Cybersecurity Requires a Clear Systems Engineering Approach as a Basis for Its Cyberstrategy

Advanced military and large scale commercial systems are getting bigger and more complex as we approach the 21st century. A new systems engineering paradigm which employs simulation and modeling capabilities may provide significant opportunities to reduce cost, schedule and risk in the development of large complex systems. The central feature of a simulation based systems engineering paradigm is an advanced systems engineering environment which supports synthesis, capture, analysis, simulation and optimization of complex system designs. The focus of this paper is a description of a high level architecture for such an environment. The essential components of an advanced distributed complex systems engineering (ADCSE) environment are partitioned into five categories: generic computing infrastructure; ADCSE specific schema; the capability to support execution of distributed simulations; application specific tools; and design libraries of reusable components.

Hospitals often invest significant resources in the development of large and complex information systems that must be modified and extended to respond to changing requirements and to exploit the capabilities offered by modern technologies. A disciplined approach of managing the evolution of hospital information systems is then required so that to meet the increasing demands for effective and efficient use of scarce resources. This paper takes a process oriented view of the hospital and presents an approach based on hospital process modeling which aims at assessing the current status of computer support within a hospital and at identifying new opportunities for automation. The approach is illustrated by an example taken from a major Greek hospital.

Service Oriented Computing (SOC) has incrementally been adopted as the preferred programming paradigm for the development, integration and interoperation of large and complex information systems. However, despite its increasing popularity, the SOC has not achieved its full potential yet. This is mainly due to the lack of supporting tools to enrich and represent semantically Web service descriptions. This paper describes a solution approach for the automatic representation of Web service descriptions and their further semantic enrichment between operation names based on the calculation of four semantic similarity measures. The enrichment approach is accurate because the final decision is done through a voting scheme, in the case of inconsistent results, these are not asserted into the ontology. Experimentation shows that although few similarity relationships are found and asserted, they represent an important step towards the automatic discovery of information that was previously unknown.

Applying an MDA-based approach for enhancing the validation of business process models

Systems engineers and software engineers work together in the development of modern complex systems. The two engineering cultures, their concepts and their best practices have developed independently over four decades. Notations and naming conventions for the same things are often different. Yet the efficient exchange of engineering information and wisdom between the two professions is important to the successful development of large complex systems. The present record of success for complex computer-intensive systems is that for every six systems put into operation, two are canceled; on the average, projects are 50% over schedule; and three-quarters are failures that do not function as intended or are not used at all! Incomplete specifications, ambiguous specifications and misunderstood specifications are a major contributor to these problems. The development of rigorous specifications that match user needs is critical. The need for synergism between systems engineering which develops specifications to meet user needs and software engineering is particularly important because the software portions of systems are increasingly complex and are often being coded in countries far from the country where the system is defined and utilized. >

Systems engineers and software engineers work together in the development of modern complex systems. The two engineering cultures, the concepts, and the best practices have developed independently over four decades. Notations and naming conventions for the same things are often different. Yet the efficient exchange of engineering information and wisdom between the two professions is important to the successful development of large complex systems. The present record of success for complex computer intensive systems is that for every six systems put in operation two are cancelled; on the average, projects are 50% over schedule, and three quarters are failures that do not function as intended or are not used at all, (Gibbs 1994). Incomplete specifications, ambiguous specifications, and misunderstood specifications are a major contributor to these problems. Development of rigorous specifications that match user needs is critical. The need for synergism between systems engineering which develops specifications to meet user need and software engineering is particularly important because software portions of systems are increasingly complex and are often being coded in countries far from the country where the system is defined and utilized.

Risk assessment is the key and core technologies ensuring IT system security. Based on the comprehensive analysis to complex information systems, this paper first summarizes the typical characters of complex information systems and then gives new risk factors that complex system need to face. Furthermore, a new risk assessment method is proposed to evaluate the complex information systems. The method takes full account of the effect of complexity of complex information systems in each process of risk assessment, and utilizes multi-level risk views to carry out in-depth analysis to the risk of complex system.

The study conducted a systematic review with a bibliometric analysis to examine the extent of utilization and effectiveness of model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and concurrent engineering (CE) in managing and optimizing system design factors in complex systems across various domains, including space, healthcare, as well as active and assisted living and smart environments. The study aims to explore how MBSE and CE can address the inherent challenges in complex system definition and development, particularly focusing on their impact on system design factors such as mission analysis, system architecture, cost, schedule, and risk contingencies, which are commonly considered critical across the entire system lifecycle. By utilizing the PICO framework, the review formulates research questions and systematically searches multiple databases to identify relevant studies. The systematic review highlights that MBSE is prominently used in approximately 88% of the analyzed articles. These integrations enhance the methodologies’ ability to manage complexity and improve efficiency across various stages of the system lifecycle. Specialized tools such as MagicDraw, Cameo Systems Modeler, and OPCAT play a crucial role in the technical implementation of MBSE and CE, providing detailed diagrams and models that represent system components with their interactions and behavior. The principal findings highlight how MBSE and CE support product systems engineering (PSE) in the early lifecycle stages of complex systems of interest. This support is particularly evident in optimizing system design, reducing time, costs, and technological risks, and enhancing the efficiency of business systems engineering through lifecycle management and quality management.

