Systems Engineering

Abstract

• Systems Engineering is a way of thinking that helps engineer sustainable systems, i.e. ones that meet the needs of stakeholders in the short, medium and long terms.• This course provides an overview of the main principles of Systems Engineering, and includes an introduction to the use of operations research methods in the determination of optimal systems.

Objective

The world’s growing population, changing demographics, and changing climate pose formidable challenges to humanity’s ability to live sustainably. Ensuring that humanity can live sustainably requires accommodating Earth’s growing and changing population through the provision and operation of a sustainable and resilient built environment. This requires ensuring excellent decision-making as to how the built environment is constructed and modified. The objective of this course is to ensure the best possible decision making when engineering sustainable systems, i.e. ones that meet the needs of stakeholders in the short, medium and long term. In this course, you will learn the main principles of Systems Engineering that can help you from the first idea that a system may not meet expectations, to the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of possible system modifications. Additionally, the course includes an introduction to the use of operations research methods in the determination of optimal solutions in complex systems. More specifically upon completion of the course, you will have gained insight into: • how to structure the large amount of information that is often associated with attempting to modify complex systems • how to set goals and define constraints in the engineering of complex systems • how to generate possible solutions to complex problems in ways that limit exceedingly narrow thinking • how to compare multiple possible solutions over time with differences in the temporal distribution of costs and benefits and uncertainty as to what might happen in the future • how to assess values of benefits to stakeholders that are not in monetary units • how to assess whether it is worth obtaining more information in determining optimal solution • how to take a step back from the numbers and qualitatively evaluate the possible solutions in light of the bigger picture • the basics of operations research and how it can be used to determine optimal solutions to complex problems, including linear, integer and network programming, dealing with multiple objectives and conducting sensitivity analyses.

Content

This is a self-study course, there are no lectures or help sessions. A Moodle page with the relevant literature, study materials, and course information is provided. For questions regarding course content or administration, students may approach the lecturers/teaching assistants.

Resources