Systems Architecting (Intermediate)

Class Description

Date:  17 – 19 February 2025

Duration:  3 Days

Location:  Munich, Germany

PREREQUISITES FOR THIS COURSE:

• A solid understanding of what a system is and what it is that makes it different from a simple product.
• A healthy view on the Systems Engineering challenges associated with complexity.
• Experience in developing a system.

This three-day intermediate level course covers the WHY, WHAT and HOW of Systems Architecting by teaching the following:

• Understanding the WHY: The need for employing architectures to help cope with the overwhelming nature of complexity.
• Explaining the WHAT: Architectures provide different system perspectives and are ideal entry points to effectively structure your information.
• Introducing HOW: Modelling System Architectures using the COFLP Framework:

Contextual/Operational/Functional/Physical/Logical.

– Top-Down modelling of Operations (Missions/Scenarios/Use Cases) yields clarity and allows for re-use of Functions;
– The Functional Architecture elicits Requirements: Functions = Functional RQ; Object Flows = Performance
– The Logical Architecture makes high-level technology and responsibility choices providing the means for identifying Operational & Functional IF
– The Physical Architecture is different in nature, as its elements have to match the Functional Specs which typically happens at the lowest level (bottom-up). They then have to be integrated taking into account all physical constraints concentrating on the optimum (co-)location.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• What is systems architecture and how does it differ from the system design?
• How does it relate to Systems and Holistic Thinking?
• What makes a good architecture: how many architectures do we need?
• What makes up a good architecture so important in the context of complex systems?
• Why are Interfaces such a fundamental concept in Systems Architectures?
• What is the relationship between the Operational Architecture and systems control?
• Can/should we develop the architectures for a system and its Digital Twin together?
• How does it help with decision making for an uncertain development environment?
• Why is it important to develop variants and provide variation points and how do they relate to the interfaces?
• What is a logical and repeatable methodology to develop architectures?
• How can we model the architectures? Do we need MBSE? Do we need tools?
• How can we ensure that the models are consistent and connected?
• Where can one customise the architectures?
• When is an agile approach permissible, when should you take extreme caution?
• How do architectures help developing the system for safety, reliability, availability, maintainability, and inspectability?
• Why is it important to separate the system’s (sometimes called “logical”) from the physical architectures?
• How do all architecture map to the others? Why is mapping a powerful mechanism in developing for complexity?
• What is the timing relationship between the various system (logical) architectures and the physical design?
• What are the main skills of a senior Systems Architect?

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Systems Engineers  |  Lead/Senior Engineers  |  Systems Analysts  |  Systems Architects

COURSE PRESENTER

Marco Di Maio