FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Systems Engineering
The next Level of Product Development
Key Facts
1
57 % of manufacturing companies today consider networking and intelligence as a driver of technical innovation. They enable smart products and
services: from industry 4.0 applications to integrated mobility services.
2
Systems Engineering is measurably beneficial for business: particularly
successful companies achieve their quality, cost, time-to-market and sales
targets in 84 % of their development projects.
3
Systems Engineering is often seen as an expert topic in development projects, yet it is more than that: 75 % of companies see it as a management
task for orchestrating interdisciplinary cooperation.
4
5
Systems Engineering is a tool kit that provides best practices for companies
in many sectors. The norm ISO15288 offers a helpful normative structure.
Systems Engineering is used in day-to-day practice. An indicator: for years
the German chapter of INCOSE (GfSE) has been growing by 12-15 % p.a.
– particularly through car manufacturing, medical technology and mechanical engineering.
6
The current organizations and roles usually require considerable evolution
and modification. Systems Engineers direct development processes in the
project orthogonal to the specialist areas.
7
Model-based Systems Engineering is the key to the early synchronization
of specialist areas. On average, every euro invested in the concept phase
generates a saving in later phases by a factor of 3.5.
8
Successful introduction strategies impose the necessary structures from
the top-down and establish impressive and communicable “lighthouses”
along a step-by-step plan.
9
Systems Engineers don’t grow on trees. Training at universities cannot meet
the demand - the companies must qualify employees and promote special
integrators.
10
Systems Engineering is not the revolution of service or product development,
it is the consistent evolution thereof. 80 % of high-performance companies
consistently measure and optimize their performance.
2 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Introduction
Interaction and networking are the drivers of innovation in many
sectors: from autonomous driving in the automotive industry and
Industry 4.0 applications in mechanical and plant engineering,
to differentiating services that require a technical infrastructure
for the provision and billing of services. The consequences for
the product and service development are significant: the system
boundaries of the products and services are expanded – they
become interacting parts of a “system of systems” [1], [2]. The
term Systems Engineering thus describes the development of a
product, service or integrated combination.
Networked
Systems
SMART
LOGISTICS
SMART
FACTORY
Autonomous
Systems
SMART
MOBILITY
SMART
HEALTH
SMART PRODUCTS
Smart Grid/
Smart Home
SMART
BUILDINGS
Technology drivers in all sectors
require an understanding of
systems now more than ever.
Infrastructure
Systems
SMART GRIDS
Industry 4.0
Mobility
Concepts
Fig. 1: Networking and interaction are key success factors in all sectors.
The enhancement of products often triggers changes in the companies’ business models and the networks in which the services
are rendered. New partners are integrated into development, production and operations. All this must be planned in advance within
the development [3].
What is Systems Engineering?
A simple definition is: Systems Engineering enables the interdisciplinary development of products and services. It addresses the
product to be developed and/or the service, as well as the associated project and organization. Accordingly, Systems Engineering
is an enabler for the complex systems of tomorrow.
Systems Engineering is basically
“good product development” for
products and services.
The origins of Systems Engineering lies in the aerospace industry
– it has been employed as standard here for 40 years. The major
technical and organizational complexity, as well as the high regulatory requirements in the sector require a highly systematic approach and the extensive use of simulation and test procedures.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 3
An extensive Systems Engineering tool kit has been developed
throughout this period, which is now applicable to many other
sectors.
The study “Systems Engineering in industrial practice” proves
that, driven by the increasing intelligence and networking of products, the same challenges encountered in aviation are also visible
in car manufacturing and in mechanical and plant engineering:
the orchestration of interdisciplinary cooperation, the planning
and controllability of increasingly more complex projects, as well
as the re-utilization of solution know-how [4].
Fig. 2: Expected benefits of Systems Engineering
This contrasts with established structures, processes and tools
in the R&D departments. The emerging gap represents the need
for a comprehensive and multidisciplinary system analysis and a
synchronization of the specialist areas. The connecting element is
Systems Engineering.
Fig. 3: The need for Systems Engineering is increasing steadily.
4 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
“Market leadership through innovation requires huge efforts to
unite the traditionally separate design processes for mechanics,
electronics and software in order to enable efficient product development and to minimize the associated costs and project run
times.”
There is no doubt that there is a fundamental need for this connecting element in practice. The actual challenge is to find the
appropriate characteristics for each individual company:
▪▪ What are core competencies for its future products?
▪▪ What methodical and expert know-how does it require?
▪▪ What changes are triggered in terms of cooperation in projects
and within the organization?
▪▪ How do responsibilities and balances of power shift between
the specialist areas?
▪▪ How is the process of change controlled and who must be integrated?
This OPPORTUNITY follows these questions from a company’s
perspective and highlights the corresponding areas of organization: from the definition of an individual Systems Engineering
strategy and the design of competencies, processes and organization, to the enabling of specific development projects and their
establishment within the company.
Dirk Spindler
Head of Research and Development for
Industry
Member of Board of Directors for Industry
Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
Systems Engineering is not a
panacea: it must be designed
specifically for every company.
This OPPORTUNITY follows a
companyʼs fields of action when
establishing SE.
Fig. 4: The following chapters focus on the introduction of Systems Engineering in companies.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 5
Systems Engineering Strategy
Who needs Systems Engineering?
From future products and the
competitive position of the company the Systems Engineering
strategy is derived.
A quick audit can analyse the
abilities of current development
processes.
The question concerning “whether” and “how much” in terms of
Systems Engineering is driven by the positioning of the company
on the market and among the competition – the Systems Engineering strategy is derived from this. A coherent Systems Engineering strategy includes four elements.
▪▪ Starting situation: What skills does the company’s R&D currently have?
▪▪ Mission statement and aspired position: What does the
company aim to achieve in the field of R&D?
▪▪ Strategic competencies: What abilities does the company
require to reach the aspired position?
▪▪ Measures for strategy implementation: What specific action
must the company take for this?
The starting position can be described using a basic comparison of abilities with established norms and standards – CMMI [5]
or the Systems Engineering standard ISO 15288 [6] should be
mentioned here. A short audit can determine how well different
development activities are managed and executed in accordance
with industry best practices.
The key specifications of the Systems Engineering strategy are
the mission statement and the aspired position (see Fig. 5).
The most important conclusions can be drawn from the prospective market performance and competitive position. The market
performance describes the aspired markets, the product portfolio,
the price position and the volume of the added value for products
and services. The aspired competitive position describes the form
of each company’s technological leadership, as well as the type
and scope of cooperation with partners.
The strategic competencies and measures for implementing the
strategy are derived from and concern the competencies, processes and organization of the company, as described at the beginning.
6 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Fig. 5: Example of the formulation of a mission statement
When defining the aspired position, it often helps to look at other
companies in the same sector, but it is also useful to consider
sectors that have already taken leaps in complexity and technology. This allows future requirements to be anticipated, and welltrodden paths to be adapted. The aforementioned study [4] shows
that virtualization in product development is an interdisciplinary
area of activity. It also shows that aviation has produced solutions
in many sectors, which are suitable as references. Therefore,
something can be learned from this.
Trends in other sectors often
anticipate developments and
provide orientation for the future.
What are the benefits of Systems Engineering?
Empirical analyses of more than 150 comparable projects were
conducted in various studies in order to determine the effects of
Systems Engineering on project work and the results [7], [8], [9],
[10].
The answer to the question concerning its effect is clear: all
studies substantiate the positive impact of Systems Engineering on the efficiency of projects and project results, for example
improved planning accuracy and fewer budget overspends. The
effects vary depending on the complexity of the project and the
type and scope of the use of Systems Engineering. Every euro
invested in requirement and concept definition pays off, on average, through fewer changes and fault correction measures in
later phases by a factor of 3.5.
There is empirical evidence that
Systems Engineering is reflected
in better project performance.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 7
The proportion of projects with considerable deviations from
planning can usually be reduced by approximately 40 percent.
In particular this is due to a well-founded technical design, the
agreement of clear interfaces and a more structured project
execution. As with any other project that aims to optimize internal
processes and to increase the efficiency of the organization, the
introduction of Systems Engineering also requires the accompanying control of results. Thus the collection of key performance
indicators has proved successful on three levels: in terms of the
individual project, the process and the company as a whole.
