: Due to the increase of system complexity and the existing draw down of manpower allocations, today's acquisitions environment desperately needs a systems approach to decision making. Many studies have been performed to model the entire government acquisition environment. Due to the high degree of aggregation, front line decision-makers have had no use for the information these models provide. This research focuses on the Air Force's largest functional support element in aircraft systems development, engineering. I will only consider one phase of the government acquisition cycle the Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD). This is the development cycle, which begins with initial contract award (Milestone II), through the production approval (Milestone III). The structure of this model will be a building block to help USAF leadership in the determination of required engineering skill-set and manpower to perform activities which can meet short term requirements while minimizing the intrinsic cost, schedule, and performance risks associated system development. The simulation model will be used by USAF leadership as an alternative decision making tool for manpower allocations for government organic engineering workforce during an eight year development effort. In addition, this study investigates the benefit of using system engineering tools and processes, like Functional Allocation (FAST) and Quality Functional Deployment, to improve the process for generating system dynamics simulation models. For years, the systems engineering field has developed tools to graphically represent complex system structure. Graphical representations allow individuals and teams to visually identify interrelationships and dependencies within a system. Academic research and the successful implementation of these tools within the industrial communities validate the utility of these tools.

/pdf/the-use-of-systems-engineering-processes-and-tools-to-3i1mhatzzi.pdf

The Use of Systems Engineering Processes and Tools to Develop a System Dynamic Simulation Model of Engineering Support During the Development Phase of an Acquisition Program

The development of the Internet and related intranets has allowed large enterprises to create valuable knowledge bases containing the results of research (e.g., production process studies for manufacturing firms or marketing studies for computer software companies). The collection of system dynamics applications within and for the United States Air Force between 1975 and 2000 is such a knowledge base. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the unclassified system dynamics literature relating to applications within the US Air Force between 1975 and 2000, and classifies that literature according to such categories as traditional peer-reviewed publication, traditional publication (non-peer reviewed), internal working papers, internet available documents, and intranet (or restricted) materials. The paper empirically documents how the system dynamics-related knowledge base for the USAF is currently distributed between various sources and how well that knowledge base is referenced and cataloged using available reference tools. Additionally, the paper explores how the recent development of the Internet and associated intranet systems for the USAF has influenced the development, distribution, and cataloging of this knowledge base. The paper concludes by speculating on what proportion of the specific system dynamics literature base may be in the readily catalogued public domain and how the development of electronic access technologies over the past 25 years has affected on that accessib ility.

The Development of Internet- and Intranet-enabled, Enterprise-wide Knowledge Bases: The Case of System Dynamics Applications in the United States Air Force, 1975 - 2000

: Models presently available to Air Force managers are restricted in their use to particular functional areas, e.g., manpower and cost-estimating models. Extensive research has indicated that useful and comprehensive managerial models of large, complex military organizations have not been developed. The purpose of this research is to develop a model of the managerial decision structure and important information, material, and fund flows which are directly relevant to ASD's mission (planning and managing the acquisition of aeronautical systems, subsystems, and associated equipment). Such a model would aid in the top level policy-making process and in understanding the system's behavior. System dynamics appears to provide a most suitable methodology for this model development. This initial effort is limited to the development of: (1) a general conceptual model of the process by which ASD's mission is now accomplished, and (2) a detailed operating model of one segment of the general model--the process of project management--providing an example of how the general model could be further developed. (Author)

Michael B. Nixon

Papers

The Application of System Dynamics to A Managerial Model of Aeronautical Systems Division.