SYLLABUS ISE 541 Fall 2007
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING THEORY AND PRACTICE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Instructor: John Schroeder
Phone:
949 922-3264
E-mail:
john.schroeder@usc.edu
Office Hours: Thurs 5:00 to 6:00 PM, GER 205
Class:
Thurs 6:30-9:10 PM, OHE 120
Phone during office hours: (949) 922-3264
Teaching Assistant: Mayank Mohan
Phone during office hours:
E-mail: mmohan@usc.edu
Office Hours: TBD
Textbooks: Systems Engineering and Analysis, 4th edition. Benjamin S. Blanchard and Wolter J. Fabrycky,
2005 Prentice Hall, Inc.
Class Notes: Class notes will be posted on the Distance Education Network (DEN).
Additional Reading Assignments: Supplemental reading will occasionally be required. Such material will be
posted on DEN prior to the assignment. Two supplemental sources provided and referenced in the Course
Schedule below are:
1. The INCOSE Systems Engineering Vision
(ISEV)
2. The Air Force SMC Systems Engineering Handbook
(SMC)
Other sources will be posted during the semester from INCOSE, NASA, and Subject Matter Experts.
All sources used are 2001 or later
Website:
DEN Website: http://den.usc.edu
Blackboard: http://learn.usc.edu
Administrative:
DEN Technical Support
DEN Homework
DEN Exams and Proctoring
DEN Administrative Questions
Mary Ordaz, Student Services Graduate Advisor
213-821-1321
213-740-9356
213-821-3136
213-740-4488
213-740-4886
Course Objectives:
To acquaint the student with the theory and practice of systems engineering with an emphasis on techniques in
use today for large scale systems development. The student will become familiar with the organizations and
standards most relevant in that context. Students will create selected systems engineering artifacts and perform
an exercise in planning the systems engineering activities for a hypothetical program. Upon completion, the
student will be conversant in most of today’s methodologies and be exposed to developments leading to the
future of systems engineering. The course provides a firm foundation for subsequent classes Systems
Architecture and Engineering.
Prerequisites: none
COURSE SCHEDULE:
CLASS/DATE
#1 Aug 30
TOPIC(s)
READING (before class)
Introduction, Course Overview, Definitions, LifeCycles
Text Ch1, and 2.1 thru 2.3
# 2 Sept 06 SE today, trends in SE, key organizations, standards, and
Process Models; Properties of well written requirements
Text 2.4 thru 2.7,
INCOSE VISION
#3 Sept 13
INCOSE Handbook excerpt
(provided) pp 99-122
System Level Requirements Analysis,
Sources of rqts, Systems Rqts Document, Technical
Performance Measures
#4 Sept 20 Conceptual System Design, Trade Studies
Text Ch 3
#5 Sept 27 Functional Analysis: Functional Flows, QFD, Use Cases
Text Ch 3, Appendix A
#6 Oct 04
Preliminary System Design, Design Synthesis, Requirements
Allocation
Ch 4,5 & To be provided
(INCOSE)
#7 Oct 11
MIDTERM
#8 Oct 18
System Engineering Plans and the Class Project
Ch 18, SMC Appendix C5
#9 Oct 25
Verification, Test and Evaluation-Planning and Execution
Ch 6 & to be provided
#10 Nov 01
Design for Reliability, Maintainability, Human Factors,
Supportability, and Producibility
Ch 12 thru 16
#11 Nov 08
Work Breakdown Structure, Integrated Master Plan, Integrated
Master Schedule
Ch 18 & to be provided
#12 Nov 15
Risk Analysis and Mitigation
Ch 19, SMC pp 89-92
THANKSGIVING
#13 Nov29
C4ISR Architecture Framework
To be provided
#14 Dec 06
Unified Modeling Language, SysML and Closing Thoughs
To be provided
Dec 13
FINAL EXAMINATION
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS (Homework):
NUMBER
NAME OF ASSIGNMENT
DUE DATE (week)
1
System Specification – Well Written Requirements Examples
3
2
Technical Performance Metrics
4
3
Plan and Metrics for one Trade Study
5
4
Functional Flow Block Diagram
6
5
Requirements Allocation Sheet
8
6
One page essay on Verification
11
7
Example Risk Matrix and Mitigation Plan
13
CLASS PROJECT (by teams): Systems Engineering Management Plan (see below)
NOTE: The assignments are chosen to provide tangible experience in important SE methodologies.
Submission of Homework by DEN Students:
– Send your homework to DEN by email (or fax)
– DEN email submission: denhw@usc.edu
– On Blackboard, for ISE 541,click on DEN Homework for forms and instructions
Submission of Homework by On Campus Students:
– Drop off hard copies in the DEN office
– Your name, course name and time, instructor name on the front
GRADING METHOD:
The class grade is based on a combination of the assignments, midterm, project and final examination.
The weight for each category is as follows:
Assignments (lowest score not counted)
25%
Mid Term
25%
Final Examination
25%
Systems Engineering Management Plan Project
25%
100%
The grade for any homework assignment will be reduced by one letter grade per week unless prior arrangement
is made with the instructor.
USC Grading Policies shall be followed.
PROJECT:
Background: The Systems Engineering Management Plan documents the SE processes to be employed on the
program for which it is written. When done well and done early (subject to change) it is a significant risk
mitigator in terms of cost and schedule.
Teams will create a SEMP for a hypothetical program of their choosing. Guidance for the SEMP will be given
during the course, but the structure is to include the following topics: Other topics usually found in a SEMP
may be included, but are not required for this assignment.
Requirements Analysis
Functional Analysis and Allocation
Synthesis
Risk Management
Technical Performance Measures
Technical Reviews
Description of Systems Engineering Products
Teams will present a 30 minute summary of their SEMP during class 15
Academic Integrity Statement -"“The Viterbi School of Engineering adheres to the University's policies and
procedures governing academic integrity as described in SCampus. Students are expected to be aware of and to
observe the academic integrity standards described in SCampus, and to expect those standards to be enforced in
this course”.
Students with Disabilities: "Any Student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is
required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for
approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to TA) as
early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213)740-0776”.