Trade Study Training Need and Goals Need Consistent methodologies and practices performing trade studies Pros/cons, advantages/disadvantages, customer/management directed solutions are not trade studies Goals Provide Engineering practitioners pointers for additional information and tools to assist in performing trade studies Trade study training provides a consistent and practical trade study methodology

Trade Study Description select the best solution to meet an identified problem within defined constraints Defines a structured analytic framework for evaluating a set of alternative concepts, designs, or components Conducted concurrently with other requirements development and design activities Range from an informal comparison of alternatives to major efforts using sophisticated computer tools for simulation and cost estimation. ?

Trade Study Process Document Analysis Results Review/Approve Analysis Report AND Identify Candidate Alternatives Conduct Analysis of Alternatives Establish Evaluation Criteria and Weights Define Objective for Analysis OR Loop Trade study process is from SE Process Manual (SYSENG-100), and will be adopted by all Engineering disciplines. Evaluate/Optimize Alternatives (Trade Studies)

Stakeholders can be: Other business disciplinesOther business disciplines CustomerCustomer CorporateCorporate YourselfYourself Etc.Etc. Define Objective for Analysis Define the objective and purpose of the analysis Determine scope of trade study Determine level of supporting analyses Determine amount of review and approvals needed Determine level of documentation Obtain approval with stakeholders of the objective and ensure that there is agreement on the purpose and scope of the analysis

Define Objective for Analysis - Example Objective: Decide where best to eat lunch on a typical workday. Purpose: Scope Be sure to get approval of the purpose and scope of the objective from stakeholders.

Establish Evaluation Criteria and Weights Establish an evaluation criteria and weighting for considering system design alternatives that includes, as a minimum, cost drivers, total ownership and life cycle cost, complexity, technical limitations, environmental impact, system expansion, growth, and risk. Establish an evaluation criteria and weighting that is a tailored version of the standard criteria and weighting Review the evaluation criteria to ensure that they are consistent with the range of alternatives. Obtain agreement of decision maker on evaluation criteria and weights

Weighting Tailor criteria and weighting as appropriate. Ensure weighting is normalized, and grading uses the same scale (good=low) and range across criteria. Tailor criteria and weighting as appropriate. Ensure weighting is normalized, and grading uses the same scale (good=low) and range across criteria.

Establish Evaluation Criteria and Weights - Example Most Trade Studies will have items related to Cost, Schedule, and Performance and Risk as part of their evaluation criteria. Refer to SYSENG-100 Appendix E criteria weights

Establish Evaluation Criteria and Weights - Example Grades for “Time Required” 0 to 15 minutesVery low impact (1) 15 to 30 minutesLow impact (2) 30 to 45 minutesMedium impact (3) 45 to 60 minutesHigh impact (4) Over 60 minutesVery high impact (5)

Identify Candidate Alternatives Generate alternative physical architectures and design solutions. Reject unfeasible alternatives Feedback loop Option 1 Option 2 Option n...

Identify Candidate Alternatives - Example alternatives For larger trade studies, it is a good idea to have a formal review of alternatives and criteria before proceeding with the analysis.

Conduct Analysis of Alternatives Develop timelines scenarios for system operation and user interaction for each system design alternative. Allocate key requirements to the hardware and software components for each of the design alternative as a part of the analysis. Analyze all candidate alternatives that have been identified. Analyze the alternatives using a structured decision making technique that is appropriate for the analysis. Use the evaluation criteria and weighting to select the recommended alternative (see example). Determine the alternative representing the “Best Value” for projects that have a CAIV requirement. Evaluate the failure conditions associated with each of the alternatives. Perform a sensitivity analysis to determine if any factors inordinately dominate the selection outcome

Conduct Analysis of Alternatives - Example 1 Example: Timeline Analysis Use analysis techniques such as timeline analysis, CAIV, analysis of possible failure conditions, etc.

Conduct Analysis of Alternatives - Example 2 Another Example: Data Gathering McDonald’s Web Site

Conduct Analysis of Alternatives - Example 3 Apply weights to grades to find optimum alternative Multiply weight times grade, and sum across all criteria, i.e..3(1)+.3(1)+.3(1)+.1(3) =1.2

Document Analysis Results The report contains the following: Document the rationale for the analysis decisions. Document the decision making technique used for the analysis and the rationale for its selection. Document the rationale for the selection of the evaluation criteria and weighting for the analysis. Document alternatives considered and the rationale for not selecting them as the recommended alternative. It is recommend to produce the document incrementally in parallel with the process

Document Analysis Results - Styleguide 1Introduction 2Applicable Documents 3Trade Study Analysis 3.1Trade Study Objective 3.2Requirements, Constraints, and Assumptions 3.3Evaluation Criteria, Grading, Weighting and Scoring 3.4Definition of Alternatives 3.5Analysis of Alternatives 3.6Summary of Analysis 4Conclusions and Recommendations

Document Analysis Results - Example Trade Study Report

Review/Approve Analysis Report Review the assumptions to ensure that they are reasonable and valid for the alternatives being considered. Review the selected alternative to ensure it is the best solution based on the evaluation criteria and weighting. Involve effected disciplines in the review and approval of the recommended alternative. Obtain the appropriate approval for the recommended alternative. Communicate the analysis results to the affected parties. Capture the analysis information in an analysis report and obtain approval in accordance with ETR process, and the project data and configuration management activities. Review the candidate alternatives to ensure that the appropriate alternatives have been analyzed. If all appropriate alternatives have not been analyzed, then the analysis of alternatives needs to be continued

Review/Approve Analysis Report - Example CMDM

Conducting a Trade Study takes time and resources. Programs shall establish specific guidelines as to when a Trade Study should be conducted. The guidelines are documented within a Program or Project’s Plan. Trade Studies are usually conducted to help understand competing solutions and to select the most optimal solution. Trade Studies are usually conducted for items significantly impacting: Cost Schedule High Risk Items Performance Objectives Architectural Design When to Conduct a Trade Study