Engineering Economics: The Link to
Systems and Software Engineering
Center for Systems and Software
Engineering (CSSE)
Annual Research Review
18 March 2008
Marilee J. Wheaton
General Manager
Systems Engineering Division
©2008 by The Aerospace Corporation
Engineering Economics: The Link to
Systems and Software Engineering
• My Current Home
• Background:
The Journey
• Systems Architecting and Heuristics
• Organizations, People and Teamwork
• Conclusion and Acknowledgements
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Architect-Engineer for National-Security Space
•
We provide the U.S. Air Force and National Reconnaissance
Office comprehensive scientific and engineering support,
analysis, testing, and verification for launch and
satellite programs
•
We don’t manufacture anything; our product is world-class
technical know-how, developed over the entire course
of the space era
•
We provide broad support to national-security space
programs with an engineering and technology “matrix”
that can be applied across programs
•
We also work on space projects for a variety of civil and
commercial organizations in the national interest, including
NASA, NOAA, DARPA, universities, and research
organizations
3
Aerospace Integration Structure
SYSTEMS PLANNING
AND ENGINEERING
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY GROUP
SPACE PROGRAMS
SPACE SUPPORT
SPACE LAUNCH
ELECTRONIC
PROGRAMS
IMAGERY
PROGRAMS
ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGY
PLANNING AND
COMMUNICATIONS
COLORADO
Electronics
and Sensors
Communications
Computers
and
and Software
Networking
Vehicle
Systems
Systems
Engineering
Laboratory
Operations
Electronics
and
Photonics
Microelectronics
Communication
Architectures
Computer
Technology
Guidance/
Control
System
Architecture
Power
Systems
Network Systems
Information
Science
Real-Time
Simulation
Modeling
Simulation
Software
Engineering
Flight/Fluid
Mechanics
Mission
Performance
Spectrum
Management
Software
Verification
Thermal
Control
Concept
Design
Digital
Communication
Implementation
Software
Acquisition
Structural/
Dynamics
Analysis
Cost
Engineering
Sensor
Engineering
& Exploitation
Optical
Sensors
Radar
Systems
Communication
Systems
Engineering
Communication
Electronics
Antenna systems
Ground
Systems
Operations
Engineering
Test and
Evaluation
Resource
Allocation
Operability
Risk
Assessment
Management
Reliability &
Failure
Analysis
Mechanics
Materials
Space
Environment
Mission
Oriented
Research
Special
Sensor
Fabrication
Remote
Sensing
Signatures
MEMS
4
Background: The Journey
• Hired into the newly created Cost & Schedule
Estimation Section in the Software Engineering
Subdivision in 1980
– Educational background in Math and
Engineering
• First management responsibility as manager of
the section in 1984
• Program office assignments from 1986 - 1999 in
Milstar, Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI),
National Systems Group (NSG), Satellite
Control Network (SCN)
5
Background: The Journey (con’t)
• Started USC MS program in Systems Engineering
in 1989
– Introduced to heuristics in Systems Architecting
and Engineering course
– Founder of program Dr. Eberhardt Rechtin,
President Emeritus, The Aerospace Corporation
• Affiliate member for the Center for Software
Engineering since chartered in 1993
• TRW Systems opportunity from 1999 – 2002
– Dr. Boehm’s organizational legacy lives on
– Processes, CMMI and Black Belt Training
6
Background: The Journey (con’t)
• USC Fall 2003 taught CS 510, Software
Engineering Economics
–If you would learn, teach
• Currently Adjunct Associate Professor,
USC ISE and SAE
–Team teach SAE 549, Systems
Architecting, instructor since 2004
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A Definition of Heuristics
• A fuzzy (imprecise) context dependent technique
well suited to messy (complex) system architecting
problems (and to life’s challenges)
• Two kinds of heuristics
– Descriptive: Describes the situation
– Murphy’s Law “If anything can go wrong, it will”
– Prescriptive: What to do about it
– Keep it Simple Stupid (KISS)
– Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
– The simplest solution is usually the correct one
(Occam’s Razor)
Source: Systems Architecting, Creating & Building Complex Systems, Eberhardt Rechtin, 1991
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Systems Architecting and Heuristics
• Systems architecting is both an applied
science, like engineering, and an art like major
parts of civil architecture, law and medicine
• Cited by Dr. Rechtin as one of the pioneers
– “demonstrated the cost relationship of cost
modeling to systems architecting”
• Cost Model Heuristic
– A measure of the status of a conceptual
model is the number of TBDs remaining in its
cost model
Source: Systems Architecting, Creating & Building Complex Systems, Eberhardt Rechtin, 1991
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A Favorite Heuristic
• Choose Watch Choose
– Choose as best you can
– Watch to see whether solutions show up
faster than problems
– If so, the choice was probably a good one
– But, if problems are showing up faster than
solutions
– Revisit the decision that causes this to
happen and choose again
Source: Systems Architecting of Organizations: Why Eagles Can’t Swim, Eberhardt Rechtin, 2000
10
Attributes of a System Architect
• High tolerance for ambiguity
• The ability to work consistently at an abstract level
• The willingness to back track, to seek multiple solutions
• Self-discipline self-confidence, a locus of control
• A purpose orientation
• A sense of faith or vision
• Drive, a strong will to success
• Curiosity, a generalist’s perspective
Source: Systems Architecting, Creating & Building Complex Systems, Eberhardt Rechtin, 1991
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Organizations, People and Teamwork
• Definition of a system
– A set of elements so connected or related as
to perform a unique function not performable
by the elements alone
• Organizations can be better understood if
viewed as complex systems
– creators of emergent values
– virtually everything is connected to
everything else
Source: Systems Architecting of Organizations: Why Eagles Can’t Swim, Eberhardt Rechtin, 2000
12
Organizations, People and Teamwork (con’t)
•
Fellow, AIAA
– Deputy Chair, Economics Technical Committee
•
Fellow Life Member, Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
– Past SWE LA President, Current SWE LA Awards
Chair and National Life Membership Coordinator
•
Long time active member in Cost Societies
– Past Board Chair, Board Member and Conference
Chair for International Society of Parametric Analysts
(ISPA)
– Past representative, Space Systems Cost Analysis
Group (SSCAG)
•
Member, International Council on Systems Engineering
(INCOSE)
– Member, Corporate Advisory Board (CAB)
13
Organizations, People and Teamwork (con’t)
• 8th habit – Find your voice and empower others
to find theirs
– COSYSMO
– Code Counting Independent Research
course
• Find solutions to barriers, both real and
perceived
• Identify resources, be innovative
• Collaborate and build bridges
14
Conclusion and Acknowledgements
• USC CSSE is woven into the fabric of my
journey
• Humbly honored to receive the CSSE Lifetime
Achievement Award
• Give tribute to past recipients Dick Stutzke and
Gary Thomas
• Receive this award in the company of long-time
true colleagues and friends
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