Blog Archives

The AI team take a deep dive into a 2000 paper, presented at the 13th International Conference on Software & Systems Engineering and their Applications, which explores the communication breakdown between systems and software engineers. The authors argue that this lack of communication, stemming from differing training, backgrounds, and interpretations of terminology, significantly contributes to project failures. They analyze the distinct perspectives and methodologies of each engineering discipline, highlighting misunderstandings around concepts like “component” and … Continue reading →

The AI team take a deep dive into a unique lifelong learning course on problem-solving, emphasizing systems thinking and a holistic approach. The curriculum covers various thinking styles (systems, critical, and holistic), problem identification and classification, decision-making tools, and the application of these concepts to project management, systems engineering, and risk management. Multiple learning resources are used, including lectures, readings from several books by Dr Kasser, and practical exercises. The course aims to improve participants’ problem-solving skills and equip them to … Continue reading →

The AI team take a deep dive into a 2013 paper whihc introduces a framework for benchmarking competency models used to evaluate systems engineers. The authors highlight the challenges in comparing existing models due to differing competency groupings. They propose a Competency Model Maturity Framework (CMMF) that assesses competency across knowledge, cognitive characteristics, and individual traits. The paper benchmarks nine existing competency models using the CMMF, revealing a common omission related to the implementation domain. The authors suggest the … Continue reading →

The AI team take a deep dive into Dr Kasser’s course focused on writing effective system requirements. The curriculum covers identifying stakeholders, eliciting their needs, converting those needs into well-written and ultimately good requirements, and managing requirements throughout the system development lifecycle. Each module builds upon the previous one, culminating in a comprehensive understanding of requirements engineering best practices. Emphasis is placed on practical application and achieving mastery through exercises designed to reinforce learning at five knowledge levels within Bloom’s taxonomy. … Continue reading →

The AI team take a deep dive into a technical note that critiques the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) system used by NASA and the DOD for assessing technology maturity, arguing that its focus on early-stage development is insufficient. It proposes a holistic thinking approach, advocating for a Technology Availability Window of Opportunity (TAWOO) that considers the entire technology lifecycle, from conception to obsolescence. The TAWOO incorporates a dynamic TRL (dTRL) to better predict future readiness … Continue reading →