ARMY AL&T
approach will provide unparalleled insight into design activities as well as support verification and validation of performance requirements. However, to realize the benefits of this approach, each project office must train its workforce to use and under- stand digital models.
TRAINING THE WORKFORCE Systems engineering models can wield enormous amounts of information about the structure and properties of a design. Employed properly, they allow decision-makers to dynamically select, organize and process data to inform all kinds of detailed design and programmatic analyses.
But building and validating that the models are sufficiently detailed, and that the data is appropriately indexed, managed, compiled and presented reliably enough to inform potentially multibillion-dollar decisions, requires a cadre of engineers, logis- ticians, testers and program managers with practical experience in model-based systems engineering.
As one of the first major defense acquisition programs to use a model-based digital engineering approach, PM XM30 lacked that cadre of professionals with practical experience in model- based systems engineering. Te PM XM30 organization selected experts to work on the model, but they were not yet trained on how to read and digest data from a model. Additionally, the few employees who were well versed in model-based systems engi- neering did not have the required knowledge about the combat vehicles themselves.
To address this knowledge gap, APEO SEI and PM XM30 assembled a small team with knowledge about both combat vehi- cles and model-based systems engineering, and then looked to academia and industry for educational resources. Unfortunately, those resources were focused heavily on either theoretical or very specific applied aspects with no applicability to the day-to-day operations the PM XM30 workforce needed to manage a combat vehicle developmental project.
To meet the project needs, APEO SEI and PM XM30 devel- oped training that was focused on learning how to read models, and then how to specifically evaluate designs for compliance with the MOSA and GCIA standards, within the context of a ground combat vehicle. Tis on-the-job training paves the road, one mile at a time, to the future digitally aware workforce required to manage models-based, open-architected programs like the XM30, the Robotic Combat Vehicle and future acqui- sition programs.
WHAT’S DIGITAL ENGINEERING?
According to the Office of the Under Secre- tary of Defense for Research and Engineering, digital engineering is an integrated digi- tal approach using authoritative sources of system data and models as a continuum throughout the development and life of a system. Digital engineering updates tradi- tional systems engineering practices to take advantage of computational technology, modeling, analytics and data sciences.
ONE MILE AT A TIME Te approach taken at PM XM30 has students learn topics through a gradual introduction of related concepts in small iter- ations of instructor-led discussions. Te students then apply those concepts in hands-on practical exercises, reviewing system archi- tecture models to reinforce learning. Te instruction is done with the system architecture model with sufficient detailed design information, as compared with the conceptual level (i.e., require- ments) or physical level (i.e., computer-aided design drawings or three-dimensional models of a system), to focus the learn- ing on the principles of a model-based approach to design. Each block of instruction is narrowly focused on a modeling concept, then uses a specific area of ground combat vehicle design (i.e., electronics, software, MOSA) for practical exercises. To pilot the training, PM XM30 provided 10 engineers to participate in six or more three-hour sessions over multiple weeks. Tis group provided invaluable feedback on course design and topics, allow- ing the instructors to improve the course for subsequent classes.
Te classes have now matured into one three-hour session a week, where students are expected to do some pre-reading focused on areas critical to ground combat vehicle design (e.g., architec- ture, computing, network, safety, cyber). Te reading materials allow the course to focus more on practical exercises and less on lectures. Students summarize their learning in their own way and the course instructors discuss the student’s summary and conduct model reviews of student work to assess their understanding, before revealing answers and discussing conflicts. Practical exer- cises over the course of the class use a gradual release concept.
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