Program Management in Systems Engineering Webinar

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In today’s fast-evolving project environment, effective collaboration between Program Management (PM) and systems engineering is crucial for achieving successful outcomes. The webinar, "Program Management in MBSE," examines the critical dynamics of this partnership and highlights essential factors that drive program success.

1. Understanding Program Failures: A Critical Analysis

The webinar begins with a comprehensive examination of the common pitfalls leading to program failures. Among the primary reasons identified are:

• Undefined Executive-Level Projects: Programs often falter when projects lack a clear definition at the executive level.
• Lack of Team-based Project Plans: Project implementation plans are not developed collaboratively within the team environment.
• Insufficient Time for Planning and Systems Engineering: Inadequate time allocation to planning and systems engineering.
• Lack of Well-Defined Processes: Programs suffer when processes are poorly defined.

The repercussions of program failure are substantial, ranging from massive cost overruns and long schedule delays to program cancellations and damage to lives and reputations.

2. Bridging the Gap: Program Management vs. Systems Engineering

Addressing the question of differentiation between Program Management and Systems Engineering, the webinar explores their respective principles:

SE Principles:

• Requirements Definition
• Accountability
• Iterative Decomposition
• Measurements
• Standards-based Control
• Optimization
• Relationships
• Traceability

PM Principles:

• Project Goals Definition
• Accountability
• Work Breakdown
• Metrics
• Project Control
• Corrective Action
• Relationships
• Responsibility

Emphasizing that both principles aim to optimize cost, schedule, and performance, the webinar underscores their distinct roles—one for the program and the other for the system.

3. Enhancing Program Management through Systems Engineering

The session then transitions into strategies for Systems Engineering to better support Program Management. Recognizing the critical role Systems Engineers (SEs) play in program success, the webinar outlines their key responsibilities:

• Developing requirements for design engineering.
• Supporting design engineers in optimization.
• Conducting Verification and Validation (V&V).
• Providing continuous support to the program manager with design progress information, considering budgetary and schedule limitations.

4. Navigating Agile Waters: Program Management and Systems Engineering Collaboration

Addressing the contemporary need for agility in program management, the webinar sheds light on an innovative "Middle-Out" process. This approach significantly shortens the time required to develop system requirements through a robust, data-driven methodology.

5. Agile SE Processes: A Roadmap for Success

Drawing from the expertise of Rick Dove in the Agile Systems Engineering Lifecycle Model, the webinar provides a detailed roadmap for incorporating agile methodologies into Program Management and Systems Engineering:

• Conducting SE activities in parallel with software development.
• Utilizing SE processes and SETR events for functional requirement development.
• Developing the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and monitoring through SE processes.
• Supporting software development with operational testing and transition planning.
• Implementing tailored Model-Based Reviews for cost and schedule efficiency.

6. Integration of SE and PM: The Innoslate Advantage

Highlighting technological support for integrating Systems Engineering and Program Management, the webinar explores Innoslate, a tool based on LML (LML, which provides an integrated ontology for PM and SE). Key features include:

• PM Dashboard with Calendar and other widgets.
• Kanban Boards.
• Gantt Charts.
• Process Modeling.
• Discrete Event and Monte Carlo Simulations with cost and schedule factors.
• Risk Matrix and Risk Burndown Charts.

In conclusion, the "Program Management in MBSE" webinar promises to be a knowledge-packed event, offering insights and strategies to enhance program management effectiveness through the integration of model-based systems engineering principles. Don't miss this opportunity to unlock the full potential of your programs and projects.

Watch the recording of our webinar below!