System Architecting

Selecting the Best Technical Approach

Course Overview
System Architecting is the process of selecting the best system architecture from a set of alternative approaches. It includes the selection and definition of top-level requirements, the selection of trade-variables, the identification of a viable trade-space, the design of candidate architectures, the implementation of trade studies, and the selection of the "best" of the competing architectures. If this process is not managed, or is mismanaged, then the project will fail because of miscommunicated expectations, unmanaged changes, inappropriate technical solutions, or unproven performance.

This course equips your teams with the knowledge and skills necessary to define and select the correct architecture using a disciplined System Engineering process. Our process ensures clarity of communication, effective baseline management, methodical and progressive technical checkpoints, and proof of performance.

The ultimate cost of a project is largely determined by early technical decisions. Key among these is the selection of the System Architecture. Selecting the wrong system architecture can lead to significant performance shortfalls. Proper management of the technical aspects of the system architecting process can avoid disastrous results. This course describes how to implement a system architecting process that supports all project performance objectives.

Course Format
The course is two-days in length. In addition to the lecture and discussion material, class exercises, focused on architecture development & selection, are used to reinforce key points and to provide experience using the covered techniques.

Who Should Attend
Engineering, management, technical professionals and anyone involved in hardware and software development or integration projects. It is particularly valuable for engineers or managers who want to learn the system architecting process and gain new skills in the application of techniques and tools.

You Will Learn How To

• Determine performance requirements based on system requirements
• Select appropriate performance measures
• Develop candidate architecture concepts
• Conduct trade studies & analyses
• Perform opportunity and risk analysis and management
• Select the best system architecture

Course Outline

• Introduction & overview
• System engineering approach
• System engineering process
• System architecting
• Understanding system requirements evolution
• Managing system requirements changes
• Understanding the business need
• Defining the system concept
• Defining system objectives
• Defining system capabilities
• Defining system constraints & limitations
• Understanding opportunities and risks
• Determining system users & stakeholders
• Understanding the relationship between business needs and technical feasibility
• Determining system operational requirements
• Developing the system's concept of operations
• Developing the system's top-level technical requirements
• High-level verification & validation
• The continuing role of the system architect

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