A process model for unifying systems engineering and project management

AbstractCombining agility and convergence in the development of physical products is a major challenge. Rooted in a design thinking approach, Stanford's ME310 process model attempts to resolve the conflicting priorities of these two design principles. To investigate how successful Stanford's hybrid process model is in doing so, we have used a qualitative case study approach. Our paper begins by outlining this process model's fundamental principles in terms of engineering design methodology. Subsequently, we present the results of our empirical analysis, which tracks the coevolution of problem and solution space by meticulously examining all prototype paths in ten of Stanford's ME310 student projects. We have discovered that convergence during solution finding does not correspond to the process model's theoretical specifications. Even in the phase of the final prototype, both the technical concept and the underlying problem formulation changed frequently. Further research should focus on combining the prototype-based ME310 approach with methods from systems engineering which allow for a more comprehensive theoretical exploration of the solution space. This could lead to improved convergence during solution development.

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9 — Systems Engineering + Project Management = Success

21 for 21 ◽

10.1108/978-1-78743-787-620181010 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 49-51

Keyword(s):

Project Management ◽

Systems Engineering ◽

Engineering Project ◽

Engineering Project Management

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Engineering Project Management Graduate Education in Integrated Software and Systems Engineering Environments

10.18260/p.23977 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Radu Babiceanu

Keyword(s):

Project Management ◽

Graduate Education ◽

Systems Engineering ◽

Engineering Project ◽

Engineering Project Management ◽

Integrated Software

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Systems Engineering and Project Management

Resource Management - Integral Logistics Management ◽

10.1201/9781420058642.ch18 ◽

2007 ◽

pp. 939-968

Keyword(s):

Project Management ◽

Systems Engineering

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Performance Management in Software Engineering

Perspectives and Techniques for Improving Information Technology Project Management ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-2800-7.ch005 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 51-68

Author(s):

Markus Ilg ◽

Alexander Baumeister

Keyword(s):

Project Management ◽

Software Engineering ◽

Performance Management ◽

Process Model ◽

Activity Based Costing ◽

Managerial Accounting ◽

Iterative Development ◽

Development Teams ◽

Unified Process ◽

And Control

Performance measurement in software engineering has to meet a multiplicity of challenges. Oftentimes, traditional metrics focus on sequential development instead of using incremental and iterative development. Output is measured on a pure quantitative (e.g., SLOC), quality-disregarding basis. A project’s input is hard to assign properly using enterprise-unspecific forecasting tools which have to be calibrated at first and which do not account for time preferences. Requirements necessary for behaviourally adjusted project management and control are rarely discussed. Focusing on these shortcomings, this paper proposes an enterprise-specific approach which combines lifecycle and activity based costing techniques for software development following the incremental and iterative Unified Process model. Key advantages are calibration effort can be avoided, project management decisions are supported by a clear managerial accounting emphasis, precise milestone-depending cost objectives can be determined as the basis for personnel management and control of development teams, and cost and time variance analysis can be supported in a sophisticated way.

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