Developing & Selecting a System Concept

Developing & Selecting a System Concept
(System Architecting)

Evolving and Selecting a Technical Concept (Architecture) that best meets Requirements

Selecting the right system concept (architecture), one that is capable of satisfying the system requirements within defined constraints, is critical for a successful technical project. While choosing the right architecture does not guarantee success, choosing the wrong architecture will certainly result in failure.

To be able to choose the right system concept you must have an intimate understanding of the concept development process and best practices in concept selection.

This course will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the system concept development process including how to develop competing system concepts, define critical selection criteria, understand and define the trade space (constraints) and trade variables, perform effective trade studies, make technical trades, select a final architecture, and vet the selected system concept with users and stakeholders.

This two-day, exercise intensive, course provides an in-depth understanding of the system concept development and selection process. The course uses a threaded case study to create a simulated environment in which you will brainstorm system concepts based upon defined system requirements and constraints, create selection criteria, perform analysis of competing architectures, make technical trades in the context of requirements and constraints, and finally select the winning system architecture. In doing so you will gain critical skills and techniques you need to successfully manage technical projects.

Course Overview

The course teaches you critical skills for developing and selecting a technical system concept.

After completing this course you will have an excellent understanding of how to manage system concept development and selection to ensure a system that meets all system requirements within defined constraints (including cost).

Course Format

The course is two-days in length and based on a case study using a simulated IT project in which you will evolve and select a technical system concept.

Interactive lecture sessions and discussion are used to prepare participants between project phases. The course is highly experiential to ensure that students learn by doing.

Who Should Attend

Technical project and subproject managers, engineering managers, technical professionals, and anyone involved in technical development or integration projects.

This course will provide a wealth of valuable information and skills if you manage or participate in the technical concept selection process.

You Will Learn

·      What technical system concepts are and why selecting the right one is important

·      How to use requirements views (functional, data flow, etc.)

·      How to develop candidate system concepts

·      How to develop criteria for evaluating competing system concepts

·      How to analyze and evaluate competing system concepts

·      How to make technical and requirements trades

·      How to include users and customers in the trade process

·      How to manage user and customer expectations

·      How to select the “best” technical system concept

·      How to define and control system and subsystem interfaces

·      How system concept relates to integration strategy

·      How to manage technical risk in the context of the system architecture

·      Design, development, integration, and test planning

·      Controlling change

Course Outline

·      Overview

§      What is a technical system concept

§      The technical system concept and project success

·      Architecture views and the system concept

§      Physical architectures

§      Functional architectures

§      Information architectures

§      Behavior architectures

§      Relating architecture views to each other

·      Developing candidate system concepts and flowing down requirements

§      Brainstorming

§      Functional requirements allocation

§      Information requirements allocation

§      Behavior allocation and mapping

§      Constraints and the system architecture

·      Developing selection criteria (physical, functional, information, etc.)

·      Incorporating qualification margin

·      Analyzing system concepts

§      Analysis methods overview

§      Selecting appropriate methods

§      Performing the analysis

·      Making trades

§      Requirements trades

§      Cost and schedule trades

§      Managing margin in the trades process

§      Managing risk

·      Selecting the best system concept

§      Managing expectations

§      Vetting the choice with users and stakeholders

·      Planning for design and development

§      Defining technical performance measures (System specifications)

§      Creating “build to” documents

§      Evolving the baseline

·      Planning for integration and test

To be able to choose the right system concept you must have an intimate understanding of the concept development process and best practices in concept selection.

Course Overview

The course teaches you critical skills for developing and selecting a technical system concept.

After completing this course you will have an excellent understanding of how to manage system concept development and selection to ensure a system that meets all system requirements within defined constraints (including cost).

Course Format

The course is two-days in length and based on a case study using a simulated IT project in which you will evolve and select a technical system concept.

Interactive lecture sessions and discussion are used to prepare participants between project phases. The course is highly experiential to ensure that students learn by doing.

Who Should Attend

Technical project and subproject managers, engineering managers, technical professionals, and anyone involved in technical development or integration projects.

This course will provide a wealth of valuable information and skills if you manage or participate in the technical concept selection process.

You Will Learn

Course Outline

Send mail to webmaster@projtechinc.com with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2003 ProjTech, Inc. Last modified: 01/18/03

Send mail to webmaster@projtechinc.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2003 ProjTech, Inc.
Last modified: 01/18/03