Publication

Systems Engineering (SE)
2014

THE RDECOM INTEGRATED SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FRAMEWORK (ISEF)

by Edward Umpfenbach; Pradeep Mendonza; Lisa Graf

Abstract

The Integrated Systems Engineering Framework (ISEF) is an Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) solution to address stovepiped systems engineering(SE) information and processes, disparate tools united by custom, one-off integrations, and a lack of accepted, common standards that exists in today’s Department of Defense (DoD) operating environment. Ever increasing technical complexity of fielded solutions combined with budgetary constraints push DoD engineers to “do more with less,” requiring a technical management solution that allows them collaborate virtually yet effectively with distributed engineers and other stakeholders. Easy access to systems engineering tools and information through a single “cloud” based application allows connections between federated databases, and facilitates knowledge preservation over time to avoid “reinventing the wheel” when new programs replace retired ones. ISEF is an ever-expanding collection of systems engineering tools united around a common information architecture to address these issues in today’s Army and other DoD agencies, with a vision of continuous improvement to consistently expand and adapt the framework’s capability to enable efficient problem solving for systems engineers in the DoD today and beyond. This paper will provide insight into the current development status, near term planned development activities, and long term vision for ISEF, while identifying real-world programmatic successes enabled by the framework.