Primarily key performances indicators, which are used to manage
projects and business and for which management is responsible,
should be used.
Fig. 6: The benefits of Systems Engineering can be measured using corresponding key performance indicators.
In addition to significant changes to these KPIs, UNITY project
experiences indicate further positive effects that emerge later.
These include a better culture of cooperation, increased product
quality, reduced quality costs and finally, increased client satisfaction.
Technical Manager
Building Services Engineering
Company
8 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
“By using systems engineering in product definition and consistently applying this methodology in the development project, we
have been able to shorten the development time from five to three
and a half years.”
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Competencies
What is the task of a Systems Engineer?
Systems Engineering can be described using the metaphor
of an orchestra: every orchestra needs a conductor to control
and guide the musicians and individual instruments to creative
success. But what does a conductor do? Does he/she just stand
there and make no contribution – couldn’t that also be done by
the director who takes responsibility for the budget, marketing
and production time? That certainly doesn’t work.
The Systems Engineer conducts
the various disciplines throughout the development of complex
systems.
The Systems Engineer is the conductor. He/she coordinates the
interdisciplinary teams using procedures and methods, and balances internal project constraints with client requirements to produce a successful product or service. The increasing complexity,
the pressure to innovate, the trend towards distributed working
and the growing proportion of purchased components and services require a participant who ensures the overall technical picture. He/she must oversee the important connections and effects
between the specialist areas throughout all phases of the product
life cycle, present these in a comprehensible way and thus explain that the management can make well-founded decisions.
The three sets of tasks of a systems Engineer are described in
detail below:
1.The Systems Engineer is responsible for the technical solution
and manages the orchestra within the project to achieve the
best result.
2.The Systems Engineer manages the work of the specialist
experts, both in individual projects and for the implementation
of iinternal process standards for cooperation.
3.The Systems Engineer ensures the re-utilization of established
technical solutions and provides the “sheet music”.
Systems Engineering organizes
the cooperation of specialist
experts in projects and establishes rules and standards within
the organization.
In smaller projects the conductor is both − the project manager
and the Systems Engineer. In large projects the responsibility is
shared for project and product and/or system. The project manager and Systems Engineer work as a team with different areas
of responsibility. The content of the development tasks is normally
managed by the Systems Engineer, whereas the time and effort
of the project is controlled by the project manager. Many topics
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 9
Working in partnership with the
project manager, the Systems
Engineer is a key player in the
development project.
such as the preparation and implementation of decisions, risk
management etc. must be handled jointly.
Those responsible for Systems Engineering are usually the driving force behind the modification of processes and cooperation
models within the company. They can identify requirements in
projects and develop further methods and processes based on
these.
Fig. 7: The distribution of tasks between Systems Engineer and project manager
Systems Engineering is responsible for establishing standards
for interdisciplinary cooperation in
products and processes.
10 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Opening up processes to other participants and standardizing
collaborative working practices plays an important role, particularly in globally distributed contexts.
The same applies for establishing product standards. In large
organizations, A often doesn’t know what B has already developed. Systems Engineering can build bridges between projects
and guarantee adherence to design rules and the utilization of
modular designs. There is considerable cost saving potential
here, for example by re-utilizing the same solutions e.g. in machine drive components that are “invisible” to clients and irrelevant to decisions.
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
What must a Systems Engineer be able to do?
Systems Engineers have established themselves on all levels of
the system in leading sectors. It is important to maintain a combination of management skills and technical understanding at all
times. As the Systems Engineer is responsible for the entire life
cycle of a product, he/she must consider all phases and, in an
ideal scenario, shall continue to maintain technical responsibility
for the product.
Systems Engineers have specialist know-how and management
skills.
The respondents in the study on Systems Engineering in industrial practice [4] confirm that training and further education have
to evolve and must provide employees of the development with a
range of qualifications. Three top priorities are sought:
▪▪ (D) Design know-how in a specific discipline and/or in a field of
application – “in-depth knowledge”
▪▪ (SE) Systems Engineering know-how, i.e. overall understanding of the product engineering process – “extensive knowledge”
▪▪ (PM) Project management know-how and soft skills such as
communication, leadership etc.
