Gerrit Muller

Systems Architecting: a Business Perspective

Process and Organization Process Decomposition of a Business Intermezzo: What Is a Process? Product Creation Process Intermezzo: The Importance of Feedback The Systems Architecting Process Intermezzo: Products, Projects, Services Role and Task of the Systems Architect The Awakening of a Systems Architect Intermezzo: Systems Titles and Roles The Role and Task of the Systems Architect Intermezzo: Dynamic Range of Abstraction Levels in Architecting Architecting Interaction Styles From Customer Understanding to Requirements CAFCR+: A Model to Relate Customer Needs to System Realization Fundamentals of Requirements Key Driver How to Requirements Elicitation and Selection Systems Architect Methods and Means Intermezzo: The Toolbox of the Systems Architect Basic Working Methods of an Architect Story How to Strategy Intermezzo: Business Strategy-Methods, and Models Roadmapping Intermezzo: Change Management-Introducing Systems Architecting Aspects Market Product Life-Cycle Consequences for Architecting Harvesting Synergy, Product Families Product Families and Generic Aspects A Method to Explore Synergy between Products Supporting Processes Systems Architects and Supporting Processes Granularity of Documentation Intermezzo: LEAN and A3 Approach to Supporting Processes Systems and Software The Role of Software in Systems System Integration: How Boardroom Presentation Intermezzo: Architect versus Manager the Tense Relation How to Present Architecture Issues to Higher Management Human Side The Human Side of Architecting Function Profiles: The Sheep with Seven Legs Interpersonal Skills Teamwork Reflection and Wrap-Up Reflection Applied on Systems Architecting Wrap-Up References Pictorial Index

The Darwin Project: Evolvability of Software-Intensive Systems

This paper presents the Darwin project. This applied research project is currently conducted at Philips Medical Systems and focuses on the evolvability of software-intensive systems, with as use case magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. We not only discuss evolvability of software-intensive systems in general, but also describe the project and its research areas.

Systems Engineering Research Methods

Abstract One of the challenges of systems engineering research is that the expertise and the application happen “in the field”. The field can be an industrial company or a government agency. Researchers need methods to research in the field; methods to try-out ideas, collect data, analyze, and evaluate. In this paper, we present a simple research model to help researchers to shape their research. We provide and discuss a number of elementary research methods. The model and the elementary research methods are based on our systems engineering research experiences in the past five years. We conclude the paper with some validation challenges and pitfalls.

SUPPORTING THE SYSTEM ARCHITECT: MODEL-ASSISTED COMMUNICATION

System modeling and analysis is used to validate assumptions, increase understanding, synchronize views, and support decisions. By measuring indirect related quantities and commonalities of different modeling techniques in practice we can get an indication of the value of modeling. In this paper, we discuss how to increase modeling value and provide more effective model-assisted communication by understanding critical success factors of modeling. We analyze models used to support production line design at Volvo Aero Norge AS. Volvo Aero Norge AS manufactures jet engine components for commercial and military engine suppliers. Flight safety is fundamental in the domain which translates to comprehensive component quality and traceability requirements. Long-term engine programs make production line development and process improvements important for staying competitive and maintaining a profitable production that supports the required quality level. System modeling and analysis is applied to communicate insight between stakeholders and visualize different aspects of production lines and processes. In this paper we present impact factors the architect can use to increase a models ability to assist communication. We argue how balancing and utilizing the right quantity of these factors increase modeling value.

Researching Reference Architectures

Reference architectures are seen as one of the means to cope with increased organization size, distributed development, increased integration, increased performance and functionality, and ever faster changes in the market. Our research project Darwin is aimed at improving evolvability of product families, where reference architecture is one of the research subjects. In this chapter, we start with positioning reference architectures relative to system architectures and product family architectures, and architecture frameworks and architecting methods. Then we focus on generating reference architecture views by mining information from past architectures by studying produced artifacts as well as by interacting with the people involved. We explain that it is a long way from detailed facts found in the artifacts to conceptual diagrams that capture the domain essence and that could guide future architectural developments. We illustrate this by discussing two of the smaller research projects in some more detail.

Electric mobility and charging: Systems of systems and infrastructure systems

In light of European and worldwide environmental programs, reduction of CO2 emissions and improvements in air quality receive a lot of attention. A prominent way to improve on both aspects is the replacement of Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles with Electrical Vehicles. Yet, simply replacing vehicles will not result in proper electric mobility because using Electrical Vehicles depends on many systems and infrastructures including the chargers, parking sites and payment structures. In this paper we will take an explorative view on Electric Mobility and match developments in that area with Systems of Systems Engineering. We will also present a case study on charging many Electric Vehicles, where we will match business opportunities and technical feasibility to the transition from early adopters to the early majority as main Electric Vehicle users.

Experiences in evolvability research

Many technical products and systems nowadays have functionality that is largely determined by software, so called software-intensive systems. The requirements for software-intensive systems change over time, causing the system to evolve. We define evolvability as the ability of the system to respond to such changes. Improving evolvability of software-intensive systems was the goal of the Darwin project. The vision of this project consisted of four cornerstones. In this paper we share the obtained experiences, insights, and results. We have collected some evidence that three of the visions cornerstones, which are about knowledge, i.e., extracting knowledge, representing knowledge, and economic decision making, improve evolvability. The representation of knowledge in A3 architecture overviews is the result with the most evidence that it is useful in practice.

Architecting for Improved Evolvability

We define evolvability as the ability of a product family to respond effectively to change, or in other words, to accommodate changing requirements with predictable, minimal effort and time. Despite this definition, evolvability is an elusive concept in system engineering: It is almost impossible to measure and it depends on many factors, of which architecture is only one. Nevertheless there are a number of things that architects can do to improve evolvability and in this chapter we give a few guidelines for this. We start with explaining the main causes of evolvability problems: lack of shared understanding, insufficient motivation to invest in architecture, and high expected effort and cost of architecture improvements. Then we describe how to address each of these causes. We present the following three recommendations: First, establishing a reference architecture helps fostering shared understanding in the developing organization. Second, a thorough long-term cost-benefit analysis of architectural investments may provide the required motivation. Finally, there are a number of measures that can be taken to deal with the high cost and effort of implementing architecture changes, such as simplicity, size reduction, supplier support, and incremental change. At the end of the chapter we give a number of examples.

Transition from closed system to Internet of Things: A study in standardizing building lighting systems

Internet of Things (IoT) is triggering changes in lighting industry from the traditional closed and propriety systems to flexible, interoperable and service oriented systems. To address the challenges of this transition and catering the specific requirements of lighting networks, an Open Architecture for Intelligent Solid State Lighting Systems has been proposed. The architecture is open and extensible to future technologies with security and interoperability as its integral features. A side effect of this transition is the impact on stakeholders and changes in the lighting value chain and building sector. This paper provides an overview of the architecture and zooms into the challenges in one important area, namely installation and commissioning. It proposes potential solutions to prominent issues raised by the lighting industry.

Applying Systems Engineering on Energy Challenges

Systems engineering is a discipline with methods and techniques to address complex problems. We want to study how Systems Engineering methods can help to address todays grand challenges, such as the energy problem. The first step is problem definition which aims at articulating the problem in its context as clearly as possible.Humanity will have to cope with the energy problem, one of the most critical challenges of humanity in this century. The energy problem itself is related to other challenges facing humanity like water, food and poverty. The key challenges concerning energy are climate change and other environmental impact of energy production and use, energy security, and long-term sustainable and affordable access to energy.The intention is to investigate the energy problem through applying system engineering practices aiming to reach a more clear, concise, and consistent understanding of the energy problem. This will help in both reaching a common understanding platform for all those involved in the energy problem and pave the way to identify the needs and thus suggesting and assessing solutions. Our first attempts to formulate a problem statement and to identify energy needs indicate that there are many assumptions in current literature