A Disease Management System (DMS) refers to an integrated healthcare delivery system that provides patient centered care throughout the course of the disease independent of delivery site. A fundamental barrier for the development, implementation and monitoring of a DMS is lack of an appreciation by care providers of the complexity of these systems, and what is required for their maintenance. Foremost in the development of these systems is the presence of information systems that attempt to deal with the temporal, spatial and information needs of the DMS. The Zachman Framework for Information Systems Architecture is used in many industries in the development of information systems. Its choice is based on the recognition of a need for a methodology in the conceptualization and modeling of complex information systems. This paper provides a brief overview of the Zachman Framework and its potential application in DMS development. In particular it will be the focus on the need for "perspective" clarification as the first step in the development of such complex systems. This paper reviews DMS and their potential information needs. The clarification of "perspectives" provides a method toward team building and unification of purpose by decreasing conflict and recognizing the unique contributions that each perspective holder makes.

This paper considers the creation of Complex Engineered Systems (CESs) and the Systems Engineering approach by which they are designed. The changing nature of the challenges facing Systems Engineering is discussed, with particular focus on the increasing complexity of modern systems. It is argued that modern complexity poses a major challenge to our ability to achieve successful systems and that this complexity must be understood, predicted and measured if we are to engineer systems confidently. We acknowledge previous work which concluded that, in complex systems, failures (“accidents”) may be inevitable and unavoidable. To further explore potential tools for increasing our confidence in complex systems, we review research in the field of Complexity Theory to seek potentially useful approaches and measures and find ourselves particularly interested in the potential usefulness of relationships between the magnitudes of events and their frequency of occurrence. Complexity Theory is found to have characterized naturally occurring systems and to potentially be the source of profitable application to the systems engineering challenge, viz., the creation of complex engineered systems. We are left with the tentative conclusion that truly complex systems, with our present understanding of complex behavior, cannot be designed with a degree of confidence that is acceptable given our current expectations. We recommend that the discipline of systems engineering must investigate this issue as a matter of priority and urgency and seek to develop approaches to respond to the challenge. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 7: 25–34, 2004

We wish to extend a warm welcome to AWeSOMe’05, The First International Workshop on Agents, Web Services and Ontologies Merging. This workshop will be held in conjunction with the On The Move Federated Conferences and Workshops 2005 (OTM’05). The current and future software needs are towards the development of large and complex Intelligent Networked Information Systems, covering a wide range of issues as required for the deployment of Internet- and Intranet-based systems in organizations and for e-business. The OTM’05 Federated Conferences and Workshops provide an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to their background to different emerging areas such as Data and Web Semantics, Distributed Objects, Web Services, Databases, Workflow, Cooperation, Interoperability and Mobility. Web services are a rapidly expanding approach to building distributed software systems across networks such as the Internet. A Web service is an operation typically addressed via a URI, declaratively described using widely accepted standards, and accessed via platform-independent XML-based messages.

This paper describes an integrated method for the development of hybrid information systems, which combines conventional information system development methods with knowledge-based system development methods. The method is an integration of four existing methods using two integration process approaches: intraprocess and interprocess. In the requirements analysis phase, a structured method is applied to function analysis, an information modelling method is applied to data analysis, and a knowledge acquisition method is applied to knowledge analysis. We then use an intraprocess approach to integrate these techniques together using consistency rules. In the design phase, we use an interprocess approach to transform requirements analysis to object-oriented design by a transformation algorithm. Finally, an object-oriented method is applied to the design and implementation of hybrid information systems. This method can take advantage of the four methods and also remove some limitations of each individual method. It is applicable to the development of traditional information systems, knowledge-based systems, and large and complex hybrid information systems.

