The Systems Engineering Factory

Speaker 

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Dr. Joel C Sercel, Ph.D.

Location

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Jet Propulsion Laboratories
von Karman Auditorium
Pasadena, CA

Abstract

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Issues: unplanned cost and schedule growth, overruns, and technical failures are more common than not in today's large acquisition programs. Failure boards, program review panels, and Nunn-McCurdy boards claim again and again that many of these problems are due to inadequate systems engineering. The response? Implement more systems engineering! And so, each generation of programs implements more systems engineering and we still see more issues. Yet a review of the great defense and aerospace programs of the late 20th century (the SR-71, the U-2, Apollo, et al) shows success with virtually no systems engineering, if systems engineering is defined by today's processes such as those described in the SMC Systems Engineering Handbook, INCOSE, or Mil Standard 499. How can we explain this paradox and what are we to do about it in implementing today's programs? In this presentation Dr. Joel Sercel will offer a simple and plausible explanation of this paradox of modern acquisition based on a simple program assessment  model he calls D2S (for depth, disruption, and scope). In the context of this model it becomes very clear that certain cultural changes have taken place that mandate a change in our acquisition philosophy from a one-size-fits-all systems engineering process, to a tailored approach that adapts to the needs of individual programs. For large, operationally-driven programs, Dr. Sercel advocates an efficient yet disciplined system he calls the Systems Engineering Factory. Come to this meeting for an overview of the D2S model, an assessment of the new cultural norm of large acquisition programs, and a brief outline of Systems Engineering Factory and how the concept is based on lessons learned in the NASA Constellation Program, and on-going programs of record.

Biography

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Joel C. Sercel is a member of the research staff in Controls and Dynamical Systems at the California Institute of Technology and is the founder and principal engineer of ICS Associates Inc., a small business specializing in systems engineering, consulting, and training. Previously Dr. Sercel held a senior position at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) assisting in the establishment of a network of innovation centers, and prior to that he was the Chief Systems Engineer of the Air Force's TSAT Program. Dr. Sercel taught at the graduate level at the Caltech campus for 12 years and was the Director of Caltech's Laboratory for Spacecraft and Mission Design for four years. Dr. Sercel has over 20 years of experience developing and utilizing advanced technology to increase cost effectiveness of aerospace and advanced technology ventures. He has been an analyst, a technologist, a program manager, a project manager, technological innovator, software developer, and successful entrepreneur. During a 17-year career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), he worked in diverse areas including space technology development, systems engineering, software development, and management. He led the conception, proposal, and definition of the NSTAR ion propulsion system, the first deep space application of ion propulsion technology. Among the companies that have developed and utilized software and processes designed by Dr. Sercel are JPL, Boeing, Raytheon, and United Technologies. Dr. Sercel has consulted for or provided training or engineering services for more than 20 companies and government organizations, including the Advanced Technology Institute, Alliance Space Systems, Boeing, DARPA, ITT Gilfillan, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Systems, Space Systems Loral, the United States Air Force, and United Technologies. He routinely serves on technical and managerial review boards for space mission projects and advanced technology programs. Sercel received his Ph.D. and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology.