Development of a systems engineering training plan at the U.S. Navy's coastal systems station

Abstract

AbstractDoD, through acquisition, reform has pushed its R&D laboratories to change their approach to defense system development. Systems engineering methods and practices have become critical to the laboratories' near‐term success and long‐term survival. This study reports on the efforts of one such U.S. Navy R&D laboratory, the Coastal Systems Station (CSS), to improve its systems engineering capability by developing a comprehensive systems engineering training plan. The plan was developed by first performed an assessment of its systems engineering processes and knowledge. Then, CSS developed a systems engineering training plan to address the near‐term needs of its practicing and upcoming systems engineers. A multi‐criteria decision analysis tool, the Brown‐Gibson model, was used in the training selection process. Recommended training included an overview course and other in‐depth, topic‐specific courses as needed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 5: 156–163, 2002