16
Engineering Systems Integration
the stakeholder needs for solving their problem.* The conceptual architecture
(high-level aspects) and the concept of operations are hand-in-hand related to
the system design. The conceptual architecture, the concept of operations,
and the system design are highly influenced by the budget limitation.
Consequently, the lower-level architecture is commensurably cost-constrained.
Once the ramifications of the budget have limited the architecture (at the top
level), each architectural component at the lower level(s) are constraint driven
by allocation of resources. It is the duty of the architect to capture the full
measure of implications from the requirements and inculcate the requisite
functions into the object descriptions within the system architecture. The
purpose of the architecture is to combine the requisite functions at the highest level (built on the subfunctions that have been partitioned within the
lower levels) to satisfy the needs of the key stakeholders.
The essential steps in using the architecture and the concept of operations
for integration planning begin first by developing a prioritized listing of
system-level functions that are key to satisfying the stakeholders. These
functions should reflect the customer and user requirements as well as the
derived requirements that have come about from the system design work
and elaboration of the concept of operations. The aim is to identify the
objective(s) that must be achieved in the delivered product or service.
Second, the relations between objects in the architecture are identified
and summarized through their connectivity, coupling, and cohesion.
Connectivity is the physical connection between objects. Connection is
established by an interaction of one object with another through EMMI. In
the case of a physical connection (one where there is a physical touching of
one object with another object), there might be additional connectivity
through other EMMI (e.g., with a computer circuit) that passes electrical
energy that carries information regarding financial information. Coupling
is the characterization of the strength of interaction between two objects.
With high coupling, the individual depositing money into their bank’s
automated teller machine expects a high degree of coupling between the
transaction and the crediting of the deposit to their bank account. The display on the automated teller machine may indicate the deposit, displaying
* Depending upon the expectations from the acquirer of systems engineering skills at the
beginning of the systems engineering development work, the system design and the concept
of operations may be either peripherally related to each other or, in certain instances, strictly
dependent. The product or service needed by the acquirer can be specified in advance of
beginning the systems engineering development which orchestrates the building, integration, and delivery. The starting point for systems engineering development may be stipulated in terms of top-level requirements and a concept of operations. However, the system
design may or may not be described in much detail. If the system design is described in more
than simple and general terms, the system design may reflect only the top-level requirements
without detailing specific details that define instances of implementation. The alternative is
to have a reasonably detailed first draft of the system design. In either case, the operational
concept may reasonably represent the stakeholder needs with or without specifying too
many details in the system design. (See Endnote 1 at the end of this chapter.)
Engineering Systems Integration
the stakeholder needs for solving their problem.* The conceptual architecture
(high-level aspects) and the concept of operations are hand-in-hand related to
the system design. The conceptual architecture, the concept of operations,
and the system design are highly influenced by the budget limitation.
Consequently, the lower-level architecture is commensurably cost-constrained.
Once the ramifications of the budget have limited the architecture (at the top
level), each architectural component at the lower level(s) are constraint driven
by allocation of resources. It is the duty of the architect to capture the full
measure of implications from the requirements and inculcate the requisite
functions into the object descriptions within the system architecture. The
purpose of the architecture is to combine the requisite functions at the highest level (built on the subfunctions that have been partitioned within the
lower levels) to satisfy the needs of the key stakeholders.
The essential steps in using the architecture and the concept of operations
for integration planning begin first by developing a prioritized listing of
system-level functions that are key to satisfying the stakeholders. These
functions should reflect the customer and user requirements as well as the
derived requirements that have come about from the system design work
and elaboration of the concept of operations. The aim is to identify the
objective(s) that must be achieved in the delivered product or service.
Second, the relations between objects in the architecture are identified
and summarized through their connectivity, coupling, and cohesion.
Connectivity is the physical connection between objects. Connection is
established by an interaction of one object with another through EMMI. In
the case of a physical connection (one where there is a physical touching of
one object with another object), there might be additional connectivity
through other EMMI (e.g., with a computer circuit) that passes electrical
energy that carries information regarding financial information. Coupling
is the characterization of the strength of interaction between two objects.
With high coupling, the individual depositing money into their bank’s
automated teller machine expects a high degree of coupling between the
transaction and the crediting of the deposit to their bank account. The display on the automated teller machine may indicate the deposit, displaying
* Depending upon the expectations from the acquirer of systems engineering skills at the
beginning of the systems engineering development work, the system design and the concept
of operations may be either peripherally related to each other or, in certain instances, strictly
dependent. The product or service needed by the acquirer can be specified in advance of
beginning the systems engineering development which orchestrates the building, integration, and delivery. The starting point for systems engineering development may be stipulated in terms of top-level requirements and a concept of operations. However, the system
design may or may not be described in much detail. If the system design is described in more
than simple and general terms, the system design may reflect only the top-level requirements
without detailing specific details that define instances of implementation. The alternative is
to have a reasonably detailed first draft of the system design. In either case, the operational
concept may reasonably represent the stakeholder needs with or without specifying too
many details in the system design. (See Endnote 1 at the end of this chapter.)