Candidates

2018 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Honorary Recognition

Dissertation Title
Successful Project Portfolio Management Delivery: A Novel Strategic Portfolio Decision-Making Model

Dissertation Abstract
Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is an essential component of an organisation’s strategic procedures which requires considering several factors to envisage a range of long-term outcomes that support strategic project portfolio decisions. The success of PPM is closely associated with the degree of understanding of its issues and the quality of decisions made at the portfolio level as poor judgement reduces efficiency and increases portfolio costs. Although several Multi-criteria Decision-making (MCDM) methods have been introduced in support of PPM decision-making functions, there has been little assessment of their performances, particularly regarding which one works best for PPM.  

This study identifies the key PPM challenges, proposes a new framework for classifying PPM MCDM-related methods and undertakes a literature review of the application of MCDM approaches to PPM. Of over 100 methods identified in over 1400 publications, eight (AHP, ANP, DEA, DSRA, ELECTRE, PROMETHEE, TOPSIS and VIKOR) that best suit PPM are selected and compared. Although two standard methods (AHP and DEA) are shown to be the most appropriate for application to PPM, each has its own shortcomings.

To overcome the challenges, this study proposes a novel method for portfolio selection/decision making that combines the Portfolio Theory (PT), AHP and a DEA cross-efficiency technique and considers the profit, risks and proficiency of the portfolio. It is demonstrated that this method can be useful for selecting a portfolio with positive and negative data and, subsequently, measuring efficiency using the AHP. To test the applicability of the proposed model, it is used to determine the efficiency levels of ten of the largest companies in Australia in 2014 and 2015, with two criteria, namely, the expected return and variance, used to identify the preference status of each company. A consistency test conducted to assess the objectivity of the results indicates that this application of the proposed model, which simultaneously analyses profits, risks and proficiency, is feasible and adoptable for a contemporary industrial scenario. Furthermore, an executive management system is proposed as an alternative decision support tool for decision makers.

Biosketch
Darius Danesh is a Fellow Certified Practising Portfolio Executive (FAIPM CPPE) and a Fellow Chartered Professional Engineering Executive (FIEAust CPEng EngExec RPEQ NER APEC Engineer IntPE) with experience in a variety of executive engineering and management roles in the government and private sectors. He has led many complex programs ranging from PMO development, organisational change management and performance improvement, strategic risk management, and operational management to major infrastructure and construction, mining, oil and gas projects. Darius holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degrees in Engineering Science and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Project Management from the University of New South Wales (UNSW); and a Diploma and an Advanced Diploma in Project Management. He has also gained other qualifications in Systems Engineering, Modern Communication Systems, Complex Procurement and Contract Management, and International Contract Law. Darius is an AIPM approved RegPM Certification Assessor and has been a panelist for numerous Chartered Professional Engineering (CPEng) Review interviews.

Contact
Darius Danesh
Email: darius.danesh@unsw.edu.au

2018 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Honorary Recognition

Dissertation Title
On the Military Utility of Spectral Design in Signature Managment: A Systems Approach

Dissertation Abstract
There is an ongoing duel between military sensor development and developments in signature management. The last decade, with warfare characterized by joint expeditionary operations and asymmetry, has favored sensors. However, on account of the worsening security situation in Europe, there is now also an increasing interest in efforts to increase survivability of own military platforms. Spectral design is one of several promising technologies with extensive research potentially suitable for Low Observable platforms. It involves creating desired spectral optical responses from surfaces, in this case reducing contrast to background, by choosing suitable materials and structures.

The challenge to a military decisionmaker, faced with inherent uncertainties concerning the future and with limited resources, is how to choose among alternative capabilities, technologies or equipment. Correspondingly, on account of the system character of the signature attribute, researchers in technologies for signature management has difficulties communicating relevant basis for these decisions.

The scope of this thesis is therefore to find and analyze patterns in decision situations involving technology or technical systems for military use, and the purpose is to propose conceptual and methodological contributions to support future decisionmaking. The technology focus is on spectral design and the application in focus is signature management of Low Observable military platforms. The research objective is addressed from a military system and capability centric perspective using methods from several disciplines in the military sciences domain. The result is synthesized from four separate studies: 1) on spectral design using systematic review of literature, 2) on military utility using a concept formation method, 3) on modeling for how to operationalize a link between spectral design and measures of military utility using methods of military operations research, and, 4) on cases of systems engineering of military Low Observable platform designs.