The upper level of a general classifier of system problems was constructed on the basis of system principles. This classifier was considered as an object of system engineering, and in accordance with its modern principles, the construction was started with the creation of the classifier functional structure. Further, requirements for this structure were validated. At the same time, as a result of the system problems analysis, taking into account the similarity of functional structures at the system level and at the level of its environ, six elements of its upper level were identified. Then the logical architecture of the classifier was constructed, and preliminary verification of the requirements was carried out. It was shown that the proposed structure of the general classifier of problems with one exception coincides with the structure of 5 causes of ecological disasters described in the book by J. Diamond Collapse, if one replaces his ecological terminology by a system-wide one. The exception is one structural element of the general classifier of problems, which was not revealed in the empirical analysis of both system and ecological problems. Thus, the system-engineering approach in constructing the classifier allowed to create a more complete and adequate structure than a simple empirical examination of relevant data array. Classification of system problems helps to better understand the reasons why complex systems are not able to perform the tasks assigned to them. Therefore, it should be expected that the use of this classifier by system engineers will allow avoiding in the future those mistakes that led to failures in the past in the construction and/or development of complex systems.

This paper proposes an agile model-based systems engineering (SE) methodology (LITHE methodology) to engineer the contemporary large, complex, and interdisciplinary systems of systems. The methodology relates the processes, the methods, and the tools in order to support an effective model-based development context. The LITHE uses a universal and intuitive SE base process, reducing the complexity and intricacy of the base methods, emphasizing the agile principles such as continuous communication, feedback and stakeholders' involvement, short iterations, and rapid response, and rousing the utilization of a coherent system model developed through the benchmark systems graphical modeling languages. Aiming to support the development of successful systems, which satisfy the stakeholders' expectations, the methodology is particularly concerned with human systems integration, so the related fundamental aspects are considered throughout the engineering process. The LITHE methodology also includes a supporting graphical tool that aims to be an agile instrument to be used by systems engineers in a model-based development environment. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology and to provide some validation, an empirical case study related with the development of a real large and complex system (the Guiding Urban Intelligent Traffic and Environment system) is also described.

This research examines the handling complexity aspects of conceptual design. Contemporary consensus suggests vessel design must consider new market requirements such as greater emphasis on environmental performance, a larger degree of uncertainty in terms of contract horizon, and the need for reliability of multiple operations assessed during early stages. Consequently, the industry has experienced development on many levels of ship design, from advanced subsystems (e.g., a wide range of machinery congurations), to vessels with demanding operations (e.g., modern oshore support vessels), to incorporation of eet assessment in early stages. Designers face a number of new technologies - usually representing greater investment - to obtain improved energy eciency and exibility regarding multi-faceted, future scenarios in which the vessel must operate. This large number of options results in an increase in the amount of information that should be considered to understand important aspects of the ship during the conceptual phase. This thesis is based on a systems engineering perspective to approach these kinds of developments, especially recent theories combining complexity theory in engineering.This thesis reviews current methods and approaches that deal with conceptual ship design and its complexity aspects. Based on this review, three research questions are proposed. First, which general complex systems theory premises can be used to dene complexity in conceptual ship design? Second, what general principles for organizing and simplifying complexity t the conceptual ship design task? Third, what methods eciently handle primary complexity aspects during conceptual ship design?The results of this study are the identification of the general principle of handling complexity, based on decomposition and encapsulation, as a strategy to manage relevant information during conceptual design, and proposing a five-aspect taxonomy to characterize and classify complexity in conceptual ship design. The taxonomy categorizes five aspects of conceptual ship design. The structural aspect relates to arrangement and interrelationships of the physical parts in the ship. The behavioral aspect derives from form-function mapping. The external circumstances to which the ship is subjected are captured in the contextual aspect. Uncertainties in future scenarios and expected/unexpected changes over time relate to the temporal aspect. The perceptual aspect relates to how various stakeholders perceive the value they receive from a design through the operational life cycle of the vessel.A discussion of both traditional and novel techniques to handle each of the aspects is presented. Focus is given to methods able to handle the three extended aspects (i.e., contextual, temporal, and perceptual). The goal of the study is to designate ship design as a complex system problem, developing and improving methods capable of handling primary complexity aspects during the conceptual phase.The primary contribution is characterization of conceptual ship design as a complex systems engineering task. Decomposition and encapsulation is presented as a general principle to handle complexity during the conceptual phase of ship design. More importantly, it identifies the intelligent encapsulation allowed by the five-aspect taxonomy, with implementation and development of methods to handle each aspect. Structural and behavioral aspects are investigated, merging traditional and novel techniques. Epoch-era analysis and a ship design deployment problem are used to tackle contextual and temporal aspects. The perceptual aspect is discussed through complex value robustness, and integration and concurrent assessment of all five aspects is handled theoretically through the responsive systems comparison method.This thesis consists of two parts. The first contains an introductory chapter presenting the background, the research questions, state-of-the-art conceptual ship design, ship as a complex system, information growth in ship design and complexity in a systems engineering framework, the research approach, a timeline of the research, initial results of a study of complexity aspects, results relevant to answering the three research questions, discussion of contributions, concluding remarks, and future research. The second part contains the five papers, in which individual results and contributions are discussed in more detail.