Chapter 5.1 Systems Engineering Plan

Question 1

SEP – what does it stand for:

Answer 1

Systems Engineering Plan

Also known as Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP)

Question 2

What does the SEP do (overview)

Answer 2

Define how the project’s technical effort will be organized, structured, conducted and controlled.

Question 3

What is SEMS?

Answer 3

Systems Engineering Master Schedule

Question 4

What important feature does a SEMS identify?

Answer 4

Critical Path for the technical activities on the project

Question 5

What is a WBS?

Answer 5

Work Breakdown Structure (supports the SEP and SEMS and defines task hierarchy)

Question 6

What is TPM?

Answer 6

Technical Performance Measures (tool for project control, extent of use is defined in the SEP)

Question 7

When should the SEP be prepared and used?

Answer 7

Early in the project. Submitted to the customer.

Used by technical management throughout the project.

Question 8

SEP process inputs source material includes?

Answer 8

Customer specifications from RFP
Statement of work (SOW)
Industry standards
Previously developed specifications for similar systems
Technical objective documents

Question 9

What approach/methods are used to define the performance and functional requirements of the SE and specialty engineering?

Answer 9

Organization of the project and how SE interfaces with the other parts of the organization (how are communications at these interfaces handled? how do questions/problems get elevated up and resolved?)
Responsibilities and authority of key positions
Clear system boundaries and project scope
Project assumptions and constraints
Key technical objectives
Risk and opportunity plan, assessment, and methodology
Validation and verification planning
Configuration Management planning
QA planning
Infrastructure support and resource management
Reliability, availability, maintainability, supportability, and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS)
Survivability, including nuclear, biological and chemical
EMC, radio frequency management and electrostatic discharge
Human Engineering and HIS
Saftety, health hazards, and environmental impact.
System security
Producibility
Test and evaluation
Testability and integrated diagnostics
Computer resources
Transportability

Question 10

What financial objective drives the SEP?

Answer 10

Ensuring no obvious cost-effective alternatives have been overlooked.