting (2 hrs).
• In-class contributions include coming to class prepared, asking good questions, answering questions well, attendance, quizzes, etc. Participation in class discussions is directly related to the class participation points.
• All quizzes, tests and final exam are open book, open notes, but no collaboration between students is allowed. Each quiz, test, and the final are time-limited exams. Time allowed is noted on each test.
• Students may collaborate on homework and class project design reviews but individual submittals from each student are required (since each student will have a different system element assigned to them for the course).
• The class project focuses on the International Space Station and its on-orbit modules. Each student will be assigned one of the modules for the purposes of homework and class project design review assignments.
• The course schedule is subject to change based upon instructor travel requirements. Reading assignments are posted, as well as schedules quizzes, homework, class project briefings, and tests.

 

VII.BIBLIOGRAPHY:

The primary textbook (Blanchard & Fabrycky) has a bibliography, as well as listings of additional readings that will be used during the semester to broaden the student’s appreciation of the systems engineering domain. Wasson’s book (reference) also has a topical bibliography. In addition, the instructor will use current events from various periodicals such as Aviation Week, Avionics, NASA Tech Briefs, and INCOSE publications to challenge the students in class discussions and critical thinking skills. 

 

Policy on Cheating and Plagiarism: Cheating and Plagiarism are Absolutely Not Tolerated at IUPUI
The IUPUI Code of Ethics is based on the need for trust in an academic community. IUPUI’s system is developed by and maintained for the welfare of its students, and all students should make sure that they read and understand the provisions outlined in the Student Handbook.

Any form of cheating on any test or final exam in the course will result in a zero score for the exam and also may result in an automatic "F" grade for the course. The case will be forwarded to the Dean of Students for appropriate disciplinary action. 

• ♣Any form of cheating/plagiarism on a homework or lab submission may result in both a zero score for the assignment, and a one-letter grade penalty in the course. The case may be forwarded to the Dean of Students for appropriate disciplinary action. 
• ♣Any form of cheating on a quiz will result in a zero score for that quiz. The case may be forwarded to the Dean of Students for appropriate disciplinary action. 
• ♣Cheating, or helping another student to cheat, are considered equal cases of academic dishonesty and will be dealt with as noted above. 
• ♣Giving another student access to your computer account, or negligently permitting another student to access your computer account constitutes cheating on your part if that other student copies any files that become implicated in a cheating case. Protect your account as if your academic career depends on it! 

If you are confused as to the difference between helping each other (which is encouraged) and plagiarism (which will not be tolerated), please see your instructor. Please make sure that you are aware of the results of academic misconduct by reading the information from the Student Code of Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct at IUPUI.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT:

 

Disabilities Policy:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all qualified students enrolled in this course are entitled to "reasonable accommodations." Please notify the instructor during the first week of class of any accommodations needed for the course. If you need any special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Adaptive Educational Services. 

 

Email Responsibilities:

IUPUI University considers email the official communication method and it is the student’s responsibility to manage their email account and ensure space is available for time critical communications. Check email frequently, reply promptly and keep the account capacity available for incoming communications. Assignments are to be submitted in class to the instructor. Student name, assignment name, and date are to be on each submittal. Refer to the official email policy on the IUPUI UNIVERSITY website for complete details.