A paper written by SSE Professors Brian Sauser, Jose Ramirez-Marquez,  Research Assistant Devanandham Henry, and Northrop Grumman R&D Program Manager, Dr. Donald DiMarzio, has been selected for publication by the International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering.   The paper entitled  “A system maturity index for the systems engineering life cycle” will be printed in the 2008 edition, Vol. 3, No. 6.
Review an abstract of the paper here:
 In the United States (USA) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the USA Department of Defense (DoD) the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale is a measure of maturity of an individual technology, with a view towards operational use in a system context.
A comprehensive set of concerns becomes relevant when this metric is abstracted from an individual technology to a system context. This paper proposes the development of a system-focused approach for managing system development and making effective and efficient decisions during a systems engineering life cycle. This paper presents a System Readiness Level (SRL) index that incorporates both the current TRL scale and an Integration Readiness Level (IRL) and provides a method for determining readiness of a system in the systems engineering life cycle. This paper concludes with a general discussion of the implication of the proposed SRL and how this may be applied to four case examples.
To read the paper in entirety, pick up the 2008 edition of the International Journal of Industrial Systems Engineering,
The authors will host a related conference on the leading indicators in system maturity at the System Maturity Assessment Symposium on March 12-13, 2009, at the Applied Systems Thinking Institute (ASysT), in Arlington VA.  To learn more the Symposium, and how to participate, please visit http://www.SystemReadinessLevel.com.

Pictured:  Dr. Jose Ramirez-Marquez

For more information, please contact:

Beth DeFares
Director of Education
Babbio
Room 611
Phone: 201.216.5362
bdefares@stevens.edu