645.669.81 - Systems Engineering of Deployed Systems

Course Structure

The course material is divided into modules which can be accessed by clicking Modules on the course menu. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. You are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Most modules run for a period of seven (7) days but once opened, will remain open through the entire semester. Exceptions are noted in the Course Outline. You should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

The course includes a Class Project which is divided into four parts that will be submitted in sections appropriately named Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV.  Each Project Part discusses how the student has applied the Systems Engineering methods and processes that have been learned from the previous modules.  The lesson modules are cumulative and build on each other such that by Part IV the Student's Project will have addressed all 13 logistics elements for their selected project.  Be advised that only the first 40 pages of the project submission will be graded not counting the title page, table of contents, list of figures, list of tables, references and bibliography.  Technical writing is emphasized throughout all written assignments and most important for the project.  Use of summary tables, graphs, charts, flow diagrams, context diagrams, and heat maps is encouraged to summarize your data and/or analyses.

The course also includes team exercises or tasks.  The class will be divided into Teams A, B, C, etc..  Each team will be given four task assignments during the semester to collaboratively coordinate and present a written technical approach for their solution to the Team Task during the semester.  Each Team's responses will be posted in the discussion sections by the team lead. The student assigned to the team has an opportunity to be the Tam Lead starting with the first person on the Team list for the first Team Task, the second person on the list for the second Team task, and so on. The Team's proposed technical approach and the supporting discussion will be graded as a team.

The course incorporates two assessment exams, a Mid-Term and a Final.

Course Goals

Systems engineering theory typically focuses on the early design and development phases of a system’s life cycle, yet over the life of a system, the bulk of engineering effort and the associated costs are not realized until the operations and support (O&S) phase. This course examines the importance of designing O&S considerations early in a system’s life cycle by identifying the appropriate logistic elements and measures, while introducing the necessary analytical processes and tools to support end-to-end life cycle engineering requirements. Manufacturing and production operations will be presented along with the elements that support a system once it is fielded (maintenance planning, reliability prediction, supply support, training, shipping, and system disposal). The course also explores the requirements and processes associated with major upgrades to deployed systems and the logistics management techniques that must be implemented during initial fielding and deployment. A class project and real-world case studies underscores the theory and techniques associated with deployed systems engineering.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• By the end of the course, the student will be able to: Identify the 12 ILS elements and how they apply to deployed systems
• Apply logistic support considerations from the perspective of the 12 ILS elements and describe how they influence design, manufacturing, production and system operation decisions.
• Identify system supportability challenges (such as reliability, availability and maintainability) and the means to address them.
• Conduct various portions of a logistic supportability analysis (FMECA, LCCA, Fault Tree, etc.) in developing deployed system requirements and synthesizing those into a functional and validated design.
• Master the ability to address system modifications in a dynamic environment and ensure all deployed system elements are properly addressed and resourced (e.g., performance, maintenance, training, safety, etc.)
• Become aware of innovations in sustainment of complex systems, additive manufacturing, prognostics health management (PHM), use of model-based systems engineering (MBSE) for deployed systems

Textbooks

Blanchard, Benjamin S. Logistics Engineering and Management, 6thEdition. Pearson Prentice Hall Publishers, 2004. Textbook information for this course is available online through the appropriate bookstore website: For online courses, search the MBS website.  ISBN 0-13-142915-9.

Optional

Additionally, any of the following texts or other texts that you may have from previous courses may be useful for this course if you find yourself struggling with specific skills:

Blanchard, David, Supply Chain Management: Best Practices.  John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Publishers, 2007.  ISBN-10: 0470531886, or ISBN-13: 978-0470531884

Lewis, E. E., Introduction to Reliability Engineering.  John Wiley and Sons Publishers, 1987.  ISBN 0-471-81199-8

Required Software

The student should be familiar with all the Microsoft Office software applications as a minimum.  The  student should be able to:

• Convert al MS Office applications into PDF documents
  
• Use Excel to produce graphs, charts,
  
• Use Excel to analyze data
  
• Use Power Point (PPT) to produce high quality presentations and incorporate Excel or other technical data as pictures or metafiles
  

• Use of MATLAB to analyze data
  
• Use of SCILAB to analyze data
  

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that this course will require approximately 8–11 hours per week to complete. An approximate breakdown of the time includes:

• Reading the assigned sections of the text - 2–3 hours per week
• Reviewing the module materials and viewing the slide presentations - 1–2 hours per week
• Completing homework assignments or team tasks - 2–3 hours per week
• Working on course project – 2–3 hours per week
• Attending/viewing Office Hours – 1 hour per week

There is also a midterm exam and final quiz.  Both are open book and open notes.

