SYST 798 Systems Engineering Project

9/20/2005

Instructor: Dr. George L. Donohue

Office: Rm 121 S&T II

Lecture: S&T I Rm 110 & NSWC Bld 216 Rm 116

(Training and Conference Ctr., 17320 Dahlgren Rd.)

Time: M 16:30 ï¿½ 19:10

Office Hours: Mondayï¿½ 19:10 ï¿½ 20:30 (after class)

Objective:ï¿½ This course provides the Capstone experience to the Systems Engineering masterï¿½s degree program.ï¿½ It provides the students with the opportunity to put all of the course material that you have covered in the last 21 hours into practice.ï¿½ It also provides the faculty with the opportunity to test your ability to have assimilated the course material and certify that you are ready to receive the Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering.ï¿½ In addition to providing you the opportunity to utilize the systems engineering processes (e.g. requirements determination, work-breakdown structures, Pert Charts, test and evaluation, life cycle costing, etc.) it will require you to use your analytical skills in system modeling, simulation and decision making.ï¿½ Emphasis in this course will also be placed on written and verbal communication skill development and the creative process of engineering design.ï¿½ You now have the skills that should allow you to create new systems that are technically sound, affordable, environmentally compatible and safe.ï¿½ You will be asked to determine whether a Business Case exits for your designs in the Final Report that you will submit in late November.ï¿½ You will be required to manage a complex, unstructured project using the management and teamwork skills that you have developed.ï¿½ The class will be divided into four to five project teams, each working on a real problem.ï¿½ï¿½ Each student MUST maintain a personal log of all design activity, to be inspected upon demand.ï¿½ You MUST submit a weekly time sheet to your team timekeeper to be submitted at all major program reviews.ï¿½ Some teams may be asked to enter ï¿½into the University of Virginia inter-scholastic design competition at the end of the Spring Semester.ï¿½ GMU has a history of doing very well in these competitions; I expect the same or better from you.

Program Schedule:

Aug. 29. ï¿½ï¿½Introduction to the course, design problems and time-sheet system.ï¿½ Background discussions and data exchange. Multiple teams will be formed based upon project proposals to be presented on Monday September 12.ï¿½ Each team will select a Team Leader.ï¿½ The team should also have sub teams consisting of : 1) process and data analysis team and 2) an analysis/ simulation team 3) Graphics, web page design/implementation, and presentation team.ï¿½ Teams should insure that they have members who have completed Systems Engineering Management, Cost Estimation, Simulation and Decision Theory. This is a 3 hour graduate course and thus a minimum of 10 hours/week of productive effort is expected.

Each member of the class will give a substantial presentation at some point in the project to faculty and outside project sponsors. Each student will be graded upon his/her presentation ability.ï¿½ The Project Proposal and the final Project Report will be graded for writing style and completeness.ï¿½ The total project grade will represent a sizable portion of each studentï¿½s final grade.ï¿½ In addition, each student will be ranked by each team member for total contribution to the program outcome.

Introductions and discussion of time sheet system and EVM project tracking requirement. Introduction to team self-evaluation technique. Review Requirements, Traceability (HOQ) and Life Cycle Concepts.ï¿½ Microsoft Project will be used.

September 6.ï¿½ Potential Meeting (at NSWC) for discussion of team projects

September 12. ï¿½Presentation by each student of potential Team Projects and Project Scope.ï¿½ I will select 4-5 projects and teams will be formed.

September 19 Review Value Hierarchy, WBS, PERT and Critical Path (at NSWC)

Review Earned Value Management for Cost Control

September 26. Teams Present mini discussions of status to date

Submit Problem Definition and Preliminary Requirements Document, Proposed SOW, Project Labor Cost Estimate for EVM tracking.ï¿½ Present Initial Level 3 Work Breakdown Structure, Estimated Project Time Schedule and Gantt/PERT/CP Charts.ï¿½

October 3. Team 20 minute Progress Report Presentations

October 11.ï¿½ Prelim Report Pass Back and Review for Mid Term Exam

October 17. Mid Term Exam (GLD at NSWC)

Discuss Project Final Report (Investment Decision) Format

October 24. Pass Back Exam and Discussion; mid term team self evaluation

October 31. no class, schedule individual team meetings for reviews

Nov. 7. meet with individual teams for progress discussions (GLD at NSWC)

Nov. 14. Formal 40 minute Team Progress Presentations*

Nov. 21. Formal 40 minute Team Progress Presentations

Nov. 28. Dry Run Presentations (30 min.)

Dec 5.ï¿½ cont. Dry Run Presentations (30 min.) and Final Reports submitted for Faculty and Sponsor evaluation and ï¿½team self evaluation

Dec 16. (Friday 12:30-16:00) Final Proposal Presentations to Faculty and Project Sponsors

* Actual presentation order will be determined by random draw

Grading:ï¿½ Each studentï¿½s final grade will be determined as follows:

30% Mid-Term Exam

25% Project Proposal and Final Project report (written)

25% Faculty / Sponsor Evaluation of Team Presentation

10% Team Project productivity self evaluation

5% Individual presentations

5% Timesheets/Notebooks