9-1 Final Project: Systems Engineering Case Study Report
38873Systems engineering can be thought of as the science of effectively managing the life cycle—from conception to retirement—of complex systems. Systems
engineering principles have a strong relevance to an engineering manager, inasmuch as they typically involve management of large projects.
In this project, you will select between two real-world systems engineering case study options. Using the provided resources and your own research, you should
investigate the development project from a systems engineering perspective. You must apply your knowledge of the systems life-cycle and its associated best
practices in order to evaluate your case and identify the project’s strengths and weaknesses. The findings of your inquiry will be compiled into a systems
engineering case study report. There may be occasions where you need to make assumptions to fully answer some of the questions below. If you make any
assumptions, please state them clearly.
The final project represents an authentic demonstration of competency because systems engineering case study reports are an application to the field. The
project is divided into four milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions.
These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, Five, and Six. The final project will be submitted in Module Nine.
Case Studies
For this course, you have the option to choose between two final project case studies: Hubble Space Telescope Systems Engineering Case Study and Global
Positioning System Systems Engineering Case Study. You will review and select your case study in Module Two as part of Milestone One.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Analyze the essential stages of systems engineering life-cycles by illustrating their principal products and activities
Evaluate methods for eliciting requirements that accurately transform user needs into systems engineering specifications
Evaluate trade-off studies for their potential to properly inform decision-making about systems technical specifications and engineering project
management
Assess risk management strategies for the extent to which they comprehensively identify and mitigate risks in systems engineering developments
Prompt
Your systems engineering case study report should answer the following question: What lessons about standard practices of systems engineering can be
learned from this case, both positive and negative?
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction: Summarize the context of your chosen case, using enough detail to support your subsequent analysis.
II. Systems Life-Cycle
A. Illustrate the principal products and activities of the development project. What development process was used? To what extent did the
development process reflect your understanding of the systems life-cycle? What best practices were missing? To the extent possible, use specific
examples to illustrate. If the required information is not readily available or is incomplete in the case study, you may make assumptions, as long
as they are clearly stated.
B. Analyze the deployment of the system. For example, how was the system integrated (i.e., the pieces put together and installed into the
operational environment)? How was the system fielded? What lessons were learned? To the extent possible, use specific examples to illustrate.
If the required information is not readily available or is incomplete in the case study, you may make assumptions, as long as they are clearly
stated.
C. Examine the plans for the future of the system. For example, how will the system be maintained (e.g., repaired and updated)? How is the future
evolution of the system being planned and managed? To the extent possible, use specific examples to illustrate. If the required information is
not readily available or is incomplete in the case study, you may make assumptions, as long as they are clearly stated.
III. Requirements
A. Evaluate the extent to which stakeholder needs and system requirements were captured, using specific evidence to support your claims. For
example, how were the needs for the system established? Was it market pull (by the users) or technology push (by the developers)? Which
stakeholders were consulted? Was there a formal elicitation process used, and how successful was it?
B. Evaluate the extent to which the needs were properly translated into engineering specifications, using specific evidence to support your claims.
For example, how successfully were the true needs from the users and other stakeholders translated into “engineering-speak” requirements?
C. Evaluate the extent to which the requirements gathering was well-managed, using specific evidence to support your claims. For example, how
were the requirements managed to prevent “scope creep” throughout the systems engineering process?
IV. Trade-Off Studies
A. Identify the trade-off studies that were conducted. For example, what engineering trade-offs had to be examined before a design was settled
upon? Use specific examples to illustrate.
B. Evaluate the team’s decision making about the system’s technical specifications, using specific evidence to support your claims. For example,
how were the systems’ major components, operations, and structures determined? Was each decision properly informed by the trade-off
studies? Why or why not?
C. Evaluate the team’s decision making about the development’s project management, using specific evidence to support your claims. For
example, how were potential cost and schedule overruns and performance shortfalls predicted, averted, or otherwise handled? Was each
decision properly informed by the trade-off studies? Why or why not?
V. Risk Management
A. Assess the methods used for identifying risk, using specific evidence to support your claims. For example, how were the project’s risks identified
and classified? To what extent was the team successful in identifying risk?
B. Assess the methods used for monitoring risk, using specific evidence to support your claims. For example, to what extent was the team
successful in monitoring the identified risks throughout the development?
C. Assess the methods used for mitigating risk, using specific evidence to support your claims. For example, to what extent was the team successful
in mitigating or otherwise managing the identified risks throughout the development?
VI. Conclusions: Summarize your key findings and draw connections to the essential concepts and principles discussed in the course.
Milestones
Milestone One: Draft of the Systems Life-Cycle
In Module Two, you will submit the Systems Life-Cycle portion of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Draft of Requirements
In Module Four, you will submit the Requirements portion of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Draft of Trade-Off
In Module Five, you will submit the Trade-Off portion of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.
Milestone Four: Draft of Risk Management
In Module Six, you will submit the Risk Management portion of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Four Rubric.
Final Submission: Systems Engineering Case Study Report
In Module Nine, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final project. It should
reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Deliverables
Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading
One Draft of the Systems Life-Cycle Two Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric
Two Draft of Requirements Four Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric
Three Draft of Trade-Off Five Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric
Four Draft of Risk Management Six Graded separately; Milestone Four Rubric
Final Submission: Systems Engineering Case
Study Report
Nine Graded separately; Final Project Rubric
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your systems engineering case study report should be 9–11 pages using 12-point Times New Roman font and double spacing. All
citations should be in APA format.
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