Systems Engineering Handbook: A Guide for System Life Cycle Processes and Activities

by David D. Walden

The objective of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) "Systems Engineering Handbook" is to provide a description of key process activities performed by systems engineers. The descriptions in the handbook show what each SE process activity entails, in the context of designing for affordability and performance. On some projects, a given activity may be performed very informally; on other projects, very formally, with interim products under formal configuration control. The appropriate degree of formality in the execution of any SE process activity is determined by several factors: The need for communication of what is being done (across members of a project team, across organizations, or over time to support future activities)The level of uncertaintyThe degree of complexityThe consequences to human welfareOn smaller projects, where the span of required communications is small (few people and short project life cycle) and the cost of rework is low, SE activities can be conducted very informally (and thus at low cost). On larger projects, where the cost of failure or rework is high, increased formality can significantly aid in achieving project opportunities and in mitigating project risk.

Genres: Engineering

290 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2014