1 The Seven Samurai of Systems Engineering Dealing with the Complexity of 7 Interrelated Systems James N Martin Systems Engineering Conference SEDC 2012 at GMU Washington, DC 15 May 2012

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3 A Film by Kurosawa (1954) Tale of heroism and sacrifice –Samurai warriors hired by a Japanese village to protect against a band of marauding thieves Some say… –“one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of the motion picture” –“what cinema is meant to be”

4 The American Wild West Version (1960) Starring –Yul Brynner (leader of the 7) –Steve McQueen –James Coburn –Charles Bronson Some call it… –“the best Western ever made”

5 Context System (S1) Problem (P1) First, there is a Problem to be solved The Problem is part of the Context System First, there is a Problem to be solved The Problem is part of the Context System

6 Context System (S1) Problem (P1) Context System Elements  Pre-Existing “Solutions”  Physical Environment (air, land, sea)  Regulatory Environment (laws, regulations, customs, ethics, stigmas)  Information (data, signals, noise)  Knowledge (information, knowledge, wisdom, “best” practices)  Anti-Knowledge (misinformation, lies, stupidity)  Emotions (love, hate, delight, disappointment)  Aesthetics (elegance, beauty, cultural expectations) But More Elements...

7 Context System (S1) Problem (P1) Intervention System (S2) intended to address Systems Engineers try to conceive of a way to “suppress” the Problem

8 Context System (S1) Problem (P1) Intervention System (S2) intended to address  Transport people quickly over long distances.  Collect images quickly over entire earth. ProblemsSystem Solutions Passenger Jet Imagery Satellite

9 Realization System (S3) needs to understand Context System (S1) Intervention System (S2) Problem (P1) intended to address The Intervention System must be:  Designed & Developed  Tested & Qualified  Produced & Deployed The Intervention System must be:  Designed & Developed  Tested & Qualified  Produced & Deployed

10 Realization System (S3) needs to understand Context System (S1) Intervention System (S2) Problem (P1) intended to address  Airbus + Air France + Airplane Standards + etc  Boeing + Suppliers + US Gov’t + Regulations + Imaging Technology + Physics Knowledge + etc Realization Systems Passenger Jet Imagery Satellite Intervention Systems

11 Context System (S1) Realization System (S3) Intervention System (S2) Problem (P1) intended to address needs to understand Deployed System is often different from the “as-designed” system Deployed System (S4) becomes

12 Context System (S1) Realization System (S3) Intervention System (S2) Problem (P1) intended to address needs to understand Deployed System (S4) becomes Boeing s/n s/n s/n 321 … s/n s/n s/n 321 …

13 Modified Context System (S1’) becomes needs to understand Context System (S1) Realization System (S3) Intervention System (S2) Deployed System (S4) Problem (P1) intended to address becomes needs to understand

14 Context System (S1) Realization System (S3) Intervention System (S2) Modified Context System (S1’) Deployed System (S4) Problem (P1) intended to address becomes needs to understand Problem (P2) may cause

15 Context System (S1) Realization System (S3) Intervention System (S2) Modified Context System (S1’) Deployed System (S4) Problem (P1) Problem (P2) may cause intended to address becomes needs to understand Collaborating System (S5) collaborates with

16 Context System (S1) Realization System (S3) Intervention System (S2) Modified Context System (S1’) Deployed System (S4) Problem (P1) Problem (P2) may cause Collaborating System (S5) collaborates with intended to address becomes needs to understand Sustainment System (S6) sustains may need to develop or modify

17 Context System (S1) Modified Context System (S1’) Deployed System (S4) Problem (P1) becomes Competing System (S7) may address competes with

18 Context System (S1) Realization System (S3) Intervention System (S2) Competing System (S7) Modified Context System (S1’) Deployed System (S4) Sustainment System (S6) Problem (P1) Problem (P2) may cause Collaborating System (S5) collaborates with intended to address becomes may address competes with becomes sustains may need to develop or modify needs to understand The 7 Samurai

19  Systems engineers focus too much on one system — the Intervention System  Should use this as a framework to encourage true “systems” thinking  The 7 Samurai frame- work can lead to more holistic application of SE methods and tools  Systems engineers focus too much on one system — the Intervention System  Should use this as a framework to encourage true “systems” thinking  The 7 Samurai frame- work can lead to more holistic application of SE methods and tools