In summary, the result of the work presented in this thesis is a compilation of related work in military sciences, systems engineering and material optics into a framework to support effective decisionmaking in relevant contexts. The major contribution to theory is a proposed concept called Military Utility, capturing how to communicate the utility of technical systems, or technology, in a military context. It is a compound measure of Military Effectiveness, Military Suitability and Affordability. Other contributions can be expected to support decision-making in practice;

– the so-called Ladder-model is a template for how to quantitatively operationalize the military effectiveness dimension of Military Utility regarding the use of spectral design;

– an applied Ladder-model is demonstrated, useful for analyzing the military utility of spectral designs in Low Observable attack aircraft;

– a probabilistic framework for survivability assessments is adopted into a methodology for doing the analysis, and lastly;

– a generic workflow is identified, from relevant development programs, including decision-situations that can benefit from the adopted methodology.

Biosketch
Kent Andersson is an active officer in the Swedish Armed Forces and a lecturer and researcher at the Swedish Defence University. He is currently managing the development of a new master´s program in Defence and Security Systems Development starting in the autumn of 2019. He received his master’s degree in engineering physics from Uppsala University, Sweden, in 1990 and a Licentiate degree in solid state physics in 1993. His research was on the spectral design of solar control coatings on window panes for energy saving purposes. After receiving his degree Kent started his employment in the Swedish Armed Forces and came to develop broad knowledge in the development of command and control systems, as a systems engineer and project manager. In 2018 he received his PhD in military sciences from the National Defence University of Finland. In his PhD research, supervised by Jouko Vankka (FNDU), Gunnar Hult (SEDU), Hans Liwång (SEDU), and Hans Kariis (Swedish Defence Research Agency), he investigated the military utility of spectral design in signature management applications using a systems approach.

Contact
Kent E Andersson, LtCol/PhD, Swedish Defence University, Department of Military Studies, Science of Command and Control and Military Technology Division
Correspondence Address: Box 278 05, 115 93 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: +46 8 5534 2836
Email: kent.andersson@fhs.se

2018 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Exemplary Recognition

Dissertation Title
Computational Models for Architecture of Autonomous Networked Systems

Dissertation Abstract
Complex systems, comprised of heterogeneous constituents that are capable of localized autonomous decision-making, are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in a wide range of technical and socio-technical contexts. Study of such systems requires methods that are beyond hierarchical design and control approaches. The traditional engineering approaches do not capture individual components’ autonomy, the way components interact and (dynamically) share resources, and these system’s responsiveness to highly uncertain and rapidly changing environments. Hence, a key question is that of how to promote desired behavior in such systems through mechanisms that leverage individual agents’ autonomy – as opposed to directly controlling them. In this work, we investigate the way connectivity structure of interactions between individual components can be altered as a mechanism to govern the behavior of socio-technical systems in uncertain environment. We develop a computational framework that helps in decision making about architecture of complex systems under uncertainty and covers a wide range of systems from fully integrated and monolithic to distributed systems with evolving network architectures, which are capable of dynamic resource sharing. For distributed systems with autonomous units, we develop strategic network formation models that capture components heterogeneity (e.g., processing capacity, state, and bandwidth) and the system environment uncertainty profile, typical characteristics of many technical systems. Under various conditions of heterogeneity, we derive analytical solutions for the efficient and stable connectivity structures and show that, for a range of costs and benefits of connections, these networks exhibit certain structural characteristics, such as the Core-Periphery. Additionally, to capture the effect of connectivity structure on the collective behavior of systems comprised of adaptive technology agents/human agents whose strategies evolve over the course of interactions, we use a multi-layered agent-based model based on evolutionary game theory on graphs. We focus on the case of collective fair behavior in social systems and show that two network parameters, namely, community structure, as measured by the modularity index, and network hubiness, represented by the skewness of degree distribution, have the most significant impact on the emergence of collective fair behavior. These two parameters can explain much of the variations in fairness norms across societies and can also be linked to hypotheses suggested by earlier empirical studies. Finally, we complement the theoretical and simulation-based work on system level behavior by developing a data-driven model that captures collective behavior from textual data using natural language processing models.

Biosketch
Mohsen Mosleh is a postdoctoral scholar at Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Prior to joining MIT, he was a postdoctoral scholar at Psychology Department at Yale University. He received his PhD in Systems Engineering with a graduate certificate in Business Intelligence and Analytics from Stevens Institute of Technology. He holds a master’s degree in Management and a BS degree in electrical engineering both from Sharif University. He also worked as a Systems and Software Integration Lead for five years prior to starting his PhD. He has been the recipient of several academic awards including Fabrycky-Blanchard Award for excellence of academic performance in Systems Engineering Research in 2017, the best paper award of Systems Engineering journal in 2016, and INCOSE Foundation Doctoral Award for promising research in systems engineering and integration in 2015. His research interests include architecture of distributed and networked systems, economic and technological networks, modeling the emergence of social norms and collective behavior in socio-technical systems, and computational social sciences.

