Overview

This free course, Systems engineering: Challenging complexity, examines system engineering and why it is important. You will learn to identify and evaluate the importance of relationships within the process and assess the relative importance of stakeholders. You will also be able to classify a systems engineering project in terms of the balance of demands, choice and constraints.

Syllabus

Introduction
Learning outcomes
1 Why is systems engineering important?
1 Why is systems engineering important?
1.1 Introduction: what is the problem?
1.2 The Phoenix project
1.3 Example 1 The Workcenter that didn't
1.4 Example 2: The Bridge of Sighs (and Wobbles)
1.5 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: the underlying relationship
1.6 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: mystery and mechanics
1.7 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: a spectrum of systems intractability
1.8 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: are systems becoming more complex?
1.9 Increasing complication, complexity and risk: summary
2 What is engineering?
2 What is engineering?
2.1 The development of engineering
2.2 A modern view
2.3 Summary and conclusions
3 What is systems?
3 What is systems?
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Systems concepts: system
3.3 System concepts: holism
3.4 Systems concepts: structure
3.5 Systems concepts: dynamic behaviour: input-transformation-output
3.6 Systems concepts: dynamic behaviour: control
3.7 Systems methodologies for managing change
3.8 Systems methodologies for managing change: hard systems approach
Stage 1: Problem definition (what is the problem?)
Stage 2: Analysis of the existing situation (where are we now?)
Stage 3: Identification of objectives and constraints (where would we like to be?)
Stage 4: Generation of routes to objectives (how could we get there?)
Stage 5: Formulating measures of performance (how will we know when we have arrived?)
Stage 6: Developing the options (what would the options be like?)
Stage 7: Option testing (how well will each work?)
Stage 8: Choice (OK, let's go)
Implementation
3.9 Systems methodologies for managing change: soft systems approach
Stage 1: The problem situation unstructured
Stage 2: The situation analysed
Stage 3: Relevant systems and root definitions
Stage 4: Conceptual model
Stage 5: Comparison of Stages 2 and 4
Stage 6: Debate on feasible and desirable changes
Stage 7: Implement changes
3.10 Systems techniques
3.11 Summary
4 What is systems engineering? The career of a concept
4 What is systems engineering? The career of a concept
4.1 Beginnings
4.2 The use of systems analysis in public policy
4.3 The use of systems engineering in organisations
4.4 The use of systems engineering in organisations: different organisational arrangements
4.5 Methodologies associated with information technology
4.6 Systems engineering: the recent development of a discipline
4.7 Summary
5 The orignial course team's approach to systems engineering
5 The orignial course team's approach to systems engineering
5.1 Introduction: the general framework
5.2 The aims and principles of system engineering
5.3 The systems engineering methodology used in the course
Conclusion
References
Acknowledgements