Fig. 8: According to the responsibility at different levels of the product structure, a range of different skill profiles are
required in a Systems Engineering project.
Each Systems Engineer has a different qualification profile.
This depends on tasks and responsibilities. For example, chief
Systems Engineers, who are responsible for complex systems,
require more project management and Systems Engineering
skills than Systems Engineers who are responsible for a subSYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 11
system. Similarly, specialist developers must have the basic understanding of a Systems Engineer, but their focus lies in design
know-how.
How are Systems Engineers trained?
Systems Engineers normally have
to gain qualifications through
personnel training.
The Systems Engineers of tomorrow are currently trained at
universities. There are more and more courses with individual
Systems Engineering modules or consistent curricula. However,
until the graduates enter the industry and have acquired the necessary practical experience and application know-how, the only
way to meet the demand is by training existing employees. Therefore, experienced developers with design know-how (D) need to
be taught complementary skills in Systems Engineering (SE) and
project management (PM).
In principle, employees can gain qualifications in two ways:
▪▪ through general training through an independent provider or
▪▪ through company-specific training and qualification programs.
Training providers offer a basic
qualification. Larger companies
define individual development
paths and company-specific
programs.
12 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
In the first instance, training sessions are booked with training
providers. They teach Systems Engineering content in accordance with ISO 15288 [6]. Training provides a knowledge base
and imparts common terminology, standard methods and processes.
Company-specific seminars or even company-specific training
programs are ideal for conveying more specific knowledge. The
benefit of these is that company-specific examples can be used,
in addition to the individual terms and processes. They also point
out a qualification and career development path to employees.
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Fig. 9: Opportunities for extra-occupational SE training
What are the differences between the certification
options?
There are two certification options in the context of Systems
Engineering: the German route in accordance with the rules of the
“Gesellschaft für Systems Engineering” (GfSE) and the international route through the International Council on Systems Engineering
(INCOSE). The content of these are comparable, but they differ in
terms of language, teaching, duration and examination. The following table indicates the terms and conditions for the certification of a
Systems Engineering according to both systems.
Fig. 10: Modalities for the two possible SE certification routes
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 13
Processes
The best practices tool kit
The systematic and targeted
utilisation of SE methods is a key
success factor in the development.
The complexity of development projects largely results from their
interdisciplinarity: software, electric, electronic and mechanical
elements of the products all entail different development cycles
and procedures. Agile software development concerns prototype construction and service development, and thus encounters
different levels of maturity and processes within a team. In the development process, it is important to synchronize work at specific
points and at significant stages, and to manage the work in an
interdisciplinary manner.
There are three crucial success factors for this:
1.Systematic concept phase
It is important to identify key issues and challenges in the project
at an early stage and to address these immediately. Empirical
investigations prove that the use of Systems Engineering in early
phases is always a sound investment.
The focus of Systems Engineering is on a detailed, interdisciplinary concept phase, a continuous
validation and analysis of the
complete product life cycle.
2.Continuous validation
In practice there is a continuous build up of virtual and hardware
prototypes, demonstrators and samples with varying degrees
of maturity for different purposes. Especially in conjunction with
the parallel design of services and infrastructure components in
product-service combinations, demand for the systematic and
planned validation of the overall system is increasing.
3.Consideration of the entire product life cycle
Just handing-over devised strategies to product development
and development solutions to production is identified as the worst
solution. Instead the entire team, supervised by the Systems
Engineer, must devise concepts that ensure the consistency of
the task and a uniform language throughout divisions.
14 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Therefore, companies must consistently coordinate their processes and work practices and establish standards. The UNITY Systems Engineering Tool Kit represents the basis for corresponding
implementation within the company. Pursuant to ISO15288, it is
comprised of three levels:
“Organisational processes”, “Technical processes” and “Performance evaluation processes”.
Fig. 11: The UNITY Systems Engineering Tool Kit consists of organizational processes, technical processes and
performance evaluation processes.
Organizational processes
A Chief Systems Engineer can manage his/her own organization
of employees (see Chapter Organization). He/she is responsible
for the Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP). This
describes the technical project prospective towards planning and
supervision, resources, the technologies used and their risks.
