A new systems engineering structured assurance methodology for complex systems

G.P. Farnell, A.J. Saddington and L.J. Lacey

Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 2019, vol. 183, issue C, 298-310

Abstract: As technology advances, systems behaviour becomes more difficult to predict and control, resulting in a lack of systems assurance across the supply chain. Here we describe a structured approach to address the assurance of complex systems developed and operated within highly regulated environments. The new approach is based on a methodology that can address both new and legacy systems, and influences system intervention. We propose an enterprise approach by observing the importance of all organisational contributions to a safe working system throughout the intended project life cycle. This research was catalysed by the need to address the certification of the F-35B stealth fighter for UK operations from 2012 onwards. We offer a pragmatic strategy to achieve systems control by adopting a holistic approach to systems engineering while promoting the development of an enabling environment that can determine system threats and enable appropriate controls. We propose a systematic coordination process to minimise the potential for ‘organisational drift’. This holistic approach to systems engineering and assurance is defined as ‘systems engineering structured assurance’. The methodology provides a confidence assessment for a particular product or system while remaining agnostic to regulatory constraints. The diligent completion of the methodology increases systems confidence and informs the regulatory environment.

Keywords: Structured assurance; Systems; Engineering; Safety; Methodology; Complex (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0951832017313996
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:reensy:v:183:y:2019:i:c:p:298-310

DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2018.11.024

Access Statistics for this article

Reliability Engineering and System Safety is currently edited by Carlos Guedes Soares

More articles in Reliability Engineering and System Safety from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().