Contact
Mohsen Mosleh, Postdoctoral Associate, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
Phone: +1 617 324 6710
Email: mmosleh@mit.edu

2018 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Exemplary Recognition

Dissertation Title
Innovate by Designing for Value – Towards a Design-to-Value Methodology in Early Design Stages

Dissertation Abstract
Decisions made in early design stages condition the next detailed design phases and can drastically affect the cost and the success of the system or the service under development. This success relies on the ability to satisfy customers’ needs and expectations while ensuring profitability for the company. But customers may face difficulty to express their needs, and they are not ready to pay for everything. Therefore, it is critical to elicit and assess the values not only for the customers but also the other stakeholders and the company itself. Decisions impacting value creation still need to be better understood and articulated by considering the unarticulated and latent stakeholder values, the complexity in system design and the economic benefit in developing the system or service. Another characteristic of early design stages is its multidisciplinary: It involves the Business Developer, the System Engineer and the different disciplines (electronics, structure, cost, etc.) that will give technical answers, thus contributing to the selection of the “best” solution. Although Business Developers and Systems Engineers both focus on value elicitation and value creation, they do not share a clear definition of value, resulting in difficulty to trace values down to system architecture. Their roles need to be better articulated to help them share a mutual understanding and to smooth iterations on Business Model (BM) design to explore BM desirability, feasibility, and viability, all-at-once.

To address these challenges, this dissertation introduces the ValYOU methodology, a structured and iterative approach to bridge the gap between Business Developers and Systems Engineers to design valuable systems and services under uncertainty in early design stages. The methodology was conceived to integrate main value-oriented decision activities in a unified framework, to support the iterative and incremental definition, exploration and evaluation of BM alternatives. We propose a flexible and broadly applicable approach to design for value in early stages, for both new and existing systems and services, to break down organizational silos and increase commitment across business and engineering teams in a collaborative environment. The ValYOU methodology is composed of a process and three methods:

• The ValYOU process to orchestrate value-oriented decisions from value elicitation to value assessment. The process shifts from system design exploration to BM design exploration. Not only are the design variables of the feasible concepts analyzed but also the BM design variables, such as the scope of the value proposition (what to deliver).
• The ValSearch method to structure the market research and capture BM environment elements, by applying a qualitative analysis based on the BM ontology. ValSearch helps to gather and structure knowledge on the BM environment and to select the elements that will constitute the BM. Several alternatives of BM can be defined and managed. The reliability of the information is also captured and the understanding of the BM environment can be consolidated continuously.
• The ValUse method to design value propositions, by adapting the affordance-based design to system and service. ValUse helps to explore both the values in terms of exchanges, i.e. the tangible and intangible resources exchanged between the network of stakeholders; and the values in terms of usage, i.e. what the system or service of interest affords the stakeholders to do. This activity-centered method helps to augment the identification of values for the stakeholders at stake. It also helps to explore and define possible perimeters of the value proposition.
• The ValXplore method to refine business opportunities and assess the BM alternatives by gaining insight during problem space and solution space exploration. In current practices, the needs statement or the business opportunity is fixed, and the exploration consists in understanding the contribution of the system design variables in the maximization of value creation. Whereas ValXplore helps to define the business opportunity thanks to a decision-aiding process supported by visual analysis. ValXplore tackles uncertainties on the business problem definition and assesses the value of the different BMs regarding uncertainty on the BM environment.

The methodology was tested and validated on several industrial use cases and demonstrated its usefulness to support Business and System design and exploration.

Biosketch
Sonia Hamida is a consultant at Davidson Consulting Switzerland. She worked as a Systems Engineer from 2011 to 2018 at Airbus Defence and Space and ArianeGroup. First, she took part in the Single European Sky Air traffic management Research (SESAR) program for two years. Then, she started a PhD in partnership with the SystemX research institute and CentraleSupélec at Université Paris-Saclay – one of the top French research institutes in system design. Her research focuses on how to design value proposition for new businesses under uncertainty.

Sonia holds a PhD in innovation in early design stages from CentraleSupélec and an engineer’s degree in aerospace from the French Civil Aviation grande école. She is a Certified System Engineering Professional from the INCOSE and a reviewer of the Systems Engineering journal.

