Systems Engineering: Making People Talk!

Abstract

In Scandinavia, a popular brand of pastilles uses the slogan “Läkerol makes people talk!” This phrase is the first that came to mind when considering a title for this report on the use of systems engineering approaches to organize and implement a master’s program thesis. A valorized systems engineering process, SPADE, is used to design the research approach, and two systems thinking/engineering methods, the systemigram and swimlane diagrams, are used to conduct and document the research. The significance of this project was the way in which these relatively simple visualizations were able to engage the case company managers in the elicitation process and to facilitate an environment of interdepartmental cooperation. As the point of contact put it, “This was the first time they created a truly end-to-end view of their company purchasing, manufacturing and warehousing processes.”

Appendices

Appendix A: Excerpt from Project Swimlane Diagram

As indicated in the text, the entire swimlane diagram is extensive and company sensitive. This excerpt illustrated the use of columns, connectors, and a variety of shapes to indicate the respective activities. Likewise, portions of the total diagram were partitioned using dashed lines to reflect specific goals.

Appendix B: Systemigram of Company Warehouse Interactions

As stated in the text, systemigrams were an important communications vehicle for understanding the unique interactions between various warehouses in the case company.