SYSE 802:  Systems Engineering II

Instructor:           Dr. John D. McGregor

                                Associate Professor, School of Computing

                                312 McAdams Hall; phone 864-656-5859; email:  johnmc@cs.clemson.edu

                                www.cs.clemson.edu/~johnmc

 

Catalog Description:

Analysis and design of complex systems will be addressed by considering the human, hardware, and software components of the system. Techniques for unambiguously defining a problem and designing a solution will be applied to a model problem. Architectural techniques will be used to assemble a solution that satisfies functional and non-functional requirements. A range of qualitative and quantitative verification and validation techniques for evaluating the fitness of a solution will be examined and used.

 

Course Objectives:

·         Provide experience in an end-to-end systems engineering process

·         Provide exposure to state-of-the-practice and state-of-the-art systems engineering methods

·         Provide criteria for evaluating alternative methods for each systems engineering task

·         Provide a foundation for further study in systems engineering

 

Suggested module schedule

Topical Outline:

o    Design

o    Validation

 

Project:  Each student will select a systems engineering project that emphasizes the analysis and design of systems that typically will combine humans, hardware, and software. Each project will require the student to identify and apply the appropriate engineering methods based on the system’s requirements. Appropriate milestones will be defined during the project planning phase. Projects will be evaluated using criteria that reflect the nature of the project and will be negotiated at the time of project definition.

 

 

Grading Policy:

 

There are 12 modules (the solid bullets in the list above plus double count of those that are followed by a (2).

To earn a C you must have 8 accepted modules

To earn a B you must have 9 accepted modules

To earn an A you must have 11 accepted modules

The project will be part of the module assignments.

 

Tokens:

It is understood that life is chaotic and that taking courses while working full-time only contributes to the chaos. While each Module Assignment has a definite due date by which the assignment must be turned in to be considered Acceptable, each student can turn in or resubmit up to three assignments at any time in the course. These do-overs are formalized as Tokens. Each student begins the course with three tokens. Tokens are spent when the student submits a Module assignment past the due date or resubmits one that was deemed Unacceptable. Token balances will be available at any time. 

 

Required Text:

None; however, if you search on the web you should be able to find an outdated copy of the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook in pdf format or you could join INCOSE and get a software copy of the latest version for free.  I will use “The Engineering Design of Systems: Models and Methods” by Dennis M. Buede (ISBN: 978-0-470-16402-0) as the source of the topical outline and some information. Purchase it if you wish.  The students and instructor will construct a resource capturing both classic and current material as an electronic resource. 

 

Software and Systems

Since this is a distance learning course the student must have access to a Windows/ Linux/ Apple system that is capable of running the latest version of Eclipse Process Framework (www.eclipse.org/epf) (No Mac version) and Topcased (www.topcased.org).

 

Academic Integrity:

The university’s academic integrity statement says: As members of the Clemson University community, we have inherited Thomas Green Clemson's vision of this institution as a "high seminary of learning." Fundamental to this vision is a mutual commitment to truthfulness, honor, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of others. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of a Clemson degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form. See: http://www.cs.clemson.edu/html/academics/academic_integrity_2002.html for more.