Contact
Sonia Ben Hamida, Consultant, Davidson Consulting Switzerland
Phone: +33 6 2377 9329
Email: sonia.benhamida@outlook.com

2016 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Exemplary Recognition

Dissertation Title
Heritage Technologies in Space Programs: Assessment Methodology and Statistical Analysis

Dissertation Abstract
An established approach to cost and risk reduction in system development programs is the use of heritage technologies. A heritage technology is defined as a proven technology, reused in a new use context, in an unaltered or adapted form. Heritage technologies are particularly relevant for space systems development programs, as their development costs are usually high and stakeholders risk-averse. Nevertheless, numerous space programs encountered problems linked to improper ‘management’ of heritage technologies when reused, i.e., improper use, implementation or adaptation.

Improperly managed heritage technologies can lead to cost and schedule overruns, or even failure in the reuse application. Currently, the applicability of heritage technologies is mostly assessed ad-hoc. The existing assessment approaches are deemed to be insufficient for providing decision-makers and analysts with ample guidance on the applicability of heritage technologies.

This thesis presents a methodology for assessing heritage technologies in the early phases of development, taking the new use context of the technology, its necessary adaptations and modifications, as well as technological capabilities of the implementing organization into consideration. For illuminating the relationship between the use of heritage technologies and the performance of space programs empirically, a statistical analysis is performed.

The methodology focuses on the early phases, where most of the technology selection takes place. A 3-component framework is developed that serves as the theoretical basis for the statistical analysis and the methodology. The framework consists of a systems architecting framework, a technology framework, and a verification, validation, testing, and operation framework.

Based on the concepts developed in the framework, a statistical analysis is performed. Using multiple regression with control variables, a statistically significant relationship between heritage technology and specific development cost / development duration was confirmed. No statistically significant relationship between heritage use and development cost overrun / schedule overrun could be confirmed.

Based on the framework and results from the statistical analysis, a methodology for assessing heritage technologies in the early phases is developed. It allows for identifying potential compliance issues of the heritage technology with respect to changed requirements and constraints. Estimating the impact of modifications is performed via design structure matrices and a graph-edit-similarity algorithm. Furthermore, a heritage metric is presented that can be used for measuring heritage with respect to a new application. Finally, the methodology also allows for assessing technological and organizational capabilities.

The methodology is validated by three space system case studies: 1) a CubeSat component technology, 2) a high-pressure tank technology for the Ariane 5 launcher, and 3) the Saturn V and Space Launch System technology.

From the presented work it can be concluded that the methodology can be systematically applied to various types of space systems at different levels of decomposition. The heritage metric provides a rough estimate of the heritage of a technology for a new application and context. The statistical analysis confirmed that in general using heritage technologies significantly reduces specific development cost and development duration. As future work, the developed methodology could be extended to other domains such as automotive engineering, aeronautics, and medical engineering, where heritage also plays an important role.

Biosketch
Andreas Hein received his Master’s and PhD degree in aerospace engineering from the Technical University of Munich (TUM). In his PhD research, supervised by Ulrich Walter (TUM) and Edward Crawley (MIT), he investigated the effect of heritage technologies on cost, development duration, and risk of space programs. He conducted part of his research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, supported by a scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD. Subsequently, he participated in the Stanford Ignite – Polytechnique program where he worked on creating a business model for automatizing the development of buildings. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at CentraleSupelec in Paris, working on systems engineering methodologies for developing large industrial systems (eco-industrial parks) and product service systems (autonomous vehicles). He is furthermore a co-founder of the UK not-for-profit company “Initiative for Interstellar Studies” which conducts research and development of advanced space systems, notably in collaboration with the Breakthrough Initiatives’ Starshot Program. Andreas has published over 40 articles in peer-reviewed international journals and conferences and is a reviewer of Acta Astronautica, the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Aerospace Science and Technology, Design Science Journal, and the Journal of Cleaner Production. He is a member of INCOSE and a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society.

Contact
Andreas Hein, Research Associate, Laboratoire Génie Industriel, CentraleSupelec, Université Paris-Saclay
Correspondence Address: Grande Voie des Vignes, 92290 Châtenay-Malabry, France
Phone: +33 6 8035 0667
Email: andreas-makoto.hein@centralesupelec.fr

2017 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Exemplary Recognition

Dissertation Title
Cyber Physical Disruption Modeling, Analysis, and Management: An Evolutionary Object Process Model-Based Robust Systems Engineering Approach

Dissertation Abstract
System disruption is any deviation from the nominal behavior, function, or structure applied to, in, or by a system. Disruptions have both advantageous and adverse impacts. System evolution, interoperability, and autonomy, for instance, are generally advantageous, while risk, uncertainty and complexity are generally adverse. Systems usually act in disrupted environment, and must be sufficiently ready for likely disruptions.

