Catalog Course Descriptions |
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of Systems Integration (SI) process, approaches, drivers, tools and techniques required for successful SI, critical success factors, and best practices. The objective of the course is to provide the students an understanding of the technical and business process issues involved in systems integration. Systems integration process is illustrated over the life cycle concept of projects – during design, development, implementation, testing and production. Case studies and examples from the Information Technology (IT), defense, energy, and financial services industry will be used to illustrate the concepts discussed. The students will learn the theory and practice of business process integration, legacy integration, new systems integration, business-to-business integration, integration of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products, interface control and management, testing, integrated program management, integrated Business Continuity Planning (BCP). Specific focus will be given to issues of interface integration and interoperability of systems. |
This course introduces the attributes associated with the design and management of the human activity system that is responsible for designing, developing, testing, operating, and maintaining the system. It is built on a fundamental that the successful development of a system is directly contingent on the human system. Using foundational constructs related to network theory and the extended enterprise, it covers topics in Globalization and the Extended Enterprise; Structure and Design of Organizations; Organizational Diversity; Leadership and Power; Personality, Attitude, and Values; Learning and Perception; Work Motivation; Group Behavior and Teamwork; Conflict and Politics; Managing Communication Process; Decision Making; and Organizational Change and Development. Case studies and academic research are used to provide a practical and advanced understanding |
This course emphasizes the development of modeling and simulation concepts and analysis skills necessary to design, program, implement, and use computers to solve complex systems/products analysis problems. The key emphasis is on problem formulation, model building, data analysis, solution techniques, and evaluation of alternative designs/ processes in complex systems/products. Overview of modeling techniques and methods used in decision analysis, including Monte Carlo and discrete event simulation is presented. |
This project-based course exposes students to tools and methodologies useful for the effective management of systems engineering and engineering management projects. This course presents the tools and techniques for project definition, work breakdown, estimating, resource planning, critical path development, scheduling, project monitoring and control, and scope management. These tools will be presented within the context of a life cycle and a systems approach. Students will be exposed to advanced project management software. Advanced techniques for managing complex systems will also be presented. Also listed as IPD 612. |
This course will provide an understanding of both the tools and models that can be used throughout the design, development, and support phases of a system to conduct trade-offs between system performance and life-cycle cost. The students will be exposed to the cost benefit analysis process as a strategic tool during system design and development consistent with the principles of Cost as an Independent Variable (CAIV). The students will also be exposed to the formulation of cost-estimating relationships in this context. The course will focus on the use of tools and the development of models from case studies. Prerequisite: IPD 611, SYS 611, or consent of instructor. |
This course discusses fundamentals of systems engineering. Initial focus is on need identification and problems definition. Thereafter, synthesis, analysis, and evaluation activities during conceptual and preliminary system design phases are discussed and articulated through examples and case studies. Emphasis is placed on enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of deployed systems while concurrently reducing their operation and support costs. Accordingly, course participants are introduced to methods that influence system design and architecture from a long-term operation and support perspective. Also listed as CpE 625. |
This will test the acquisition logistics knowledge of students who have achieved Level I certification through the Defense Acquisition University. Upon successful completion, (graded pass/fail) students will be awarded 3 credits toward a Master of Engineering in Systems Engineering. The examination is normally given twice each year. |
This will test the acquisition logistics knowledge of students who have achieved Level II or III certification through the Defense Acquisition University. Upon successful completion (graded pass/fail) students will be awarded 6 credits toward a Master of Engineering in Systems Engineering. Students who have passed the SDOE 630 examination will receive only 3 additional hours of credit. The examination is normally given twice each year. |
System maintainability is a design characteristic, whereas maintenance is a consequence of design, and this module focuses on both. Maintainability analysis, and the associated theory, provides a powerful tool with which engineers can gain a quantitative and qualitative description of the ability and cost of systems and products to be restored. On the other hand, and as part of the emphasis of this module on maintenance, participants will be introduced to analysis and optimization techniques to enhance the efficiency of the maintenance system through proper classification of tasks as preventive and/or corrective, and their intelligent clustering to reduce the associated maintenance manpower, cost, time, and resources. |
The supportability of a system can be defined as the ability of the system to be supported in a cost effective and timely manner, with a minimum of logistics support resources. The required resources might include test and support equipment, trained maintenance personnel, spare and repair parts, technical documentation, and special facilities. For large complex systems, supportability considerations may be significant and often have a major impact upon life-cycle cost. It is therefore particularly important that these considerations be included early during the system design trade studies and design decision-making. |
This course provides the participant with the tools and techniques that can be used early in the design phase to effectively influence a design from the perspective of system reliability, maintainability, and supportability. Students will be introduced to various requirements definition and analysis tools and techniques to include Quality Function Deployment, Input-Output Matrices, and Parameter Taxonomies. An overview of the system functional analysis and system architecture development heuristics will be provided.
