16-650 Systems Engineering and

Management for Robotics

Topic #2: Systems Engineering

September 5 & 10, 2024

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p1 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 What is systems engineering?

“Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary approach and

means to enable the realization of successful systems.”
“It focuses on defining customer needs and required
functionality early in the development cycle, documenting
requirements, and then proceeding with design synthesis and
system validation while considering the complete problem:
operations, cost and schedule, performance, training and
support, test, manufacturing, and disposal.”
“Systems Engineering considers both the business and the
technical needs of all customers with the goal of providing a
quality product that meets the user needs.”

Source: INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook v. 3.2.1, January 2011

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p2 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 Why Systems Engineering?

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p3 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 Why Systems Engineering?

A Kossiakoff et al., 2011

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p4 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 Distinctions of Systems Engineering

• Top-down, holistic approach

• Focused on the what not the how

• Life-cycle orientated

• Interdisciplinary

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p5 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 Systems Engineering covers the full Life Cycle of a system

ACQUISITION PHASE UTILIZATION PHASE

N
Conceptual/ Detailed Production
E Product Use, Support,
Preliminary Design and and/or
E Design Development Construction
Phase-out, and Disposal
D

B Blanchard, W Fabrycky, 2011

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p6 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 “-Ilities” are essential considerations!

Must be accounted in the life cycle (“cradle to grave”)

– Manufacturability
– Reliability
– Maintainability
– Sustainability
– Affordability

B Blanchard, W Fabrycky, 2011

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p7 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 Models of the Systems Engineering process

The Waterfall

The Waterfall with feedback

The Spiral

The V Model

Agile

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p8 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 The Waterfall model

www.emeraldinsight.com

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p9 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos

 The Waterfall model

All major phases of design and

engineering happen sequentially
Each phase is distinct
There is no iteration between phases
Requires careful planning and
execution
Each phase must be carried out in
great detail and address potential risks
Effective if requirements are well
defined, budget allows for complete
development cycles, and prior similar
developments exist
Not suitable for large projects and
brand new systems subject to changing
requirements
16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p10 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 Waterfall with feedback to address deficiencies of the
basic Waterfall

save money if
you only listen
last step

do best no
perfect

www.spminfoblog.com
16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p11 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 16-650 Systems Engineering and
Management for Robotics

Topic #2: Systems Engineering (2)

September 14, 2023

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p12 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 Models of the Systems Engineering process

The Waterfall

The Waterfall with feedback

The Spiral

The V Model

Agile

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p13 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The Spiral Model

1. Work objectives, 2. Evaluate

constraints, and alternatives and
alternatives resolve risks
3
prototpyes
old features can not be
affected by new ones

choose one
version and refine

4. Review and plan 3. Develop/validate

next phase next version
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-engineering-spiral-model/

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p14 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The Spiral model

Four major phases

1. Work objectives, 2. Evaluate
constraints, and alternatives and Iterative process
alternatives resolve risks Multiple waterfalls with feedback
System matures with each iteration
Various prototypes
Prototyping follows risk identification
More suitable for large projects and
large budgets, handles changing
requirements, customers can use
4. Review and plan 3. Develop/validate interim versions of system
next phase next version
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-engineering-spiral-model/
Complex to plan and execute, high-
cost, risks must be identified correctly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p15 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 A detailed Spiral Model

https://xbsoftware.com/blog/software-development-life-cycle-spiral-model/
16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p16 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements Acceptance
Development Testing
how to connect together
System Integrated
Architecting System Testing

Subsystem Subsystem
Design Testing

Element Unit
Design Testing

Fabrication and
Assembly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p17 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

System
Need
in-use

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 The V-model

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 The V-model

Requirements
Development

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 The V-model

Pre Blast

+60 min
+ 15 min

+90 min
+ 30 min

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 The V-model

Requirements
Development

System
Architecting

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p22 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p23 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements
Development

System
Architecting

Subsystem
Design

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p24 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p25 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements
Development

System
Architecting

Subsystem
Design

Element
Design

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p26 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Hull
Drive &
Suspension

Traction Power
Logic Unit
Unit
Battery

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p27 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements
Development

