ASEP/CSEP Prep Questions (INCOSE) - I (SE Handbook Ch.1-4) 2023

ASEP/CSEP Prep Questions (INCOSE) - I (SE Handbook Ch.1-4) 2023 System Concept A shared mental representation of the actual system System elements have processes that have the binary value of ______ or _____ idle, execute System elements cannot be systems on their own merit. (True/False) False What are two things that integration must establish? 1. relationships between the effects that organizing the elements has on their own interaction. 2. How these effects enable the system to achieve its purpose In defining a hierarchy, a SE must strike a balance between: 1. Defining span of control clearly and simply 2. Resolving the structure of the SOI into a complete set of system elements that can be implemented with confidence Characteristics that can be used to decide if SOI is better understood as a SoS o Operational independence of constituent system o Managerial independence of constituent system o Geographical distribution o Emergent behavior o Evolutionary development process In complicated systems, the interactions between many parts are governed by______. fixed relationships Difference between complex and complicated systems o In complicated systems, the interactions between many parts are governed by fixed relationships. o In complex systems, interactions between the parts exhibit self-organization where local interactions give rise to novel. Nonlocal, emergent patterns. o Complicated systems can often become complex when behavior patterns change. Challenges that influence the engineering of an SoS o SoS Authorities (each constituent system has its own local owner) o Leadership o Constituent systems' perspectives o Capabilities and requirements (most SoS are made up of multiple independent systems with their own requirements), o Autonomy, interdependencies, and emergence o Testing, validation, and learning o SoS principles (new field, major learning curve for traditional SEs) o Security challenges What should be considered during life cycle stages of the SOI? Relevant enabling systems One system variable can be the cause and effect of another system due to circular causation What are the three classes of SE competencies? Systems thinking Holistic life cycle view SE management Operating environment/ Operating Context collection of elements that interact with the system Attribute observable characteristic/property of a system System Boundary what belongs/does not belong to the system Functionality interactions of the system with its operating environment System Architecture per IEEE 42010 (2011): "the fundamental concept or properties of a system in its environment embodied in its elements, relationships, and in the principles of its design and evolution." Variable symbol/name that identifies an attribute Measurement outcome of a process in which the SOI interacts with an observation system under specified conditions. Dynamic behavior time evolution of the system state Emergent behavior behavior of the system that cannot be understood exclusively in terms of the behavior of individual system elements. · Black Box/ White Box - Black box: external view of the system (attributes) - White box: internal view of the system (attributes and element structure) Partitioning of the system identify a complete set of distinct system elements with regard to only the whole by suppressing details of their interactions and interrelations System Hierarchy Concept per IEEE 15288: "[5.2.2] The system life cycle processes...are described in relation to a system that is composed of a set of interacting system elements, each of which can be implemented to fulfill its respective specified requirement." SoS an SOI whose elements are managerially and/or operationally independent systems Enabling systems systems that facilitate the LC activities of the SOI A life cycle can be defined as _____ series of stages through which something passes. Per IEEE 15288: "5.4.2 - life cycles vary according to the nature, purpose, use and prevailing circumstances of the system..." Where are SE tasks usually concentrated? At the beginning of the LC What are the three aspects of the lifecycle? Business case Funding Technical What are two critical parameters that systems engineers sometimes lose sight of? o Time to break even o ROI Decision gates or control gates are often called_____. "milestones" or "reviews" Approval events in the project cycle that are important enough to be defined and included in the schedule. Decision/control gates Decision/control gates address what questions? - Does the project deliverable still satisfy the business case? - Is it affordable? - Can it be delivered when needed? These ensure that new activities are not pursued until previously scheduled tasks are completed Decision/control gates What are the primary objectives of decision gates? Ensure that the elaboration of the business and tech baselines are acceptable and will lead to satisfactory V&V. Ensure the next step is achievable and the proceeding risk is acceptable. Continue to foster buyer and seller teamwork Synch project activities There are at least two decision gates in any project which are? (1) authority to proceed and (2) final acceptance of the deliverable List the decision options for decision gates - Acceptable - Acceptable with reservations - Unacceptable: Do not proceed - Unacceptable: Return to proceeding stage - Unacceptable: Put a hold on project activity - Unacceptable: Terminate project Per IEEE 15288: "5.4.1 - A system progresses through its life cycle as the result of... actions, performed and managed by people in the organizations, using processes for execution of these actions. The 6 generic LC stages per ISO/IEC TR 24784-1, 2010 are... o Concept o Development o Production o Utilization o Support o Retirement What is TRL? Technology Readiness Level Exploratory research - Key activities - Define the problem space - Characterize the solution space - ID business/mission requirements and stakeholder needs -Provide an estimate of cost and schedule for full deployment (avoid any design work). a refinement and broadening of the studies, experiments, and engineering models pursued during exploratory research Concept selection Engineering models and prototypes of critical elements are essential to assess... feasibility, understanding needs, explore trade-offs, and explore risk and opportunities What is IV&V Integration, Verification, and Validation What is the primary output of the development stage? The SOI The application of iteration and recursion to the LC process with correct feedback loops helps to... ensure communication that accounts for ongoing learning and decisions Why is iteration needed? - Accommodate stakeholder decisions/ understanding - Account for architectural constraints/decisions - Resolve trades for affordability, adaptability, feasibility, resilience, etc. the repeated application of and interaction of processes at successive levels in the system structure. recursion Sequential methods are characterized by... a systematic approach that adheres to specified processes as the system moves through a series of representations from requirements through design to finished product. Strengths of sequential methods - Predictability - Stability - Repeatability - High Assurance What is the Vee Model? a sequential method introduced in Forsberg and Mooz (1991) that is used to visualize various key areas for SE focus, mainly during the concept and development stages The Vee Model highlights the need for...? continuous validation What is a key attribute of the Vee Model? time and maturity move from left to right across the diagram What is IID? Incremental and iterative development When are incremental and iterative methods used? when requirements are unclear at the onset. What is primary difference between IID and sequential methods? velocity and adaptability What is the best application of incremental and iterative methods? when dealing with smaller, less complex systems IIDs may also be plan driven if... requirements are known early in the LC What is Conway's Law? organizations which design systems...are constrained to produce designs which are copies of the communications structures of those organizations." (Conway, 1968) Why should an organization care about processes? This is better to understand, evaluate, control, learn, communicate, improve, predict, and certify the work performed. What forms the main problems in large projects involving many people, especially in distributed projects where people cannot communicate face to face? Coordination and communication Per IEEE 15288, "[6.4] The Technical Processes are... used to define the requirements for a system, to transform the requirements into an effective product, to permit consistent reproduction of the product when necessary, to use the product to provide the required services, to sustain the provision of those services and to dispose of the product when it is retired from service." What are the 14 technical processes included in IEEE 15288? - Business or mission analysis process -- BRS (Business Requirements Specification) - Stakeholder needs and requirements definition process -- StRS (Stakeholder Requirements Specification) - System requirements definition process -- SyRS (System Requirements Specification) -Architecture definition process -Design definition process - System analysis process - Implementation process - Integration process - Verification process - Transition process - Validation process - Operation process - Maintenance process - Disposal process Per IEEE 15288: "[6.4.1.1] The purpose of the Business or Mission Analysis process is to define the business or mission problem or opportunity, characterize the solution space, and determine potential solution class(es) that could address a problem or take advantage of an opportunity." What are the activities involved in the Business/Mission Analysis Process?