Dynamic Systems-Engineering Process: The Application of Concurrent Engineering

In recent years, the traditional systems engineering and project management approaches used by the U.S. Government have been ineffective in incorporating complete life cycle impacts and rapidly evolving technologies and operations concepts into large system developments or upgrades. This is particularly true for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Although this article concentrates on large government systems, these shortcomings also apply to the industrial product development process. Solving this problem will strengthen manufacturing competitiveness for any international competitor.This article addresses the problem and describes a systems engineering methodology, dynamic systems-engineering, which enables users to accommodate changing needs; incorporate emerging technologies; identify, quantify, and manage system risks; manage evolving functional requirements; track the changing environment; and reduce system life cycle costs.