Introducing a Next Generation Computer Enhanced Systems Engineering Tool: The Operations Concept Harbinger

This paper proposes a new generation Computer Enhanced Systems Engineering (CESE) tool known as an Operations Concept Harbinger (OCH). The OCH is the result of the application of information management technology to solving the problem of poorly implemented requirements engineering, in particular poorly written and articulated requirements as well as the effect of changing requirements for both single systems and Systems of Systems. The OCH thus bridges the gap between the soft systems methodologies used in the early phases of the system development life cycle and the hard systems methodologies used in the construction of a system. The OCH may be thought of as a multimedia Operations Concept Document that also contains measures of effectiveness for each operational scenario. The paper also describes the experiences of prototyping the OCH for a Force Level Systems Engineering application.