University of South Australia © SEEC, University of South Australia, 2002 1 Systems Teaching and Research at the Systems Engineering and Evaluation Centre.

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University of South Australia

© SEEC, University of South Australia, 2002

Systems Teaching and Research at the

Systems Engineering and Evaluation Centre


Prof Stephen Cook

Systems Engineering and Evaluation Centre (SEEC)University of South Australiahttp://www.seec.unisa.edu.au

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Outline

The Australian postgraduate educational scene About UniSA The Australian education system and prevailing

environment SEEC A new course on systems approaches to large-

scale problem solving Summary

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The Australian Postgraduate Educational Scene

Mass university education (30%) Australia has modest R&D base hence modest

demand for postgraduate qualifications Management postgraduate qualifications (MBA)

generally more attractive than technical ones Exception is government research laboratories

where a PhD is mandatory to rise to senior positions

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About UniSA Formed in 1990 from the merger of

• SA Institute of Technology• SA College of Advanced Education• SA College of Art and Design

One of three universities in Adelaide and the largest ~ 30,000 students

Only one active in Systems Engineering in SA Focussed on

• educating professionals• working with industry• serving the community

Postgraduates15% of load Large numbers of overseas students

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Location: Adelaide and Whyalla South Australia

University of SA

State population 1.5 million, 1.0 million of whom live in the capital Adelaide

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A Long Way from the Nearest Large City (750 km)

University of SA

Most students go to university in their own city so the range of programs taught is very broad

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The Australian Educational System - Undergraduate

Follows the Scottish model• Many degrees, BA, BSc, etc are three years; most

students leave university at this level• Only selected students with better than Credit average

are permitted to study for an extra year to gain honours, BSc(hons), etc

Engineering is a minimum four year degree and honours comprises additional workload in final year for selected students

Government employers keen on honours, industry ambivalent

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The Australian Educational System - Postgraduate

Grad Cert (6 months coursework), GradDip (12 months)

Masters degrees come in two types:• Coursework with 20-66% research component ~1.5 years

• Research-only 2 years

• Entry to masters: 4-year degree (at honours level or equivalent);

PhDs in Australia follow the UK tradition• Nominally 3 years, average 4.5 years

Low number of eligible PhD students• Entry requirements:

First class or upper division second class honours Masters

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Economic Environment Undergraduate

• No up-front fees for students• Higher Education Contribution Scheme debt of around $5000 per year,

plus interest Postgraduate coursework

• Now generally attract full fees ($15 - $20k) • Exception is where a masters is a base qualification to practise a profession

Research degrees• Attract no fees and HECS scholarships are the norm• High achievers can also win living allowance scholarships for research

degrees ($16-21k tax free)

Reductions in government funding over the last decade reduces scope for strategic initiatives

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Impact on Postgraduate Coursework

Recent introduction of full fees for postgraduate coursework has killed demand

Small postgraduate numbers in the technical areas

Traditional coursework higher degrees financially unsustainable - many terminated

Research degrees becoming predominant

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On a More Positive Note

Australian Department of Defence has stated that it aims to have all senior officers educated to masters level

Still some demand for coursework degrees: particularly in industry where research degrees are not seen as relevant

Larger companies and government are prepared to sponsor selected students

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation and BAE SYSTEMS are beginning to sponsor postgraduate programs

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A Few Words About the Systems Engineering and

Evaluation Centre

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What is SEEC?

One of 17 Supported Research Centres within the University of South Australia.

Focuses on research and education in:• the creation and evaluation of large, engineered

systems• the organisations that undertake this function.

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SEEC Mission Statement

To provide a national and international focus for collaborative research, investigative projects and education programs that address the design, creation, evolution and evaluation of complex, systems.

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What SEEC Core Activities

Education in Systems Thinking, Systems Engineering and Test and Evaluation

Cost-effective, collaborative research between industry and the university

Training: public and in-house courses Provision of informed advice through

• consultancies• contract research• brokering international knowledge and experts

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History

Measurement & Instrumentation Systems Centre

Sensor Science & Engineering Group

Australian Centre for

Test and EvaluationSystemsEngineering andEvaluationCentre

1999

199619921989

External supportARDUARCIndustryDSTOGovernment organisationsOverseas

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Layer 2 System Level

Layer 1 Product Level

Layer 3 Business Level

Layer 4 Supply Chain Level

Layer 5 Socio-Economic Level

Where We Focus

SEEC’s Focus

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Staff

Prof Stephen Cook – DSTO Professor of Systems Engineering A/Prof Joe Kasser – DSTO Research Professor A/Prof Piet Beukman – (coming Jan 2002) Mr Les Vencel – Principal Consultant Mr David Harris – Business Man & Senior Research Fellow Mr Michael Harris – Research and Project Manager Dr Sarim AL-Zubaidy – Senior Research Fellow Dr Noel Sproles – Senior Research Fellow Dr David Cropley – Senior Lecturer Dr Tim Ferris – Senior Lecturer Dr Jill Slay – Senior Lecturer Mr Reuven Greenberg – Visiting Senior Research Fellow Mr Anthony Pilgrim – Associate Lecturer Mr William Scott – Research Associate Mr Paul Bunnik – Research Engineer Mrs Lyn Bussenschutt – Office Manager Miss Mel Madex – Administrative Officer