Conceptual models of phenomena and systems play a central role in science and engineering: they describe and analyze complex natural and artificial systems. Conceptual modeling is significant when variability and complexity are high. The primary value of models stems from their ability to express and clarify non-trivial information about the systems they relates to. However, conventional conceptual modeling frameworks fail to accommodate disruptive, unordinary, exceptional, anomalous, variant, or stochastic aspects within their nominal structure, behavior, and function specification. This deficiency is often due to the inability of the conceptual modeling framework to integrate disruptive factors into the nominal system model. Consequently, disruptions are sometimes described with dedicated conceptual models with ad-hoc syntax, semantics, and ontology. The result is not only loss of information, insight, and potential for understanding of the system in its entirety, but also inconsistency, contradiction, and troubling model maintenance and coordination issues. As a result of this discrepancy, nominal conceptual models fail to provide sufficient informativity to system and model stakeholders, while disruption-centric models, such as risk or failure models, are detached from the core system model. As the system evolves, extraneous models of this nature require constant maintenance and adjustments to the core nominal model and are therefore often neglected or abandoned.

This doctoral thesis proposes a Model-Based Robust Systems Engineering framework, MBROSE, which caters and applies to both the nominal and disruptive factors of complex systems, their models, and the system engineering process. MBROSE is founded on Object Process Methodology, OPM – a holistic conceptual modeling paradigm for multidisciplinary, complex, and dynamic systems and processes. OPM is ISO 19450 standard, and a state-of-the-art conceptual modeling and model-based systems engineering methodology.

MBROSE consists of two primary modules. The first module is a mechanism for model informativity analysis and quantification, which defines how information is generated by and gained from conceptual models. The second module is a catalogue of modeling and design patterns that cater to a host of disruptions, disruptive factors, and disruptive impacts. The introduction of a wide variety of disruption kinds into conventional models using the proposed patterns is shown to elevate the Informativity of conceptual models of systems in a variety of domains, including nuclear reactors, aerospace and defense, and information technology. The value that readers and users can gain from MBROSE is therefore double: (1) MBROSE enables the construction of rich, disruption-informed conceptual models of complex systems, and (2) MBROSE provides the analytical framework to evaluate the contribution of disruption-aware modeling to the Informativity of the model. These benefits of MBROSE potentially have a positive impact on the whole model-based systems engineering process, and eventually, on the quality, robustness, and stability of the system.

Biosketch
Yaniv Mordecai is a senior systems architect at Motorola Solutions Israel R&D, Airport City, Israel, and an adjunct lecturer and researcher at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. Yaniv holds a PhD (2016) in Information Systems Engineering from Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; MS (2010, cum laude) and BS (2002) in industrial engineering from Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. Dr. Mordecai is the founder and coordinator of the INCOSE Israel Chapter Focus Group on Model-Based Systems Engineering, and a reviewer for IEEE, INCOSE, and MDPI journals and conferences on Systems Engineering. Dr. Mordecai has published in his short research career more than 20 publications, and won multiple research grants and awards, including the IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society Outstanding Ph.D. Diploma Award (2017) and the Omega Alpha Association’s Exemplary Systems Engineering Dissertation Award (2017). In addition, he has been a member of several research & innovation projects for the European Union’s Horizon 2020 and FP7, and a member of the winning team in the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore’s “Aviation Challenge” (2017). Yaniv’s research interests include model-based systems engineering, cybernetics and cyber-physical systems, risk analysis, decision analysis, interoperable systems, sensors-robotics integration, and operations research. He has diverse expertise in aerospace and defense, information technology, command and control, avionics systems, robotics, and disaster resilience.

Author Contact
Yaniv Mordecai, Adjunct Lecturer and Researcher, Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Management, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 32000, Israel
Phone: +972 549 768 764
Email: yanivmor@technion.ac.il | ymordecai@gmail.com

2017 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Honorary Recognition

Dissertation Title
Supporting Space Systems Design Via Systems Dependency Analysis Methodology

Dissertation Abstract
The increasing size and complexity of space systems and space missions pose severe challenges to space systems engineers. When complex systems and Systems-of-Systems are involved, the behavior of the whole entity is not only due to that of the individual systems involved but also to the interactions and dependencies between the systems. Dependencies can be varied and complex, and designers usually do not perform analysis of the impact of dependencies at the level of complex systems, or this analysis involves excessive computational cost, or occurs at a later stage of the design process, after designers have already set detailed requirements, following a bottom-up approach. While classical systems engineering attempts to integrate the perspectives involved across the variety of engineering disciplines and the objectives of multiple stakeholders, there is still a need for more effective tools and methods capable to identify, analyze and quantify properties of the complex system as a whole and to model explicitly the effect of some of the features that characterize complex systems.

