Introduction to Systems Engineering

Chapter 1
Introduction to Systems and System Life Cycle

ASTU, 2023
 Slides Content
– Definition of System
– Types of System
– A System and its Environment
– A System as a Product
– A System as a Capability – A Capability System
– Logical and Physical Description of a System
– Hierarchical Descriptions of a System
– System-of-Systems (SoS)
– Problem Domain and Solution Domain
– System Life Cycle
– Parties Involved Acquisition and Utilization Phases
 What is System?
• A frequently used definition of a system is “a set of interrelated components
working together toward some common objective”.
• It is an integrated composite of people, products and processes that provide a
capability to satisfy a stated need or objective.
• It is a collection of different elements that interact to produce results that are
not obtainable by the elements alone.
• A system can be NATURAL or ENGINEERED. Example of a natural system
is our solar system.
• Engineered system are designed and build to satisfy human needs.
• Example: wireless telephone system, our highways
 What is System?
• There are physical systems such a solar systems, river systems, railway
systems, satellite systems, communication systems, information systems,
pulley systems, nervous systems, just to name a few.
• There are philosophical systems, social systems, religious systems, gambling
systems, banking systems, systems of government, and many more.
• The word is even used for more-esoteric examples such as the consideration
of individual and social behaviour as a system of purposeful events
• The term "system" refers to a complex, organized set of interconnected
components or elements that work together to achieve a specific goal or
purpose.
 What is System? Cont…
• In systems engineering, defines a system as a combination of interacting
elements organized to achieve one or more stated purposes.
• This definition implies that a system comprises internal system elements with
interconnections (interactions) between elements and, by the very act of
identifying the system that we are interested in, an external system boundary
is implied.
 What is System?
• When we draw the boundary around selected system elements, we define the system of
interest (SOI) which consists of those system elements and their interconnections that exist
within the defined boundary.

 Here's a detailed explanation of the concept of a system in systems engineering:

 Components: A system is composed of individual components or subsystems. These
components can be physical parts like sensors, processors, and actuators, or they can be
abstract elements like software modules and databases.
 What is System?
 Interconnections: Systems engineering focuses on understanding and defining the
relationships and interconnections between the components. These connections can include
data flow, energy transfer, communication links, and more. Properly designed interconnections
are critical for the system's functionality.
 Purpose or Goal: Every system is designed with a specific purpose or goal in mind. This goal
could be to perform a particular function, solve a problem, or provide a service. The system is
intended to fulfil this objective efficiently and effectively.
 Boundaries: Systems have boundaries that define what is inside the system and what is
outside. These boundaries are essential for understanding what is included in the system and
what is not. They help in managing the complexity of the system.
 What is System?
 Inputs and Outputs: Systems interact with their environment by receiving inputs and
producing outputs. Inputs are the external signals, data, or stimuli that the system processes,
while outputs are the results or responses generated by the system.
 Control and Feedback: Many systems have control mechanisms that regulate their behaviour.
Feedback loops can be present to monitor the system's performance and make necessary
adjustments to maintain its functionality.
 Types of System
• In systems engineering, the concept of "system types" categorizes systems
based on their characteristics, behaviour, and functions.
• Understanding system types helps engineers and designers apply appropriate
methodologies and approaches to address specific challenges.
 There are several system types, including:
1. Physical /Conceptual Systems:
 Physical systems are tangible, hardware-based entities, such as machines, buildings,
vehicles, and electronic devices.
 They have a physical presence and are often made up of interconnected components or
subsystems.
 Examples include a car's engine, an aircraft, or a chemical processing plant
 Types of System (cont’d)
• 2. Open Systems: is interact with their environment, exchanging matter, energy, or
information with external entities.
• They are influenced by external factors, and their behaviour can adapt to changes in the
environment.
• An example is a computer connected to a network, which sends and receives data from
other devices.
• 3. Closed Systems: are isolated from their environment and do not exchange matter,
energy, or information with the outside world.
• Their behaviour is self-contained and not influenced by external factors.
• A thermally insulated container is an example of a closed system.
 Types of System (cont’d)
• 4. Natural/human-made/human-modified systems. Natural systems contain natural
elements and are the result of natural processes; human-made systems come into existence
through the efforts of humans and may contain human-made elements or natural elements
adapted to human-designed purposes.
• Natural systems that have been modified for human purposes are called human-modified
systems. The systems engineering for natural systems is certainly not conducted by humans,
so we are only interested in human- made/modified systems.
 Types of System (cont’d)
• 5. Precedented/unprecedented systems. In a precedented system, similar such systems
(or, at least, the majority of system elements) have been produced before.
• An unprecedented system is one that has not been previously produced.
• Systems that comprise mostly unprecedented elements are the result of research and
development effort.
• Here we focus on systems that comprise largely precedented elements-that is, those to
which engineering is appropriate.
 A System and its Environment
• In systems engineering, a fundamental concept is the distinction between a "system" and its
"environment." This concept is essential for understanding how systems operate and
interact with the world around them.
 A System as a Product
• In a physical sense, the term system is sometimes considered to be synonymous with
product-that is, we say that the project is delivering a system, or is delivering a product. A
system is normally, however, considered to comprise a number of products.
In this diagram a
system as
comprising
operational
products (end
products) and
enabling products
(such as test,
training, and
disposal products).
 Logical and Physical Descriptions of a System
• A system can be described in two broad ways-in logical terms and in physical
terms.
√ A logical description (historically often referred to as a functional
description) of a system articulates what the system will do, how well it will
do it, how it will be tested, under what conditions it will perform, and what
other systems will be involved with its operation.
√ A physical description relates to the system elements and explains what the
elements are, how they look, and how they are to be manufactured, integrated,
and tested.
• The logical description contains the 'whats' of the system, and the physical
description contains the 'hows'.
 Hierarchical Descriptions of a System
• A system as a combination of system elements which interact to achieve a
defined mission.
• Since each of these system elements will need to perform functions allocated to
it so that it can contribute to the systems mission, we can consider the system
to be a hierarchical composition of system elements.
 Hierarchical Descriptions of a System cont…
• The system elements can be logical elements or physical elements, which
supports the concepts of a logical architecture and a physical architecture.
√ Logical Hierarchy
 In a logical description of a system the system's mission is broken down into a
hierarchical structure of its major functions.
 The logical description or architecture is therefore often called a functional
hierarchy, or a functional architecture.
 Hierarchical Descriptions of a System cont…

