Leveraging Systems Engineering to Improve Program Performance 

Presented by Joseph P. Elm 

February 2012 

Download Speaker Notes here. 

Abstract: An understanding of the value of Systems Engineering (SE) is necessary to justify a project’s investment in SE resources and activities. To identify the value of SE, National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Systems Engineering Division, in collaboration with the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), developed and executed a survey of defense industrial contractors (i.e., suppliers to the government). The survey, conducted anonymously, collected information regarding the SE practices deployed on development projects, and the performance of those projects, as measured by conformance to budget, schedule, and technical requirements. Responses received from 64 projects were analyzed to identify the statistical relationships between the deployed SE capabilities and project performance. The analysis of the responses revealed quantitative relationships between specific SE efforts applied to the project and the overall success of the project. This information is used to develop recommendations on the deployment of SE for both system acquirers and system suppliers.

Biography: Joseph P. Elm serves as the Manager of Strategic Projects within the CERT Program at the Software Engineering Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. In this capacity he manages programs addressing the cybersecurity needs of the US Government. Prior to joining the SEI, Mr. Elm served in various engineering and management roles in several aerospace manufacturing companies developing precision electro-mechanical equipment used in the development of for missile guidance and navigation equipment. Mr. Elm holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. He is an active member of INCOSE, serving as the Assistant Director, Technical Planning, Procedures, Projects and Publications, the chair of the Systems Engineering Effectiveness Working Group, and the 2011 President of the Three Rivers Chapter.