Further, the students will learn to exploit this phase of the system design and development process to impart enhanced reliability, maintainability, and supportability to the design configuration being developed. Given the strategic nature of early design decisions, the participants will also learn selected multiattribute design decision and risk analysis methodologies, including Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). As part of the emphasis on maintainability, the module addresses issues such as accessibility, standardization, modularization, testability, mobility, interchangeability and serviceability, and the relevant methods, tools, and techniques.
Further, the students will learn to exploit this phase of the system design and development process to impart enhanced supportability to the design configuration being developed through an explicit focus on configuration commonality and interchangeability, use of standard parts and fasteners, adherence to open system standards and profiles, and use of standard networking and communication protocols. Examples and case studies will be used to facilitate understanding of these principles and concepts. |
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This course discusses the fundamentals of system architecting and the architecting process, along with practical heuristics. Furthermore, the course has a strong "how-to" orientation, and numerous case studies are used to convey and discuss good architectural concepts as well as lessons learned. Adaptation of the architectural process to ensure effective application of COTS will also be discussed. In this regard, the course participants will be introduced to an architectural assessment and evaluation model. Linkages between early architectural decisions, driven by customer requirements and concept of operations, and the system operational and support costs are highlighted. Prerequisite: SDOE 625. |
This course is designed to enable engineers, scientists, and analysts from all disciplines to recognize potential benefits resulting from the application of robust engineering design methods within a systems engineering context. By focusing on links between sub-system requirements and hardware/software product development, robust engineering design methods can be used to improve product quality and systems architecting. Topics such as Design and Development Process and Methodology, Need Analysis and Requirements Definition, Quality Engineering, Taguchi Methods, Design of Experiments, Introduction to Response Surface Methods, and Statistical Analysis of Data will be presented. | SDOE 660 Decision and Risk Analysis
This course is a study of analytic techniques for rational decision-making that addresses uncertainty, conflicting objectives, and risk attitudes. This course covers modeling uncertainty; rational decision-making principles; representing decision problems with value trees, decision trees and influence diagrams; solving value hierarchies; defining and calculating the value of information; incorporating risk attitudes into the analysis; and conducting sensitivity analyses. Prerequisite: Course in Probability and Statistics
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SDOE 665 Integrated Supply Chain Management
This course illustrates the theory and practice of designing and analyzing supply chains. It provides tool sets to identify key drivers of supply chain performance such as inventory, transportation, information and facilities. Recognizing the interactions between the supply and demand components, the course provides a methodology for implementing integrated supply chains, enabling a framework to leverage these dynamics for effective product/process design and enterprise operations.
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SDOE 670 Forecasting and Demand Modeling Systems
This course covers the theory and application of modeling aggregate demand, fragmented demand and consumer behavior using statistical methods for analysis and forecasting for facilities, services and products. It also aims to provide students with both the conceptual basis and tools necessary to conduct market segmentation studies, defining and identifying criteria for effective segmentation, along with techniques for simultaneous profiling of segments and models for dynamic segmentation. All of this provides a window on the external environment, thereby contributing input and context to product, process and systems design decisions and their ongoing management.