This research describes the development and usage of Systems Operational Dependency Analysis and Systems Developmental Dependency Analysis, two methods based on parametric models of the behavior of complex systems, one in the operational domain and one in the developmental domain. The parameters of the developed models have intuitive meaning, are usable with subjective and quantitative data alike, and give redirect insight into the causes of observed, and possibly emergent, behavior.

The approach proposed in this dissertation combines models of one-to-one dependencies among systems and between systems and capabilities, to analyze and evaluate the impact of failures or delays on the outcome of the whole complex system. The analysis accounts for cascading effects, partial operational failures, multiple failures or delays, and partial developmental dependencies. The user of these methods can assess the behavior of each system based on its internal status and on the topology of its dependencies on systems connected to it. Designers and decision makers can therefore quickly analyze and explore the behavior of complex systems and evaluate different architectures under various working conditions.

The methods support educated decision making both in the design and in the update process of systems architecture, reducing the need to execute extensive simulations. In particular, in the phase of concept generation and selection, the information given by the methods can be used to identify promising architectures to be further tested and improved, while discarding architectures that do not show the required level of global features. The methods, when used in conjunction with appropriate metrics, also allow for improved reliability and risk analysis, as well as for automatic scheduling and re-scheduling based on the features of the dependencies and on the accepted level of risk.

This dissertation illustrates the use of the two methods in sample aerospace applications, both in the operational and in the developmental domain. The applications show how to use the developed methodology to evaluate the impact of failures, assess the criticality of systems, quantify metrics of interest, quantify the impact of delays, support informed decision making when scheduling the development of systems and evaluate the achievement of partial capabilities.

A larger, well-framed case study illustrates how the Systems Operational Dependency Analysis method and the Systems Developmental Dependency Analysis method can support analysis and decision making, at the mid and high level, in the design process of architectures for the exploration of Mars. The case study also shows how the methods do not replace the classical systems engineering methodologies, but support and improve them.

Biosketch
Cesare is a Research Associate in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Purdue University He holds two Master degrees, in Robotics and Astronautical Engineering, from the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, and a PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University. His research ranges from System-of-Systems design and architecture to space applications, cybersecurity, and defense and includes projects with NASA, the US DoD, the US Navy, and MITRE corporation. Cesare recently expanded his research in the field of Earth Sciences, where he is pursuing a master’s degree in Planetary Geology.

Cesare is an active member of the alpha chapter of the honor society of aerospace engineering, Sigma Gamma Tau, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Institute of Electrical and Electronical Engineers (IEEE), and the American Astronautical Society (AAS). In 2016, he was presented with the Leadership Award for his effort and service to the Purdue University INCOSE Student Division. Also in 2016, CERIAS awarded Cesare with the prestigious Diamond Award for outstanding academic achievements. He authored several journal and conference papers, and served as peer reviewer for multiple top-rated journals.

Outside academia, Cesare enjoys a wide variety of activities. He is member of the Mensa Club, the Mars society, the Planetary Society and – after obtaining all three levels of amateur radio license from the Federal Communication Commission – the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). As a fencer, he represented Purdue university in various collegiate tournaments, in quality of member and captain of the men’s foil team. In 2014 he obtained his first of three scuba diving certifications, and in 2016 he obtained his Private Pilot License from the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2018, he served as analog astronaut in Crew 186 at the Mars Desert Research Station.

Contact
Cesare Guariniello, Research Associate. Purdue University, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 701 W Stadium Ave, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
Phone: +1 765 496 3465
Email: cguarini@purdue.edu

2016 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Exemplary Recognition

Dissertation Title
 Managing Unarticulated Value: Changeability in Multi-Attribute Tradespace Exploration

Dissertation Abstract
A framework for creating value robust systems in the face of changing value perceptions during the architecture and design of systems is proposed. Both unarticulated value, that which is not explicitly communicated to system designers, and dynamic value, that which changes over time, are used to motivate the dynamic Multi-Attribute Tradespace Exploration (MATE) process. Value can be represented as decision maker perceived attributes, which can be classified according to the ease by which the system can display them. The attribute class spectrum from least to most costly ranges from articulated, class 0 attributes, to inaccessible value, class 4 attributes. Supporting the value-adding approach, the system property concepts of flexibility, adaptability, rigidity, robustness, scalability, and modifiability are proposed to be different aspects of the same concept: changeability.