SEEC % 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.4 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.6 1.0 0.2 0.1 1.0 1.0 0.2 1.0 1.0 0.6

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Adjunct Staff and Associates Prof Peter Sydenham – Professor of Systems Evaluation Prof Scot Allison Prof John Andersen Prof Garth Morgan Mr Ron Howard A/Prof Martin Burke Dr Robert Goodwin Mr Angus Massie Dr Les Doherty Mr Errol Lawson Mr Bob Taylor Mr Erik Sherwin Mr Viv Crouch

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SEEC is Significant

15 Academic staff• plus 13 adjuncts

60 post-graduate students• 14 PhD, 8 MEng(res)

• 40 MEng (c/w)

Around $A1.5 million pa external income Close operating links with Defence

DSTO Dept of Defence Defence companies

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SEEC has a Broader Base than A Typical SE School

“Typical” SE Centre Focuses on • Post-graduate education• Main client base is Defence/Aerospace• Targets mid-level practitioners

Teaches methodologies used by clients Built around standards (IEEE 1220, EIA 632 etc)

Aims to produce graduates immediately useful to clients

• Minimal research

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SEEC Covers All of That and More...

Major focus on Research• Historically over half p/g awards are by

research

Primary Research focus on Enterprise-level systems• Primarily, social (“soft”) systems• Focused at highest level

Force development Defence acquisition system

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and More...

Strong research into socio-technical systems which create systems• Support methods for dispersed SE teams• Intelligent support for requirements generation• On-line, intelligent repositories for corporate

SE data• Environments for force level SE

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and More...

New research focus on socio-technical systems per se• Aviation Systems Safety• Generalisation into creation of “super-safe”

socio-technical systems

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So SEEC is different

SEEC carries out research in• Large, social systems which acquire and use

engineering systems• Operation of systems which integrate people

and technology• Support tools for the socio-technical systems

which create engineering systems• Systems evaluation methodologies

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Research Areas

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Research Topics in Systems Engineering

• Systems Engineering Education

• Engineering methodologies for the acquisition and management of Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator Facilities

• Tailoring systems engineering models and methods for light research satellites

• An enhanced systems engineering approach to sensor design

• The integration of COTS software into large research software systems environment

• A systems approach to audio engineering

• Maintenance database research and life-cycle costing prediction.

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Research Topics in Industrial Systems Engineering Tools and Practice

• Tool integration for dispersed systems engineering design teams

• Increasing the effectiveness of distributed systems engineering design teams

• Software Metrics - A tool for improving the software development process

• The use of High-Level Architecture Simulators in Combat Systems Engineering

• AI tools for Requirements Elicitation and Management

• The Development of a Capability Maturing Model (CMM) Assessment Tool.

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Research Topics in Enterprise-Level Systems

• Systems approach to Defence strategic planning• Systems approach to Defence capability development• Action research within the Australian soldier combat system

enhancement study• Systems engineering process improvement for an acquisition

organisation• Achieving systemic information operations for Australian

defence• Systems approach to Force Structure determination• Methods for the analysis of enterprise-level systems architectures• The benefits of applying systems engineering to Defence

acquisition.

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Research Topics in Systems Test and Evaluation

• Test and Evaluation policies and processes for the Australian Defence Organisation.

• Traceability & cognition of test and evaluation process documents.

• Structured determination of measures of effectiveness.• Software aid for automotive testing and evaluation.• Operational T&E practices for the Royal Australian Air Force.• Climatology measurements through GPS occultation.• Optimal generation of telemetry frame formats for aircraft

testing. • Correcting delay distortion in asynchronously sampled flight

test telemetry signals.