System
Architecting

Subsystem
Design

Element
Design

Fabrication and
Assembly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p28 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Hull

Drive &
Suspension

Traction Power Battery

Unit Logic Unit

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p29 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements
Development

System
Architecting

Subsystem
Design

Element Unit
Design Testing

Fabrication and
Assembly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p30 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

not full system

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p31 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements
Development

System
Architecting

Subsystem Subsystem
Design Testing

Element Unit
Design Testing

Fabrication and
Assembly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p32 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p33 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements
Development

System Integrated
Architecting System Testing

Subsystem Subsystem
Design Testing

Element Unit
Design Testing

Fabrication and
Assembly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p34 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p35 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements Acceptance
Development Testing

System Integrated
Architecting System Testing

Subsystem Subsystem
Design Testing

Element Unit
Design Testing

Fabrication and
Assembly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p36 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p37 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements Acceptance
Development Testing

System Integrated
Architecting System Testing

Subsystem Subsystem
Design Testing

Element Unit
Design Testing

Fabrication and
Assembly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p38 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model

Requirements Acceptance
Development Testing

System Integrated
Architecting System Testing

Subsystem Subsystem
Design Testing

Element Unit
Design Testing

Fabrication and
Assembly

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p39 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 The V-model in software system engineering

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-engineering-sdlc-v-model/

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 Extended V-model example

https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/plan4ops/sys_engineering.htm#_ftn2

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 Key notes on the V-model

Left side of V: Requirements, architectures, design; from

higher-level to detailed

Bottom of V: Build, fabrication, assembly, prototyping, initial

integration

Right of V: Full integration, testing, validation, acceptance;

from small unit testing to full-system testing and acceptance

Testing matches level of system hierarchy, e.g. element

design requirements are validated at the unit testing level,
subsystem design requirements are validated at the
subsystem level, etc.

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 Key notes on the V-model (cont.)

Encourages careful definition of requirements and

architectures upfront. Detailed execution of the early stages is
critical to the success of the system and project

Facilitates deliberate testing, debugging, and validation of

smaller system elements before escalating to larger elements

Any change in requirements must be handled by a thorough

review of architecture and design and, if necessary, re-
architecting and re-designing

Since no early system prototypes are built, one must follow

process in completing the testing and validation steps
thoroughly to ensure compliance to requirements

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 Agile or Incremental Model of Systems Engineering

START

1 2 N

FINISH

http://tryqa.com/what-is-agile-model-advantages-disadvantages-and-when-to-use-it/

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 Takeaways on the process of Systems Engineering

Full system life cycle

Requirements driven
Focus on the system as a whole;
ultimately must accept system
Emphasizes full operation by
managing multitude of
requirements
Function first, then form
Concerned about many aspects
not just engineering

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p45 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 For larger, more complex systems and projects we apply the V
method in applied R&D

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 only

Use or disclosure of document data allowed - Systems
with written Engineering / p46Mellon University. © 2020 Carnegie Mellon University.
permission from Carnegie © 2024 CMUDimi Apostolopoulos
Confidential & Proprietary.
 For retrofits-for-automation and subsystem R&D we apply agile
methods

Sensing, autonomy, and

tooling retrofits

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 only

Use or disclosure of document data allowed - Systems
with written Engineering / p47Mellon University. © 2020 Carnegie Mellon University.
permission from Carnegie © 2024 CMUDimi Apostolopoulos
Confidential & Proprietary.
 Models of Systems Engineering

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 Key considerations when choosing a Systems Engineering
model

• Treatment of requirements, e.g. all upfront vs. some upfront

and iterate

• Attributes of system: New, modified, retrofit? Small, medium,

large?

• Available budget and time to produce the system

• Available technical expertise and organization capabilities

• Treatment of risk, e.g. risk mitigation-driven design?

16-650 Fall 2024 – SysEngMR T2 - Systems Engineering / p49 © 2024 Dimi Apostolopoulos
 Key considerations in Systems Engineering

B Blanchard, W Fabrycky, 2011

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 Key considerations in Systems Engineering

B Blanchard, W Fabrycky, 2011

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