These activities are synchronized with the product development
process and the individual gates of the guiding Project Management Plan and describe the activities and scope of the technical
development within the project.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 15
Specifying the IT infrastructure, paths of communication, forms
and data management used for the project is an important aspect of information management. Particularly where distributed
working and collaborative projects are concerned, the harmonization of processes, methods and exchange formats is essential to
ensure a stable working environment in the long-term.
Agreeing the configuration management for the project and the
product is a key component of the organizational processes. This
also includes change management throughout the entire life cycle
i.e. the monitoring of changes during the development, operation
and maintenance of individual series or even individual deliveries.
The decision management contains methods for preparing decisions on individual hierarchical levels and for the areas of makeor-buy, comparison studies, value analysis or design-to-cost.
Technical processes
In requirements management, all client needs are collected
and translated into verifiable requirements. These requirements
are validated directly with the persons concerned wherever possible. Requirements changes that add new requirements and erase
old ones at product, team and partner level can be broken down
by traceable documentation.
Fig. 12: Utilization of consistent change management
16 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Verification and validation measures are planned for all requirements. Consequently, planning and verification across all levels
of the product structure are performed to ensure the horizontal
and vertical consistency of requirements and results.
Verification: You built the thing
right. Validation: You built the right
thing.
Architecture and functional design of the system are performed
in parallel to requirements management. Thus existing architectures and function specifications can be re-utilized, as they
are generic and do not contain any explicit solution specification.
Optimal interfaces are specified in the architecture, taking into
account the planned product program with all versions thereof.
This is the basis of make-or-buy decisions and the expression of
a platform or modular strategy.
The functional design is documented in the form of function
trees, block diagrams etc. and supports a solution-neutral approach to the development task and the making of concept decisions. The inspection of the architecture and the functional model
regarding the requirements ensures that all requirements are
considered and implemented within the system at a defined point.
Both over- and under-specification are avoided. The functional
models can also be harnessed along the life cycle for various
optimization methods.
In addition to the technical interfaces in the system, interface
management also considers the human-machine interface. It focuses on the acceptance of service and maintenance personnel,
which affects accessibility and ease of operation.
Machine Directive or other sector-specific rules and regulations
for product liability and health & safety analyses from a regulatory
perspective are summarized under the term safety. RAM design
criteria, which evaluate the reliability, availability and maintainability of the solution, are always important.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 17
Performance evaluation processes
A performance evaluation takes place alongside the development
procedure using key performance indicators. These refer to the
project performance (key performance indicators e.g. the approval
of construction documents and the achievement of milestones)
and the technical performance (technical performance measures
e.g. weight or performance targets from the requirements). The
measurement of the project and product should be started immediately in order to identify deviations in the implementation and
make adjustments if necessary. Reviews and audits ensure the
process conformity of the work.
Model-based Systems Engineering ensures a high degree of
maturity in reviews with the
management.
Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is gaining importance
in the simulation component of the Systems Engineering Tool Kit.
It enables the virtual construction, evaluation and comparison of
concept alternatives at a reasonable expense and with sufficient
accuracy. This produces abstract models, which can be compared
with the requirements for fast impact analyses, allowing early verification of the entire concept. Once the verification requirements
have been defined, they can be re-utilized in the model-based Systems Engineering approach, both in simulation test cases and in
the integration of components, right up to the overall system level
in hardware tests. Therefore, model-based Systems Engineering
expands the demands on integrated data management and on the
IT structure for supporting Systems Engineering processes.
Fig. 13: Model-based Systems Engineering closes the chain between virtual and hardware-based protection.
18 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Organization
Where is the Systems Engineer embedded
within the company?
In large companies, the tasks of Systems Engineering lead to
an adequate allocation at an organizational level:
▪▪ Positioned close to responsibility for business and output of
product development
▪▪ Organizational separation of project management and Systems Engineering
▪▪ Organizational separation of Systems Engineering and individual specialist areas
▪▪ Establishing the Systems Engineer on an equal footing with
his/her process partners
Systems Engineering is subordinate to senior management.
It creates the balance between
project and company targets.
Fig. 14: The organizational anchoring of the Systems Engineer using the example of a large company
There are various blueprints for the implementation of a Systems
Engineering organization, which can be adapted to suit individual
conditions. On the one hand, the chosen organizational form of
a company depends on which tasks the organization must fulfil
and which are already anchored in existing company units. On
the other hand, this form depends on the features of the company
itself, i.e. company size and culture, product and project spectrum
etc.