Each module is available on the Monday of the week it is assigned.  There are assigned readings almost every week.  Each student is responsible to carefully read all assigned material. The majority of readings are from the course text. Additional reading may be assigned to supplement text readings.

Final grades are determined using the following weighting:

Grading Policy

Homework

Homework assignments include a mix of qualitative assignments (e.g. textbook material review) and quantitative problem sets.

Homework is due by 11:59 pm on the Tuesday the week after the module was made available. For example, HW #1 is assigned with Module 1, and is due the Tuesday following the end of the module week. Your homework should be submitted via Canvas in a single file using MS Word or pdf format. A few assignments require calculations that are best completed in a spreadsheet application like Excel. Please convert that work to a table and insert it into a file with annotations explaining your work. Likewise, some homework might be best presented using graphical software, the MS Snip tool to cut/copy-n-paste into your document is helpful in this regard.

When submitting a homework assignment be sure to mark it with your name, assignment identifier, and date in the top (and bottom) headers (footer). Also include your name and a page number indicator (e.g., “<Last Name - HW#1 - Page x of y>”) on the footer of your homework.

If, after submitting a homework assignment on time, the grade received is 80 or below and you are not satisfied, you are encouraged to redo the assignment and resubmit it. If the resubmission results in a better grade, that grade will be substituted for the previous grade. Only one resubmission is allowed per semester. Homework assignments are graded according to the Qualitative and Quantitative Rubric. You will lose 2 points for every day your homework is late.  There will be no exceptions unless you contact the instructor at least 24 hours before the due date.

If, after submitting a homework assignment on time, the grade received is 80 or below and you are not satisfied, you are encouraged to redo the assignment and resubmit it. If the resubmission results in a better grade, that grade will be substituted for the previous grade.  Only one resubmission is allowed per semester.

Late Homework

You will lose 2 points for every day your homework is late. There will be no exceptions unless you contact the instructor at least 24 hours before the due date. Contacting the instructor is not a guarantee that you will get a reprieve. There must be a compelling reason for tardy homework.

Homework assignments are graded according to the Qualitative and Quantitative Homework Assignment Rubrics.

Team Tasks

There will be four team tasks that will be completed in a Canvas discussion format.  These will be introduced during the second office hour.

The instructor will monitor progress on the discussion board and may (but not necessarily will) provide direction.

The results of the team tasks will be reviewed by the instructors during office hours the week after they are turned in.

Each team task will be assigned a grade based on the Team Tasking Rubric.

Please contact your instructor at least 24 hours before the due date if you anticipate your assignment will be late.

Midterm Exam and Final Quiz

The Midterm Exam will be available after the officer hours of week eight.  It is due no later than 11:59 pm on the following Monday. You may use the course text and outside resources to complete the exam.  If you are prepared, the midterm is expected to take between 3 and 5 hours to complete.  It must be completed without help - collaboration is prohibited! 

The Final Quiz will be available at 8 am on Saturday, 07 May. It is due no later than 11:59 pm on the following Monday.  Students may use the course text and outside resources to complete the exam.  If you are prepared, the final quiz should take 2-3 hours to complete, and must be completed without help - collaboration is prohibited!

Midterm Exams and Final Quizzes are evaluated using the Midterm Exam and Final Quiz Rubric.

Individual Course Project

More details about the Individual Course Project will be available at the beginning of Week 2 of the course, and will be presented and discussed during office hours.  It will consist of four deliverables, with the final deliverable due no later than 11:59 pm on the Friday of week/module 13.

Grading

A grade in the “A” range indicates achievement of consistent excellence and distinction throughout the course—that is, conspicuous excellence in all aspects of assignments and discussion in every week.

A grade in the “B” range indicates work that meets all course requirements on a level appropriate for graduate academic work. These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course.

The following scale will be used to assign a final grade in the course.

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.