Systems Engineering Flashcards
6 cards from real MEM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Systems Engineering flashcards as text
What is a 'system of systems' (SoS) in systems engineering terminology?
Answer: A collection of independent systems that interoperate to achieve a broader capability
A system of systems (SoS) is a set of operationally independent systems that are integrated to provide a capability not achievable by any individual system alone.
In the context of systems engineering, what is 'stakeholder analysis'?
Answer: Identifying all parties with interests in the system and understanding their needs and influence
Stakeholder analysis identifies all individuals or groups who affect or are affected by the system, capturing their needs, concerns, and relative influence to guide requirements.
What is the role of a 'systems architect' in an engineering management context?
Answer: Defining the overall structure, behavior, and interfaces of a complex system
A systems architect defines the overall system structure, key design decisions, component interfaces, and behavior patterns to guide the entire development team.
Which lifecycle phase typically incurs the highest cost if errors are discovered in a large engineering system?
Answer: Operation and maintenance phase
Errors discovered during operations and maintenance are extremely costly because rework requires redesign, re-manufacturing, re-testing, and potentially system downtime in the field.
What is 'technical performance measurement' (TPM) in systems engineering?
Answer: Ongoing assessment of key system parameters against planned values throughout development
TPM continuously monitors critical technical parameters (e.g., weight, power, throughput) against threshold and objective values to detect risks early in development.
In systems engineering, what does the term 'specialty engineering' encompass?
Answer: Focused engineering disciplines like reliability, safety, maintainability, and human factors that address specific system properties
Specialty engineering disciplines address specific 'ilities' (reliability, maintainability, safety, human factors, etc.) that must be designed into a system from the beginning.