The creation of an organization that monitors the content of
development projects, but that also deals with the standardization of interdisciplinary cooperation, is often the key to successful
development projects in an international context.
Systems Engineering requires a
company-specific arrangement an “off-the-shelf” approach does
not work here.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 19
Enabling Projects
How is Systems Engineering introduced into a
company?
The introduction of SE requires
consistent management support.
If the aspired Systems Engineering strategy is specified and
the rough arrangement is defined in the areas of competencies,
processes and organization, the company then faces the major
challenge of successfully supporting its organization along the
way. The introduction of Systems Engineering is often linked to
significant change in development organizations, thus an introduction strategy that meets these requirements must be chosen.
Fig. 15: Various introduction strategies – not all are suitable for Systems Engineering
In general there are various approaches for introducing new
processes, systems or methods in companies. The two extremes
are a top-down and a bottom-up strategy. These, however, are
not suitable for introducing Systems Engineering. On the contrary, different levels must be approached simultaneously, which
is where the bipolar strategy has proven particularly successful.
Pilot projects generate rapid success and involve the organization.
20 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
It has been shown that support from senior management is essential for the successful introduction of Systems Engineering.
In addition to this support, it is advisable to choose specific pilot
projects that trial new methods, processes and roles. Systems
Engineering is not a panacea; it must be tailored specifically to
the company. This company-specific tailoring can be performed
through these pilot projects. The use of Systems Engineering in
these pilot projects should be supported by line managers and
project managers.
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
So what projects should companies choose for the introduction?
Two important aspects should be considered:
1.The project poses a particular challenge because the use of
new technologies necessitates cooperation with additional
divisions or partner companies.
2.The project is positioned on the highest system level for the
company and is suitable for testing efficiency improvements.
Development projects with
particular challenges are suitable
pilot projects.
How is the deployment planned?
The implementation of the deployment strategy is defined pragmatically in a Systems Engineering roadmap. It describes the
measures of the deployment strategy in various design areas and
at different stages. The following questions must be answered
here:
▪▪ How can the organization and new roles be established?
▪▪ How can employees gain qualifications and how can
the necessary competencies be built up?
▪▪ What processes, methods, tools and IT systems are suitable
and which need to be improved or re-introduced?
▪▪ How can partners or suppliers be integrated?
▪▪ Which projects are suitable for “testing” the new organization
and processes?
▪▪ Which internal and external committees can be used for
exchange and marketing?
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 21
Fig. 16: Example of a Systems Engineering roadmap
What are the success factors for change?
1.Change management
Systems Engineering modifies working practices and responsibilities, sometimes significantly, in projects and often represents
a cultural change within the development. Thus professional
supervision of this change is necessary. The planning and coordination of activities within the roadmap must be arranged based
on aspects of change management.
22 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
Fig. 17: The three phases of change according to Kurt Lewin [11]
Kurt Lewin’s model describes the phases that characterize a
change. The first phase “Unfreeze” concerns promoting a willingness to embrace change. When Systems Engineering is introduced, the opportunities related to Systems Engineering must
be illustrated and individual employees must be qualified. The
second phase “Move/Change” sees the implementation of initial
pilot projects, and the trial of methods and modified roles. The
participants thus identify the added value and benefits of Systems
Engineering. The third phase “Freeze” concerns the stabilization
of the situation, whereby the focus is on consistently experiencing
the changes. A key success factor here is measuring and communicating the success generated by Systems Engineering.
All employees are involved in the
process of change. A willingness
to embrace change and support
in difficult project phases should
be considered in the implementation plan from the start.
2.Rollout
Experience shows that the process of introducing Systems Engineering into a company stretches over several years and takes
place in various stages. The activities must be precisely planned
and monitored in order to handle this extended roll-out successfully.