A quantification of changeability is shown to be the Filtered Outdegree of a design within a networked tradespace formed through explicit consideration of transition paths between design instantiations. A focus on designing not only for value, but for changeability as well, leads to the concept of path enabling variables, whose purpose is to increase change paths or decrease cost for change. Value robustness is shown to be achieved through either passive or active means. Passive value robustness can be quantified as the Pareto Trace number of a design, reflecting the number of contexts within which a particular design is determined to be best value at a given level of resource expenditure. Active value robustness is achieved through a strategy of pursuing designs with increased changeability and accessibility to likely high value regions of a tradespace. Supporting the process, the Design-Value Matrix and the Rule-Effects Matrix help system designers visualize the key factors for creating dynamic value-generating systems by capturing the important relationships between decision makers, design variables, attributes, path enablers, and resources.

The dynamic MATE process is applied to two real system cases including the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF). The framework is shown to be applicable at both quantitative and qualitative levels, giving insight into assessing and designing for changeability and value robustness for systems.

Biosketch
Adam Ross received the PhD in Engineering Systems, MIT, an SM in Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT, an SM in Technology and Policy, MIT, and an AB in Physics and Astronomy and Astrophysics, Harvard University. His Research Areas are managing unarticulated value, designing for changeability and value robustness, dynamic tradespace exploration for complex systems, visual analytics, and game-based media for systems education. <Please complete> Dr. Adam Ross is a research scientist in the Engineering Systems Division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is co-founder and lead research scientist for MIT’s Systems Engineering Advancement Research Initiative (SEAri), a research group focused on advancing the theories, methods, and effective practice of systems engineering applied to complex socio-technical systems through collaborative research with industry and government. Dr. Ross has professional experience working with government, industry, and academia. He holds a dual bachelor degree in Physics and Astrophysics from Harvard University, two masters degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Technology & Policy, as well as a doctoral degree in Engineering Systems from MIT. Dr. Ross has research interests and advises students in ongoing research projects in advanced systems design and selection methods, tradespace exploration, managing unarticulated value, designing for changeability, value-based decision analysis, and systems-of-systems engineering. He has received numerous paper awards, including the Systems Engineering 2008 Outstanding Journal Paper of the Year. Dr. Ross has published over 80 papers in the area of space systems design, systems engineering, and tradespace exploration. He has led ten years of research and development of novel systems engineering methods and techniques for evaluating and valuing system tradespaces and the “ilities” across alternative futures during early phase design. His approach is trans?disciplinary, leveraging techniques from engineering design, operations research, behavioral economics, and data visualization. He serves on technical committees with both AIAA and IEEE, and is recognized as a leading expert in system tradespace exploration and change-related “ilities.”

Contact
Adam Michael Ross, Research Scientist, Systems Engineering Advancement Research Initiative, Engineering Systems Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Correspondence Address: MIT E17-359, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Phone: +1 617 253 7061
Fax: +1 617 253 3641
Email: adamross@mit.edu

2017 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Exemplary Recognition

Dissertation Title
Measuring and Influencing Problem Complexity and its Impact on System Affordability During Requirements Elicitation for Complex Engineered Systems

Dissertation Abstract
System affordability is a growing concern in the design and development of civilian, military, and commercial complex engineered systems. Schedule delays, cost overruns, and performance shortfalls are often default outcomes of such developments. In recent years, research efforts have been focused on exploring the solution space more effectively to find better solutions. However, industry and governmental organizations have not yet been able to apply those techniques to their full potential.

The present dissertation asserts that the size of the solution space relates to the probability of finding affordable solutions. As a result, the effectiveness of trade space exploration techniques is limited by the size of the solution space. Recognizing that system requirements restrict the solution space, this research creates models to elicit requirements that could facilitate the maximization of the solution space for a given set of stakeholder needs. As a result, the probability of finding more affordable solutions during trade space exploration is also maximized.

This research contributes to the body of knowledge of systems engineering and to its state of the art in three areas: systems theory, complexity science, and systems engineering methods. First, a set of definitions, theorems, and corollaries formally prove how stakeholder needs, system requirements, solution spaces, and system affordability are related. Second, the concept of problem complexity and an analytical framework to sum up different types of complexities are developed. Problem complexity measures the lower bound of complexity a system could achieve, given a set of requirements. Third, two methods to reduce such complexity during requirements elicitation are developed. The first method, inspired in Max-Neef’s model of human needs, facilitates the identification of constraints that limit the solution space without supporting the satisfaction of new needs. The second method, based on the concept of elemental decomposition, facilitates the identification of conflicting requirements and enables challenging decisions at higher levels of the architecture.

Research hypotheses are validated by a combination of mathematical proof, case studies, and field tests. The results of the present research are generalized to discrete requirements, fuzzy requirements, and continuous requirements or value functions.

