System Engineering Competency: The Missing Course in Engineering Education

Charles S. Wasson

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Conference: 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Publication Date: June 10, 2012
Start Date: June 10, 2012
End Date: June 13, 2012
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Systems Engineering Education and K-12
Tagged Divisions: Engineering Management, Systems Engineering, and Industrial Engineering
Page Count: 29
Page Numbers: 25.1227.1 - 25.1227.29
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--21984
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/21984
Download Count: 915

Paper Authors

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Charles S. Wasson Wasson Strategics, LLC

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Charles Wasson is an engineering textbook author, instructor, and consultant for Wasson Strategics, LLC, a professional training and consulting services firm specializing in systems engineering, technical project management, organizational development, and team development. In 2006, Wasson authored a new systems engineering text entitled System Analysis, Design, and Development: Concepts, Principles, and Practices as part of the John Wiley & Sons’ System Engineering and Management series. The text received the Engineering Sciences Book of the Year Award from the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) in Paris, France. As an internationally recognized author and instructor in system engineering and its organizational application, he is an invited guest speaker and panelist at professional meetings and symposia. Wasson champions the need to strengthen undergraduate engineering programs with a course in the fundamentals of system engineering. He holds B.S.E.E. and M.B.A. degrees from Mississippi State University and a certificate in systems engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. His professional affiliations include the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the International Council on System Engineering (INCOSE), and the Project Management Institute (PMI).

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Abstract

System Engineering Competency The Missing Element in Engineering Education AbstractOne of the challenges of industrial enterprises operating in a highly competitive globaleconomy is the capability to efficiently and effectively engineer systems that satisfycustomer and user operational needs within budget, schedule, technology, and riskconstraints. Unfortunately, the “engineering of systems” performed in manyorganizations is often characterized as chaotic, ineffective, and inefficient. Objectiveevidence of these characteristics is reflected in program performance metrics such as non-compliance to requirements, overrun budgets, and late schedule deliveries.Causal analysis reveals a number of contributory factors: a lack of technical leadership, alack of understanding the user’s problem / solution spaces, point design architectures andsolutions, a lack of integrated decision making, et al. Further analysis indicates thesefactors are symptomatic of a much larger competency issue traceable to engineeringeducation - the lack of a Systems Engineering fundamentals course taught by seasonedinstructors with robust, industrial experience acquired from a diversity of small to large,complex systems. To meet industrial needs and remain competitive, colleges anduniversities create a System Engineering course or capstone project based on SEprinciples and practices. However, the outcome of these courses to deliver competentprofessionals who can effectively and efficiently perform complex system problemsolving and solution development often falls short of expectations.In response to these operational needs, this paper explores the ad hoc, chaotic, anddysfunctional nature of system engineering in many organizations. We trace its origins tothe industrial Plug and Chug … Specify-Design-Build-Test-Fix Paradigm and itspredecessor Plug and Chug … Design-Build-Test-Fix Paradigm acquired informally inengineering school. Whereas these paradigms may be effective for academic application,they are not suitable or scalable to larger, complex system, product, or servicedevelopment efforts.To address these challenges, this paper proposes solutions to bolster the competency ofthe engineering workforce at two levels: 1) strengthen undergraduate and graduate levelengineering education to include a robust System Engineering problem solving / solutiondevelopment course and 2) shift the industrial System Engineering paradigm througheducation and training to employ scalable SE methodologies for projects ranging in sizefrom small to large complex systems.

Citation
Format

Wasson, C. S. (2012, June), System Engineering Competency: The Missing Course in Engineering Education Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--21984

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -                          System Engineering Competency                   The Missing Element in Engineering Education                                              AbstractOne of the challenges of industrial enterprises operating in a highly competitive globaleconomy is the capability to efficiently and effectively engineer systems that satisfycustomer and user operational needs within budget, schedule, technology, and riskconstraints. Unfortunately, the “engineering of systems” performed in manyorganizations is often characterized as chaotic, ineffective, and inefficient. Objectiveevidence of these characteristics is reflected in program performance metrics such as non-compliance to requirements, overrun budgets, and late schedule deliveries.Causal analysis reveals a number of contributory factors: a lack of technical leadership, alack of understanding the user’s problem / solution spaces, point design architectures andsolutions, a lack of integrated decision making, et al. Further analysis indicates thesefactors are symptomatic of a much larger competency issue traceable to engineeringeducation - the lack of a Systems Engineering fundamentals course taught by seasonedinstructors with robust, industrial experience acquired from a diversity of small to large,complex systems. To meet industrial needs and remain competitive, colleges anduniversities create a System Engineering course or capstone project based on SEprinciples and practices. However, the outcome of these courses to deliver competentprofessionals who can effectively and efficiently perform complex system problemsolving and solution development often falls short of expectations.In response to these operational needs, this paper explores the ad hoc, chaotic, anddysfunctional nature of system engineering in many organizations. We trace its origins tothe industrial Plug and Chug … Specify-Design-Build-Test-Fix Paradigm and itspredecessor Plug and Chug … Design-Build-Test-Fix Paradigm acquired informally inengineering school. Whereas these paradigms may be effective for academic application,they are not suitable or scalable to larger, complex system, product, or servicedevelopment efforts.To address these challenges, this paper proposes solutions to bolster the competency ofthe engineering workforce at two levels: 1) strengthen undergraduate and graduate levelengineering education to include a robust System Engineering problem solving / solutiondevelopment course and 2) shift the industrial System Engineering paradigm througheducation and training to employ scalable SE methodologies for projects ranging in sizefrom small to large complex systems.
AU  - Charles S. Wasson
CY  - San Antonio, Texas
DA  - 2012/06/10
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - System Engineering Competency: The Missing Course in Engineering Education
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/21984
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--21984
ER  -