3.Implementation monitoring
A key success factor is implementation monitoring, which tracks
the consistent realization of planned works, as well as the increased efficiency. For this, suitable key performance indicators
in the processes and projects must be defined and their development observed. This allows positive trends to be identified and
provides momentum into the next implementation step.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 23
Conclusion
Product engineering is facing a new level of complexity, which
companies must successfully master with systems engineering. Systems engineering offers structure and methodology for
companies: it ensures better planning accuracy in projects, lower
costs and higher R&D productivity. The successful introduction
of systems engineering in companies requires a clear strategy
and is based on targeted design on the levels of competencies,
processes and organization. A recommended starting point is a
neutral audit to determine individual requirements.
UNITY Expertise
UNITY supports companies in assembling their individual Systems Engineering tool kit and training their employees. Numerous
client projects substantiate UNITY’s comprehensive expertise in
Systems Engineering. Each project focusses on one of the following benefits:
UNITY References: Systems Engineering
Benefits
Car Manufacturers: Benefit Assessment of Systems Engineering
Analysis and assessment of SE benefits using pilot works in the collaborative product development; deduction of strategic SE activity areas
and definition of a roadmap
Wind Energy: Strategic Planning of SE Structures
Implementation of a Systems Engineering audit; Systems Engineering
introduction concept for an international wind power plant manufacturer regarding to organization, processes and methods
24 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
UNITY References: Systems Engineering
Benefits
Medical Technology: Project-driven Organizational Development
Integrated development of product and production system for a new
product; project-specific definition of best practices for further development of the processes and organization
Mechanical and Plant Engineering: Integrated Product and
Production System Development
Integrated development of product and production system for a new
product; coaching of internal project manager in SE tasks and guarantee of quality, time and cost targets
Automotive Suppliers: Introduction, Certification of SE Processes
SE audit and subsequent harmonization of the development processes
of an international company. Optimization of Systems Engineering processes and certification in accordance with CMMI
Car Manufacturers: SE Process and IT Development
Interdisciplinary IT development for Systems Engineering; definition
of step-by-step plans to increase process maturity and utilization in
vehicle projects
Aviation: Definition of The End-to-end Processes for a Civil
Aviation Program
Guarantee of transparent processes in a major, international project
and support of the process roll-out including roll-out monitoring and
performance measurement
Building Services Engineering: Improvement of International
Cooperation
Audit of the current processes, methods and tools in Systems Engineering; harmonization and training of working practices, taking into
account the local and cultural limiting conditions
Automotive Suppliers: SE Training Program Concept
Creation of a company-specific training program with certifiable standard modules in accordance with INCOSE, as well as individual examples and training modules
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 25
Literature
[1] acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering:
Umsetzungsempfehlungen für das Zukunftsprojekt Industrie
4.0, April 2013
[2] Gausemeier, J. et al.: Auf dem Weg zu Industrie 4.0: Lösungen aus dem Spitzencluster it´s OWL, April 2014
[3] Münchner Kreis e. V.: Innovationsfelder der digitalen Welt.
Bedürfnisse von übermorgen, April 2013
[4] Unity AG, Heinz Nixdorf Institut, Fraunhofer IPT: Systems
Engineering in industrial practice, 2013 (available free of
charge at www.unity.de/studien)
[5] Chrissis, M. B., Konrad, M., Shrum, S.: CMMI. Guidelines for Process Integration and Product Improvement, 2011
[6] ISO/IEC 15288:2008. Systems and software engineering –
System life cycle processes
[7] Elm, J. P.: A Study of Systems Engineering Effectiveness:
Building a Business Case for SE, 2011
[8] Honour, E. C.: Understanding the Value of Systems Engineering, 2004
[9] Valerdi, R.; Boehm, B.: The ROI of Systems Engineering:
Some Quantitative Results, 2007
[10]Aberdeen Group, Inc.: The Mechatronics System Design
Benchmark Report – Coordinating Engineering Discipline,
2006
[11] Vahs, D.; Weiand, A.: Workbook Change Management, 2010
The authors of this issue:
Dr.-Ing. Daniel Steffen Sven-Olaf Schulze
Senior Manager
Senior Expert
26 ▪ SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Franz Gaupp
Consultant
FACTS FOR DECISION MAKERS
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About UNITY
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‘OPPORTUNITY – Facts for
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series is to provide decision
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SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ▪ 27
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ISBN 978-3-946184-10-2
© UNITY 2014