Examples of performance requirement derivation through modelling and simulation in complex projects

ABSTRACT

As complexity continues to increase in modern systems development, performance requirement derivation in Defence materiel acquisition projects continues to present challenges. Overspecification introduces technical risk that can lead to project cost and schedule blow-outs. Insights into precise thresholds for system requirement performances can be difficult to ascertain through expert judgement. Operational analysis involves the modelling and simulation of the Defence materiel platform’s operational scenarios. The most challenging scenarios drive system performances, understood in the context of the combinations of systems working together to achieve operational effects. Such modelling and simulation provides insights into the capabilities of interest to Defence Service customers, and is useful for decision-making, trade studies and design negotiations. This work describes two such examples of operational analysis modelling and simulation used in a recent large and complex Defence materiel acquisition project for the derivation of system performance requirements and the facilitation of trade studies and design negotiations.

KEYWORDS:

• Modelling and simulation
• performance requirement development
• complex projects

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Garth De Visser

Garth De Visser is a senior operational analyst and systems engineer at BMT Australia. Garth currently leads the Australian Department of Defence National Shipbuilding and Sustainment Group (NSSG) Submarine Domain operational analysis, including the development of sovereign analytic capabilities. Garth previously worked in Model-Based Systems Engineering and operations research at the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG). Garth holds a Masters of Science in Operations Research and a Bachelors of Engineering with Honours.

Stephanie Knight

Stephanie Knight is a Software and Simulation Engineer, with experience in multiple defence and commercial projects, using discrete event simulation and modelling approaches combined with data analytics to solve complex operational problems in the maritime domain. Stephanie has a Masters of Mechatronics Engineering and Bachelor of Science majoring in Mechatronics Engineering.