ASEP Decision Analysis and Trade Studies 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a trade study in systems engineering?
- To document project costs
- To evaluate and compare alternative solutions against defined criteria (Correct answer)
- To assign tasks to team members
- To schedule project milestones
Correct answer: To evaluate and compare alternative solutions against defined criteria
A trade study evaluates and compares alternatives against defined criteria to support informed decision-making.
Question 2: Which method is commonly used in ASEP trade studies to rank alternatives by assigning weighted scores?
- Monte Carlo simulation
- Weighted scoring matrix (Pugh matrix) (Correct answer)
- Gantt chart analysis
- Fault tree analysis
Correct answer: Weighted scoring matrix (Pugh matrix)
A weighted scoring matrix, such as a Pugh matrix, assigns weights to criteria and scores each alternative to produce a ranked comparison.
Question 3: In a Figures of Merit (FOM) analysis, what does each FOM represent?
- A project risk
- A key performance parameter used to measure system effectiveness (Correct answer)
- A stakeholder concern
- A cost estimate
Correct answer: A key performance parameter used to measure system effectiveness
Figures of Merit are measurable parameters used to assess and compare how well each alternative meets system effectiveness goals.
Question 4: What is the role of sensitivity analysis in a trade study?
- To identify the project manager
- To determine how changes in criteria weights affect the outcome (Correct answer)
- To estimate schedule variance
- To audit configuration items
Correct answer: To determine how changes in criteria weights affect the outcome
Sensitivity analysis reveals how robust a decision is by showing how the preferred alternative changes when criteria weights are varied.
Question 5: During decision analysis, which of the following is the FIRST step a systems engineer should perform?
- Score each alternative
- Generate candidate alternatives
- Define the decision criteria (Correct answer)
- Select the preferred alternative
Correct answer: Define the decision criteria
Defining decision criteria before generating or scoring alternatives ensures the evaluation remains objective and aligned with system requirements.
Question 6: A 'must-have' criterion in a trade study is best described as:
- A criterion that is weighted lower than others
- A threshold criterion that an alternative must satisfy to remain viable (Correct answer)
- A cost ceiling for the project
- A performance goal that is nice to achieve
Correct answer: A threshold criterion that an alternative must satisfy to remain viable
A must-have (threshold) criterion is a non-negotiable requirement; alternatives that fail it are eliminated from further consideration.
ASEP Decision Analysis and Trade Studies 1
What is the primary purpose of a trade study in systems engineering?