SEPFOR

Systems Engineering (SE) forms the backbone of all system realization and improvement projects. SEPFOR stands for Systems Engineering Process Formalized.

What is Systems Engineering?

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Why is Systems Engineering crucial?

All large businesses and organizations must obtain the systems that will perform their business (organizational) processes.  Whether these systems are developed in-house or procured from a supplier, the capability to realize successful systems is crucial to both client/user and supplier.

Decisions during system realization not only impact the outcome of the particular project, but also:

• largely determine the degree of operational success of the system eventually deployed
• substantially limit the extent of customer satisfaction derived from output of the system-process

The unrelenting growth in sophistication and complexity of systems continues to increase project risk.  Technological complexity is further increased by the necessity to accomplish system realization for total systems, each comprised of an operating, support and management segment.  All of the above factors have made the implementation of a structured and formalized system realization process imperative.  SEPFOR satisfies this need.

Why is formalization of the Systems Engineering process important?

• a certain degree of standardization is necessary to ensure an efficient process;
• process definition is a prerequisite for process management and improvement;
• generic understanding amongst team members is not enough to plan and execute projects efficiently and effectively;
• international literature sources do not reflect the level of detail necessary to enable team members to perform work readily;
• it provides a basis for improvement and a framework for capturing of organizational learning.

What is SEPFOR?

SEPFOR is a definition and mapping of all SE tasks required for system realization, from the start of the Client & User Requirements Determination phase to completion of the Manufacturing & Construction phase.

Processes and constituent tasks apply the 11 knowledge areas from the SE Body of Knowledge appropriately throughout system realization phases.  The deliverable output is identified for each of the large number of tasks.

SEPFOR follows a modern approach to integrated realization for operating, support and management segments of each system. The SEPFOR process provides the necessary concurrency in addressing producibility, constructability, supportability, disposability and manageability.  SEPFOR can be tailored to suit specific project circumstances and can be used in different industries, for which it will be developed to suit the industry sector and scenario of the client.

SEPFOR portrays a comprehensive, coherent, and integrated system realization approach, and is the result of extensive international research and substantial accumulated experience.

Why adopt SEPFOR?

• it provides for “process peace of mind” through systematic risk reduction, leaving more opportunity for innovation;
• it provides a “roadmap and recipe” whilst allowing the hook-up and application of preferred techniques and tools;
• it applies a powerful, yet simple, basic SE methodology to which people relate naturally;
• it is based on an extensively researched, comprehensive meta-model;
• it uses consistent, simple terminology and is devoid of unnecessary, complicated portrayals;
• it is in line with international thinking and conforms to international quality system requirements;
• it can be used by a client managing a system realization and/or by the developer (or supplier);
• it dramatically reduces the cost of project planning and of proposal making;
• it is quicker to implement, less expensive and has significantly lower risk than in-house attempts at designing such a process;
• it helps to get new recruits up to speed quickly and can serve as the integrative source for in-house training interventions.

SEPFOR can catapult system realization performance by creating systemic business (organizational) advantage, which will enhance success and increase profitability.