4.1.4 System Engineering in an Integrated Product Team Organization

Abstract

AbstractThis paper presents a discussion of the functions of a system engineering organization in an integrated product team (IPT) setting. IPTs are being adapted widely as a more efficient means for accomplishing large product developments. Recent examples include the US Air Force F‐22 fighter program. Additionally, when management difficulties plagued NASA's Space Station Freedom program, NASA responded by implementing an IPT management structure for the program.A brief review of classical system engineering functions as described by government and academic texts and a resultant synopsis are followed by a brief review of the IPT organizational schema. Subsequent discussion presents a paradigm for system engineering within an IPT setting, and describes the similarity in function of the analysis and integration teams (AITs) within an IPT versus classical systems engineering functions. A conclusion is supported that by controlling the scope of the system engineering task, the function of AITs is comparable to that of classical system engineering organizations. Finally, system engineering within NASA's International Space Station Alpha (ISSA) program is presented as example of a system engineering application within an IPT setting.