Introduction to Systems Design

Course Description

Detailed overview of the nature of systems and the systems engineering design process of human-made systems. The main emphasis is on the four phases of systems design: conceptual design, preliminary design, detail design, and evaluation and testing. Life cycle engineering and requirements analysis are introduced.

Learning Outcomes

• State various definitions of "system" and classify various systems according to a classification of systems.
• State the definition of Systems Engineering and identify the complex requirements that systems design places on engineers.
• Plan for engineering a system based on life cycle engineering and the systems engineering process.
• Design a system using: 1. Conceptual system design: need identification, performance measures, system specifications and design review. 2. Preliminary system design: subsystem requirements and specifications, functional analysis, trade-off studies and design definition. 3. Detail design and development: detailed requirements, system integrations, design tools and data, model and prototype development. 4. System testing, evaluation and validation: requirements for, categories of, planning for, preparing for, and conducting system tests, data collection, and reporting.