Michael Emes

Interpreting “systems architecting”

The UK Chapter of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE UK) commissioned research to illustrate the variety of usage of the terms architecture and architecting in the systems engineering community. These terms, though widely used, are rarely strictly defined, and the meaning attributed to the terms is not consistent even in formal publications. Using soft systems methodology, this research has analyzed three published sources (MODAF [http://www.modaf.org.uk, 2008], The Art of Systems Architecting by Maier and Rechtin [CRC Press, 2009], and ISO/IEC 42010 [2011]), and conducted a series of interviews with systems architecting practitioners. This research was set in context by a historical review of the use of the term systems architecting. Twelve contentious questions in systems architecting are discussed, and six perspectives on systems architecting presented, including three basic worldviews of the relationship between systems engineering and systems architecting. One model sees systems architecting as simply a rebranding of systems engineering to broaden its appeal with no change in content. Another model sees systems engineering restricted to its traditional processes, with systems architecting adding to systems engineering through external processes. The final model, and the most popular among the systems engineering community surveyed, sees systems architecting addressing shortcomings in traditional sequential lifecycle models by stretching the content of systems engineering to include new elements under the banner of systems architecting.

Systems for construction: Lessons for the construction industry from experiences in spacecraft systems engineering

Construction projects are becoming ever more ambitious in terms of the size of structures, the number of requirements, the number and influence of stakeholders and the extent to which technology is integrated into buildings. Although great buildings may historically have been designed and built by a single guiding mind – ‘the architect’ – modern buildings require teams of specialists to work together to develop ideal solutions. In these circumstances, to ensure that construction projects are delivered on time, to budget and to the requirements specified by the customer, the construction industry could benefit from adopting a systems’ engineering approach to design. Based on 45 years of spacecraft instrumentation research and development and over 10 years experience teaching Systems Engineering in a range of industries, University College Londons (UCLs) Mullard Space Science Laboratory has identified a set of guiding principles that have been found to be critical in delivering successful projects in the most demanding of environments. The five principles are: ‘principles govern processes’, ‘seek alternative systems perspectives’, ‘understand the enterprise context’, ‘integrate systems engineering and project management’ and ‘invest in the early stages of projects’. Underlying these principles is a will to anticipate and respond to a changing environment with a focus on achieving long-term value for the enterprise. These principles are applied in both space projects and nonspace projects (through UCLs Centre for Systems Engineering), and are embedded in UCLs teaching and professional training programme. These principles could contribute to the successful delivery of complex building projects.

Structural analysis of a cryogen-free refrigerator for space

Abstract Future X-ray observatories in space, such as European Space Agencys (ESA) X-ray evolving universe spectroscopy (XEUS) mission, will require cooling to the region 10–100 mK to enable the utilisation of advanced cryogenic photon detectors in cryogenic spectrometer instruments. Such missions are envisaged to be completely cryogen-free, replacing the traditional superfluid liquid helium cryostat with a space worthy mechanically cooled system. As part of the Mullard Space Science Laboratorys (MSSL) adiabatic demagnetisation refrigerator (ADR) development programme, we have investigated the construction of a flight cryostat containing a 10 mK ADR (the MSSL double ADR (dADR)) that can be cooled by a single Astrium (formally Matra Marconi Space (MMS)) 4 K mechanical cooler. A proto-type dADR has been constructed and will be flight proven as part of a sounding rocket payload, where the dADR system will be used to cool an array of superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detectors at the focus of an X-ray telescope.

Care and Flow: Using Soft Systems Methodology to understand tensions in the patient discharge process

Many hospitals face a daily struggle to manage capacity, especially where wards contain patients with a combination of health and social care needs. In this study, Soft Systems Methodology was used to understand the process of discharging patients from an acute hospital and to answer the question ‘Why do patients with complex needs often spend longer on the wards than is necessary?’. Through a series of twenty structured interviews, several problems with the discharge planning process were identified. Problems included ineffective communication, slow processing of paperwork, limited forward planning, no clear ownership of the process and delays in finding care in the community. The persistence of these problems despite longstanding guidance on discharge planning can be understood by recognising the tension between two different philosophies in hospitals – a traditional ‘Care’ mindset focusing on the immediate needs of patients on the wards, and a planning-focused ‘Flow’ mentality, where the hospital’s responsibility to the wider community dominates. Soft Systems Methodology was found to be an effective approach for discussing discharge planning and highlighting this tension. Based on the insights gained from the interviews, three practical initiatives have now been implemented to reconcile the tension and thereby reduce delays in the hospital.

Belief systems in systems architecting: Method and preliminary applications

Architecting has become an important discipline within the broader context of systems engineering. The lack of a common understanding of the discipline amongst practitioners and other stakeholders, particularly in broad communities, can result in confusion, misunderstanding and inefficiencies. Methods and principles from the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) are used to define a method for investigating different approaches to systems and system of systems architecting, which we characterize as distinct ‘belief systems’. This method is applied to a number of such ‘belief systems’ encountered in applied systems architecting with the aim of clarifying their key features and promoting mutual understanding across different architecting communities.

Improving the patient discharge process: implementing actions derived from a soft systems methodology study

ABSTRACT In the period from January 2013 to July 2014, three process change initiatives were undertaken at a major UK hospital to improve the patient discharge process. These initiatives were inspired by the findings of a study of the discharge process using Soft Systems Methodology. The first initiative simplified time-consuming paperwork and the second introduced more regular reviews of patient progress through daily multi-disciplinary “Situation Reports”. These two initiatives were undertaken in parallel across the hospital, and for the average patient they jointly led to a 41% reduction between a patient being declared medically stable and their being discharged from the hospital. The third initiative implemented more proactive alerting of Social Care Practitioners to patients with probable social care needs at the front door, and simplified capture of important patient information (using a “SPRING” form). This initiative saw a 20% reduction in total length of stay for 88 patients on three wards where the SPRING form was used, whilst 248 patients on five control wards saw no significant change in total length of stay in the same period. Taken together, these initiatives have reduced total length of stay by 67% from 55.8 days to 18.6 days for the patients studied.

Cooling system for ultralow-temperature cryogenic detector cameras

A prototype ultra low temperature cryogen free refrigerator has been developed at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory that may be coupled to ground based cryo-coolers or space cryo-coolers. Enabling such detectors to be used, in which the fact that the detector is at very low temperature is of little concern. A development system has ben constructed as proof of consent for two space based refrigeration systems, one of which is under construction. The developed system and subsequent systems provide a compete turnkey refrigeration system for cryogenic detector cameras. The refrigeration system may be utilized in either static or in moving environments, for example vehicles, aircraft or satellites, since the power consumption is low between 24 and 224 Watts and masses are in the region of 50-90 Kg, depending on the system.