USING RDD TO SUPPORT THE SYSTEM ENGINEERING PROCESS

Abstract

AbstractImplementing a computer‐based System Engineering tool that changes the way an organization performs System Engineering poses challenges for that organization. Those challenges are magnified when the initial use of the tool is for a major military system development program and it involves implementing the tool by major subcontractors and the military project office. Potential payoffs from using such a tool, especially in the early phases of system development, are quite high. Using the RDD‐100 Requirements Driven Development tool (from Ascent Logic Corporation, San Jose, California) during the system engineering process can enhance engineering productivity by injecting structure into the requirements definition activities, providing a structured approach for high level system behavior modeling, allowing traceability between system requirements and system behavior, allowing individual users at various organizations to work on parts of the process, and facilitating the documentation of the system engineering process. This paper describes the process of implementing the RDD environment, establishing program development structure, and transferring externally generated engineering data into the RDD system.