Biosketch
Alejandro Salado Diez is a systems engineering researcher, educator, and consultant. He is an assistant professor of systems engineering with the Grado Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on unveiling the scientific foundations of systems engineering and using them to improve systems engineering practice. He is pioneering research in the area of verification and validation. His approach in this endeavor is transdisciplinary and intersects mathematical foundations, decision analysis and methods, and behavioral and cognitive models. His educational efforts target developing disruptive educational approaches to educate the next generation of systems engineers. Before joining academia, Alejandro spent over ten years as a systems engineer in the space industry, developing and leading space systems of up to $1b. He has published over 40 scientific publications and has received several paper awards. He is a recipient of the Fabrycky-Blanchard Award for Systems Engineering Research and the Fulbright International Science and Technology Award. Dr. Salado holds a BS/MS in electrical engineering from Polytechnic University of Valencia, an MS in project management and a MS in electronics engineering from Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the SpaceTech MEng in space systems engineering from Delft University of Technology, and a PhD in systems engineering from the Stevens Institute of Technology. He is a member of INCOSE and a senior member of IEEE and IISE.

Contact
Alejandro Salado Diez, Assistant Professor of Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
Phone: +1 540 552 6656
Email: asalado@vt.edu

2016 SE Doctoral Dissertation Showcase – Exemplary Recognition

Dissertation Title
Autonomous Formation Flying in Low Earth Orbit

Dissertation Abstract
Formation flying is commonly identified as the collective usage of two or more cooperative spacecraft to exercise the function of a single monolithic virtual instrument. The distribution of tasks and payloads among fleets of coordinated smaller satellites offers the possibility to overcome the classical limitations of traditional single-satellite systems. The science return is enhanced through observations made with larger, configurable baselines and an improved degree of redundancy can be achieved in the event of failures. Different classes of formation flying missions are currently under discussion within the engineering and science community: technology demonstration missions, synthetic aperture interferometers and gravimeters for Earth observation, multi-spacecraft interferometers in the infrared and visible wavelength regions as a key to new astrophysics discoveries and to the direct search for terrestrial exoplanets. These missions are characterized by different levels of complexity, mainly dictated by the payload metrology and actuation needs, and require a high level of on-board autonomy to satisfy the continuously increasing demand of relative navigation and control accuracy.

This dissertation presents the first realistic demonstration of a complete guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) system for formation flying spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Numerous technical contributions have been made during the course of this research in the areas of formation flying guidance, GPS-based relative navigation, and impulsive relative orbit control, but the primary contribution of this thesis does not lie in one or more of these disciplines. The innovation and originality of this work stems from the design and implementation of a comprehensive formation flying system through the successful integration of various techniques. This research has led to the full development, testing and validation of the GNC flight code to be embedded in the on-board computer of the active spacecraft of the PRISMA technology demonstration. Furthermore key guidance and control algorithms presented here are going to be demonstrated for the first time in the TanDEM-X formation flying mission. Overall this thesis focuses on realistic application cases closely related to upcoming missions. The intention is to realize a practical and reliable way to formation flying: a technology that is discussed and studied since decades, but is still confined in research laboratories. Hardware-in-the-loop real-time simulations including a representative flight computer and the GPS hardware architecture show that simple techniques, which exploit the natural orbit motion to full extent, can meet the demanding requirements of long-term close formation-flying.

Biosketch
Simone D’Amico is an Assistant Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University, a Terman Faculty Fellow of the School of Engineering, Founder and Director of the Space Rendezvous Laboratory, and Satellite Advisor of the Student Space Initiative, Stanford’s largest undergraduate organization. He received his BS and MS from Politecnico di Milano, and his PhD from the Technical University of Delft. Before Stanford, Dr. D’Amico was at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) where he gave key contributions to the design, development, and operations of spacecraft formation-flying and rendezvous missions such as GRACE (USA/Germany), TanDEM-X (Germany), and PRISMA (Sweden/Germany/France) for which he received several awards. Dr. D’Amico’s research lies at the intersection of advanced astrodynamics, GN&C, and space system engineering to enable future distributed space systems. He has over 100 scientific publications including conference proceedings, peer-reviewed journal articles, and book chapters. He has been Programme Committee Member (2008), Co-Chair (2011), and Chair (2013) of the International Symposium on Spacecraft Formation Flying Missions and Technologies. He is Programme Committee Member of the International Workshop on Satellite Constellations and Formation Flying since 2013. D’Amico is Associate Editor of the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics and the Journal of Space Science and Engineering.

Contact
Simone D’Amico, Stanford University
Correspondence Address, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Durand Building, 496 Lomita Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Phone: +1 650 497 4682
Email: damicos@stanford.edu