Systems engineering is a process used to improve the outcomes of project development. There are a variety of ways that the systems engineering process can be implemented depending on the scope of the project. Whichever process is used for project development, this process occurs within a larger context in which transportation projects are planned within a region, wherein the operational strategies articulated by an agency become fully and efficiently supported by the technology they build. Stated another way, systems engineering helps agencies ensure that their operational funds are spent in a way that most directly serves the attainment of their operational goals and objectives. A more detailed discussion of the context in which project development using systems engineering occurs is given in Section 2.4.
Process and Life Cycle Models
Agencies implement projects using a development process. This development process can be considered part of a larger life cycle model, which begins with the planning of the system and ends with its retirement or replacement. There are several life cycle approaches used by agencies to develop a technology project. The best development strategy depends on how much you know about the system that you want to implement, whether you have all the funds that you need to implement the system in one fell swoop, your agency and contractor capabilities, and your assessment of the project risks. A discussion of the different development processes and life cycle models relevant to ITS projects is found in Section 2.7.
Process Steps
The steps in the systems engineering process are explained using the Vee diagram approach described in the Life Cycle Models discussion. The process is described as a set of steps along the Vee diagram showing the progression of SE processes from regional transportation planning to a deployed system ready to be retired or replaced. A short overview discussion of the step can be found in Section 3.3.1. Discussion of each individual process step can be found in the subsections of Section 3.3. In addition, a set of cross cutting activities are described in Section 3.4.
The process used for the development of a project should be tailored to fit the nature of the project. Issues such as the risk or complexity of the project affect how the systems engineering process would be applied to a specific project. Process tailoring is particularly important for ITS projects because so many of these projects are smaller, less complex, less risky projects like signal system upgrades. Even for small projects, you still should have documented requirements, design, and verification procedures. Tailoring allows you to adjust the amount of formal documentation and reviews and to focus the process on those steps that are most critical to your project’s success. Ultimately, you want to define a process that will address the project’s risks, no more and no less, so a preliminary risk analysis is a good way to determine how much process is appropriate. An introduction to the agency perspective relating to systems engineering is found in Section 4.1. The first step in tailoring is to evaluate the risk inherent to the project. A discussion of risk evaluation for a project is found in Section 4.2. Once the determination of risk is made then the tailoring of the SE Process can be performed. A discussion of the tailoring of the SE Process is found in Section 4.3. A discussion of the how agencies can address FHWA regulation (and FTA Policy) regarding the application of systems engineering is found in Section 4.5. Finally, the USDOT has recently provided additional information about applying the SE Process to lower risk projects which can be found in Section 2.8.
ITS projects are developed as the result of procurement of the systems and services. For technology projects there are certain procurement strategies and models that are relevant based upon the scope and complexity of the project. A discussion of issues relating to ITS procurement is found in Section 4.4.
