Making systems engineering real: lessons learned in using current events as case studies in instructing systems engineering fundamentals

The challenges associated with teaching the “doing” of Systems Engineering are well-documented. At the undergraduate level, this challenge is further complicated by the fact that most students have little to no engineering understanding, nor any domain specific knowledge or exposure. In addressing this challenge, this paper discusses how current events can be leveraged through case studies to “make real” the often esoteric notions of the Systems Engineering approach. The 2014 rollout of Healthcare.gov and the Lockheed Martin F-35 development were used as case studies in the design and delivery of an introductory Systems Engineering fundamentals class to demonstrate both the value and challenges of a Systems Engineering approach. For example, in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Development Case Study, students were able to gain a more concrete understanding of the system life cycle processes, as detailed in ISO/IEC 15288:2008(E), through information from articles and video accounts of the F-35 effort. This case study allowed for a more “tangible” application of the complex concepts presented in ISO/IEC 15288:2008(E), while allowing for students to be more independently involved in what they were learning. Throughout the semester, challenges experienced by students included having too narrow of a focus on system realization, and not looking outside of that system of interest for influences. The need for a more holistic framing of the explorations of both the problem and solution spaces was crystallized in the Healthcare.gov Case Study; that made concrete important contextual factors, such as partisan politics, that influenced both the design and implementation of Healthcare.gov. These and other lessons learned are presented and suggestions for the use of current events as an instructional strategy are offered.