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Technical Leadership is not Optional for System Engineers

Technical Leadership is not Optional for System Engineers. A Call for Leadership . John A. Thomas President-Elect INCOSE (2012) Senior Vice President & Chief System Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton Delaware Valley Chapter @ UPenn Presentation 8 November 2011.

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Technical Leadership is not Optional for System Engineers

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  1. Technical Leadership is not Optional for System Engineers A Call for Leadership John A. Thomas President-Elect INCOSE (2012) Senior Vice President & Chief System Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton Delaware Valley Chapter @ UPenn Presentation 8 November 2011

  2. (System) Engineers withMoxie ** W A N T E D ** U.S. DoDC4ISR Journal, January 1 2010 “Commentary by John A. Thomas”

  3. The Systems Engineer Ensures the“Whole” is greater than the “Sum of Its Parts” **Through Performing Requirements, Design and Integration Activities The Whole n (Links) (System) (Components ) Parts Delta j j j = 1 The System Link # 1 Link # 3 Link # 2 Component # 1 Component # 3 Link # 5 Link # 4 Component # 2 Link # 7 Link # 6 ** -- Adapted from Allen Fairbairn remarks, Chief Systems Engineer of the Chunnel Project)

  4. Another view of a “Whole and its Parts” The Whole Built From its Parts Engine Chassis Body

  5. There are Different Ways to Look at Costs

  6. What’s the Risk Value of “Delta” during Development ? The Whole The Whole n Parts Delta j j = 1 Dev Cost = $ 110M Interface Development 3% = $15M 12% = $60M Engine Chassis Body Dev Cost = $ 90M Development Commitment $ 500M Dev Cost = $ 200M Total Dev Cost = $ 400M (80% of Program)

  7. What’s the Risk Value of the “Delta” during Production ? The Whole The Whole n Parts Delta j j = 1 Cost = $ 12,000 Labor 3% = $ 1,275 12% = $ 5,100 Engine Chassis Body Cost = $ 9,000 Unit Cost = $ 42,500 Unit Retail = $ 50,000 Cost = $ 15,500 Total Parts Cost = $ 36,500

  8. The Sensitivity of Getting a Correct “Delta” Changes as a Function of when you Discover if you got it Wrong Most of the time it gets discovered in this time frame

  9. Three roles required for any system program to succeed − The System Engineer is found in each Role − Management Role Executed by a Management Team Design and Integration Role Executed by a SE&I Team • System Engineer • Subject Matter Experts • Engineers & Scientists • Sociologists. Anthropologists • Economists • Builder Representatives • Policy Makers • Stakeholders • Program Manager • System Engineer • Stakeholders • Policy Makers • Cost & Schedule Manager • Contracts Officer … Build Component Role Executed Implementation Teams • Component Builder • Management Representatives (Program Manager. Stakeholders, …) • SE&I Representatives (System Engineer, SME’s, …)

  10. Leadership (As exercised by the System Engineer) is critical to the success of each program role System Engineer – The leader of the SE&I Team System Engineer – A leader within the Management team System Engineer – A leader partnering with the Build teams Remember the old saying – “If nobody is following, you ain’t leading” − What skills/experience is needed to lead within a dynamic like this −

  11. Need of membership on the Management Team caused PMI and INCOSE to shift messages from PM “or” SE

  12. To a joint INCOSE/PMI message of PM “and” SE ** ** -- Toward a New Mindset - INCOSE eINSIGHTSept 2011 -- Toward a New Mindset - PMI Network Magazine Sept 2011

  13. The SE -- to be an effective leader – bridges to and translates across -- all 3 teams • Correlates – Technical • Scope with Work • Activities • Technical Interpreter • of Requirements • Management Team • Architect for • Requirements • Driven Design • Integration Manager • & Strategist • Systems Engineer Brake • Sets Technical • Vision and Standards • for Analysis • Arbitrator for Trades • across Components • Build Component Teams • SE&I Team

  14. These skills/experience are critical for addressing today’s challenges associated with complex systems Problem Solver Craftsman Critical Thinker, System Thinker, Associative Thinker Ability for Abstraction Processes, Methods, Techniques, Tools Skills of a System Engineer with Moxie Environmental Understanding Functional Depth as well as Multidisciplinary Breadth Tailor Development Lifecycles, Knowledge of Technologies, Knowledge of Mission, Knowledge of Domains Programmatic Understanding Leadership Presence under Stress, Conflict Manager, Decision Maker, Communicator, Team builder, Visionary, Mentor Acquisition Planner, Contract Planner, Cost Estimator, Schedule Estimator

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