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SDOE 675 Dynamic Pricing Systems
Dynamic pricing is defined as the buying and selling of goods and services in free markets where the prices fluctuate in response to supply and demand and changing. This course illustrates the difference between static and dynamic pricing, and covers various dynamic pricing models and methodologies for successful pricing. This course also illustrates the fact that effective pricing optimization is based on modeling of demand and elasticity of demand at a very granular level. It will explore various dynamic pricing models and explore and identify factors relevant in choosing dynamic pricing models that best support the operational effectiveness, external environment and business strategy of a particular firm.
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SDOE 775 Systems Thinking
The ability to think in terms of systems is a prerequisite to being able to structure enterprises so that they can (pro-) actively pursue their business goals or missions. In this course, various approaches to systems thinking will be addressed in theory and in practice. The principles of, amongst others, system dynamics, creative thinking, analogical thinking (synectics), lateral thinking, and parallel thinking will be presented as means for promoting systems thinking aimed at addressing complexity, exploiting opportunities and problem solving. Enterprise-related aspects of systems such as environment, policies, business or mission goals as well as system mechanics (identification, content, boundaries and interrelationships) will be presented and supported via active participation in course case study work. In addition, a life cycle management approach for systems that reflects agreement, enterprise, project and technical process points of view will be presented and utilized in case study work.
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SDOE 780 Agile Development
Real-time responsiveness characterizes systems at the forefront of competition, enterprise, strategy, warfare, governance, innovation, engineering, information, integration, and virtually anything designed today for purpose. This module is part of the 4-course Agile Systems and Enterprise certificate, and covers fundamental objectives, performance metrics, analysis frameworks, and engineering principles for creating strategy and conceptual design of agile systems. The objective is to develop the participant's facility with tools and methods for requirements development and design synthesis of agile systems. Real agile systems are analyzed in case studies for their change proficiency and response ability. Response capability frameworks are applied in analysis and requirements development. Agility enabling architectures and principles are illuminated and then applied in synthesis exercises. Hands-on, minds-on exercises prepare and guide the participant in applying the knowledge. Agile systems run the range from products and processes to information and infrastructure to enterprises and systems-of-systems. |
SDOE 790 Design of Agile Systems and Enterprises |
The frontier of systems engineering today seeks new levels of system capability and behavior, and expects to find that benefit in higher forms of systems that elude traditional control and creation concepts. This module is part of the 4-course Agile Systems and Enterprise certificate, and has as a prerequisite SDOE 780 Engineering of Agile Systems and Enterprises. Common themes converge here in a study of agility across a seemingly wide variety of interesting system types, characterized principally by aspects of self organization and systems of systems. Esthetic quality in systems and enterprises makes the difference between enforced compliance and embraced experience; and determines the positive or negative vectors of self organization and emergence. This module explores the value and nature of esthetic design quality, principles and architectures for harnessing self organized extended enterprise, agility as risk management and reality confrontation, and similar issues at the edge of agile system and enterprise knowledge. Prerequisite: SDOE 780.
Three credits for the degree of Master of Engineering (Systems Engineering). This course is typically conducted as a one-on-one course between a faculty member and a student. A student may take up to two special problems courses in a master’s degree program. A department technical report is required as the final product for this course. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
*By request |
Three credits for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. This course is typically conducted as a one-on-one one investigation of a topic of particular interest between a faculty member and a student and is often used to explore topical areas that can serve as a dissertation. A student may take up to two special problems courses in a Ph.D. degree program. A department technical report is required as the final product for this course. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
*By request |
For the degree of Master of Engineering (Systems Engineering). A minimum of six credit hours is required for the thesis. Hours and credits to be arranged.
*By request |
Original work, which may serve as the basis for the dissertation, required for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. A minimum of 30 hours of SDOE 960 research is required for the Ph.D. degree. Hours and credits to be arranged.
*By request |
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