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Research Topics in Air Transport Safety

• Analysis of accident and incident data• Modelling of the air transport enterprise• Modelling of the piloting system for commercial

aircraft• Building knowledge resources in this field• Verify modelling through interaction with

stakeholders

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A New Course in Systems Approaches to Large-scale

Problem Solving

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The DSTO Continuing Education Initiative (1)

DSTO typically recruits• 50% PhDs• 50% Honours graduates

The current environment has led to a 20:80 mix Staff are more mobile and leave to burgeoning IT

sector Customers are very highly qualified Stated aim is to encourage all staff to obtain an

advanced master’s degree which must contain• Systems engineering for complex problem solving• Research methods in a multidisciplinary environment

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The DSTO Continuing Education Initiative (2)

Several streams will be offered initially, eg• Science (chemistry, physics, materials)• Telecommunications• Systems engineering• Mathematics• Human sciences• Operations Analysis

DSTO pay all fees

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Example SE Syllabus Group A (Mandatory Core Subjects – Grad Cert)

• Systems Engineering for Complex Problem Solving (SECPS)• Systems Engineering Management• Systems Engineering Analysis 1• Systems Engineering Practice 1

Group B (Core for Grad Dip, MEng)• Research Methods in a Multidisciplinary Environment• Principles of Test and Evaluation

Electives (Select 2)• Management of Small Systems Engineering Design Teams• Advanced Test and Evaluation• Modelling and Simulation for Systems Engineering• Systems Engineering for Mobile Communications• Requirements Engineering• Systems Engineering Practice 2• Systems Engineering Analysis 2

• Soft Systems Methodology

Minor Thesis

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SECPS Evolved from Principles of Systems Engineering to:

• Introduce systems concepts to professional staff across the organisation at all levels of experience.

• Cover systems practice from equipment development through to organisational interventions.

• Challenge the hard science installed culture of the client organisation.

• Be suitable for graduates of all disciplines.• Be acceptable to university departments around Australia

as a component of advanced master’s programs in disciplines such as mathematics, physics, information technology, and operational analysis.

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Course Design Philosophy Introduce systems concepts via systems thinking. Show that systems thinking can provide valuable insight

into complex entities of many types. Show there is a range of systems methodologies

available to cover a range of systems problems. Introduce traditional Systems Engineering, the most

prevalent of these. Develop some systems engineering skills and

understanding through tutorial work and a major assignment.

Promote deep learning and functional knowledge through a combination of declarative, procedural and conditional knowledge.

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SECPS Outline

SECPS Schedule

Systems Engineering for Complex Problem Solving - EEET 5107 Systems Engineering and Evaluation Centre

University of South Australia Prior week Pre-course Reading – Hitchins

World Class Systems Engineering

Schedule and Contents of Notes Time Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

0900 Section 1: Welcome and Administration

Section 6: Overview of Classical Systems Engineering and Life-Cycle Models

Section 10: Preliminary System Design

Section 15: Soft System Methodology

Section 20: Systems Evaluation Techniques

0930 Section 2: Why we need systems thinking

1000 Section 11: Systems Engineering Management

1030 Refreshments & discourse Refreshments & discourse Refreshments & discourse Refreshments & discourse Refreshments & discourse 1100 Section 2: (continued)

Section 7: Conceptual Systems Design

Section 11: (continued). Section 16: Case Studies of Organisational Interventions

Section 21: Capability Systems Life Cycle Management

1130 Section 3: Introduction to the Tutorial Sessions

1200 Section 12: System modelling Section 17: Systems Engineering Specialist Disciplines

1230 Section 4: The rise of Systems Thinking

Section 8: Requirements Engineering & Writing System Specifications

Section 22: Case Study: Force-Level Systems Engineering

1300 Lunch Lunch Lunch Refreshments & discourse Lunch 1400 Section 4: (continued) Section 8: (continued) Section 13: Ideas Generation Section 18: Design Trade-off

Analysis Section 22: (Continued)

1430 Section 23: Design Review

1500 Refreshments & discourse Refreshments & discourse Refreshments & discourse Refreshments & discourse 1530 Section 5: Overview of Systems

Methodologies and their Selection Section 9: Tutorial: Requirements Elicitation

Section 14: Tutorial: Ideas Generation

Section 19: Tutorial: Decision Support

Section 23: (continued)

1600

1700

Section 24: Course Wrap-up

File Schedule.doc; 23 September 2002, corrections to hyperlinks 21 October

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Feedback To Date

Taught class of 40 in Adelaide and 10 in Melbourne

Age 21 – 60+ Technical Officers to Senior Research

Scientists Generally liked the course, the more senior

people really appreciated the theory-based approach (F, M and A)

Awaiting assignments

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Personal Insights

Writing this course has broadened my understanding considerably

After nearly six years I am beginning to piece together a systems thinking framework that can underpin both engineering and management systems approaches

Systems approaches can also be characterised by their persistence in the problem domain.• mainstream management methodology• intervention

Still have some way to go to fully appreciate the field and SEEC would be pleased to work with the international research community on systems thinking and practice research

University of South Australia © SEEC, University of South Australia, 2002 1 Systems Teaching and Research at the Systems Engineering and Evaluation Centre.

Documents

summary slide

predominant slide

broad slide

coursework degrees

years research

evaluation centre slide

class honours masters

prevailing environment