• A Logical or (functional) hierarchy of system functions

 Hierarchical Descriptions of a System cont…
√ Physical Hierarchy
 In a physical sense, a system can be considered to comprise operational (end)
products and enabling products.
 The end products of systems are also normally described in a hierarchy-here
we use a four- layer hierarchy.
 We describe a top-level entity known as the system that comprises a number of
subsystems that comprise a number of assemblies that comprise a number of
components.
Hierarchical Descriptions of a System cont…
 System-of-systems (SoS)
 A system of systems (SoS) is the collection of multiple, independent systems in
context as part of a larger, more complex system.
 A system is a group of interacting, interrelated and interdependent components
that form a complex and unified whole.
 The difference is that the SoS elements are systems in their own right so that
they are managerially independent and operationally independent and have been
optimised for their own purpose before contributing to the purpose of the SoS.
 On the other hand, subsystems are not independent and only exist to serve the
parent system-subsystems are therefore invariably sub-optimal (from their
perspective) since it is the system that is to be optimised, not the constituent
subsystems.
System-of-systems (SoS)
 System Life Cycle
 Throughout the life of a system there are a number of phases and activities,
each of which build on the results of the preceding phase or activity.
 The sum all these activities is called a system life cycle, which can be
described using a model that represents the conceptualization of the business
needs for the system, its realization, utilization, evolution, and ultimate
disposal.
 A generic system life cycle can be divided into four very broad phases:
1. Pre-acquisition Phase
2. Acquisition Phase
3. Utilization Phase
4. Retirement Phase
 System Life Cycle cont…
• 1. Pre-acquisition Phase:
• Objectives:
• Identify Needs: Understand and define the needs and requirements that the system is
intended to address.
• Feasibility Analysis: Assess the feasibility of developing or acquiring the system to
meet the identified needs.
• Planning: Develop an initial plan outlining the approach, scope, and potential costs and
benefits of the system.
• Key Activities:
• Requirement Analysis: Gather and analyse user needs and system requirements.
• Feasibility Studies: Evaluate technical, economic, and operational feasibility.
• Conceptual Design: Develop high-level concepts for the system.
 System Life Cycle cont…
• Outputs:
• Feasibility Report: Documenting the findings of feasibility studies.
• System Requirements Specification: Clearly defining the system's functional and non-
functional requirements.
 System Life Cycle cont…
2. Acquisition Phase:
• Objectives:
• Select Solution: Choose the most appropriate solution
• Design and Development: Create the detailed design and begin the actual development or acquisition of
the system.
• Testing: Verify that the system meets the specified requirements through rigorous testing.
• Key Activities:
• Procurement or Development: Acquire or develop the system according to the chosen approach.
• Detailed Design: Develop detailed specifications and blueprints for the system.
• Testing and Validation: Conduct unit testing, integration testing, and system testing.
• Outputs:
• Developed System: The fully developed or acquired system.
• Test Results and Documentation: Documentation showing that the system meets the specified
requirements.
 System Life Cycle cont…
3. Utilization Phase:
• Objectives:
• Deployment: Deploy the system for regular use.
• Operation and Maintenance: Ensure the system operates effectively, addressing any issues promptly.
• Optimization: Optimize system performance, efficiency, and user satisfaction.
• Key Activities:
• System Deployment: Roll out the system for use by end-users.
• Monitoring and Support: Monitor system performance, provide user support, and address any
reported issues.
• Updates and Upgrades: Implement necessary updates, upgrades, or patches to maintain or improve
the system.
• Outputs:
• Operational System: A fully deployed and operational system.
• Maintenance Records: Documentation of system maintenance activities.
 System Life Cycle cont…
4. Retirement or Replacement Phase:
• Objectives:
• Decommissioning: Phase out the system from active use.
• Data Migration: If necessary, migrate data to a new system or archive it appropriately.
• Evaluation: Assess the system's overall performance, success, and lessons learned for future
projects.
• Key Activities:
• Decommissioning: Officially retire the system from active use.
• Data Archiving or Migration: Archive or transfer data to another system.
• Post-Implementation Review: Evaluate the system's performance and the project as a whole.
• Outputs:
• Retired System: The system is officially decommissioned.
• Evaluation Report: Documenting lessons learned, successes, and areas for improvement.