Accession Number:

ADA516771

Title:

Architecture-Based Systems Engineering

Descriptive Note:

Journal article

Corporate Author:

OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WASHINGTON DC TEST RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CENTER

Personal Author(s):

• Hinton, G. D.

Report Date:

2006-10-01

Pagination or Media Count:

3.0

Abstract:

Test and evaluation TE assets -- instrumentation, hardware-in-the-loop facilities, processing software, simulations and more -- have been developed over the years to meet a wide variety of needs and requirements. Generally, each of these assets has been developed by using standard systems engineering processes in which requirements are analyzed, a design is created, hardware and software are manufactured and integrated, and the resulting asset is tested. Such a process results in superb, but limited, point solutions to recognized problems and does not usually result in a solution that might have applicability to more global TE needs. The achievement of these higher-level goals requires a modification to the standard systems engineering process by creating an architecture as the central aspect of the requirements and design process. An architecture is a segmentation of a system or system-of-systems such that the primary pieces are identified and their purpose, function, interfaces, interrelatedness, and guidelines for their evolution over time are defined. Architectures put constraints on designers and developers. These constraints make possible the achievement of higher-level goals that would not automatically be achieved if developers worked independently. These higher-level goals are called the systems driving requirements. A system may have hundreds or thousands of individual requirements however, the driving requirements are those overarching requirements upon which the purpose of the system depends. Once these requirements are identified, it is a relatively straightforward process to segment the system and address these requirements. The architecture is then used as a starting point for a design to fulfill all of the numerous detailed requirements.

Descriptors:

• *DESIGN CRITERIA
• *ARCHITECTURE
• *REQUIREMENTS
• *SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
• *DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• *TEST AND EVALUATION
• INSTRUMENTATION
• STANDARDS
• EFFICIENCY
• INTEROPERABILITY
• HARDWARE IN THE LOOP
• REPRINTS
• SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
• COST EFFECTIVENESS

Subject Categories:

• Administration and Management
• Test Facilities, Equipment and Methods
• Military Forces and Organizations

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE