Process Synchronization Workshop Summary Report Jo Ann Lane University of Southern California Center for Software Engineering © USC CSE 2008

Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE Scope of Process Synchronization Workshop Multi-owner System of Systems Agile/Plan-Driven Hardware and Software

Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE Workshop Issues, Goals, and Approach ICM provides a tailorable framework for SoSE, but there are many devils in the details Key SoSE core elements are identified in the OUSD AT&L SoS SE Guidebook [OUSD AT&L, 2008] Proposed workshop goals and approach –Discuss SoSE core elements (chart #3) in context of SoSE synchronization points (chart #6) –Identify, prioritize key SoSE issues –Discuss solution approaches for top-priority issues –Evaluate degree of payoff, difficulty of solution approaches on 0-10 scale –Prepare summary briefing

Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE SoSE Core Elements* Translating capability objectives Translating capability objectives Translating capability objectives Addressing new requirements & options Addressing new requirements & options Addressing new requirements & solution options Understanding systems & relationships (includes plans) Understanding systems & relationships (includes plans) Understanding systems & relationships External Environment Developing, evolving and maintaining SoS design/arch Developing, evolving and maintaining SoS design/arch Developing and evolving SoS design Assessing (actual) performance to capability objectives Assessing (actual) performance to capability objectives Assessing performance to capability objectives Typically not the role of the SE but key to SoS [assumes these are fixed] Block upgrade process for SoS Persistent framework overlay on systems in SoS [architecture] Large role of external influences Orchestrating upgrades to SoS Orchestrating upgrades to SoS Orchestrating upgrades to SoS Monitoring & assessing changes Monitoring & assessing changes Monitoring & assessing changes * [OUSD AT&L, 2008]

Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE SoSE Synchronization Points: Directed SoSs

Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE Source Selection ● ● ● ValuationExploration Architecting Develop Operation Valuation Exploration Architecting Develop Operation ValuationExploration Architecting Develop Operation Develop Operation System A System B System C System x LCO-type Proposal & Feasibility Info Candidate Supplier/ Strategic Partner n ● Candidate Supplier/ Strategic Partner 1 SoS-Level ValuationExploration Architecting Develop ACR 1 DCR 1 Operation OCR 1 Rebaseline/ Adjustment ACR 1 OCR 2                                              OCR x1 ACR B DCR B OCR B1 ACR A DCR A ACR C DCR C OCR C1 OCR x2 OCR x3 OCR x4 OCR x5 OCR C2 OCR B2 OCR A1 SoSE Synchronization Points: Acknowleged SoSs

Process Synchronization: Summary of Discussions Type of SoS impacts the amount of authority SoSE team has to control synchronization of constituent systems –Directed Responsibility and authority Synchronization accomplished via contracts –Acknowledged Responsibility, but little or no authority Synchronization done through collaboration/negotiation /MOUs between SoSE team and constituent systems –Collaborative No authority, no responsibility at the SoS level Synchronization done through collaboration/negotiation /MOUs between constituent systems Systems tend to know about each other –Virtual Like collaborative, but systems don’t know about each other Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE Consider developing graphic that shows the continuum for the ICM guidebook

Process Synchronization: Summary of Discussions (continued) Hybrid Cases: SoS risk profiles and criticality may indicate how SoS (or SoS parts) should be managed (directed, acknowledged, collaborative) –For example, a directed SoS may have non-critical parts that are managed as an acknowledged or collaborative SoS Increment Scope: When planning SoS “increments”, need to manage how much to SoS capability to provide with respect to process capability Membership in Multiple SoSs: When constituent systems are part of multiple SoSs, synchronization within a given SoS can be difficult, if not impossible Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE 20088

Process Synchronization Inhibitors Lack of authority Lack of funding Legal/Congressional constraints impacting flexibility Cultural constraints impacting flexibility Contractual constraints/amount of time to change contracts Lack of insights into constituent system risks Conflicting synchronization schedules Conflicting goals and priorities of constituent systems Language/terminology differences across systems Control (or lack of control) over COTS vendors Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE 20089

Candidate Actions to Minimize/Avoid Synchronization Issues Level of authority should increase when current level of SoS management is not working –By putting an SoSE team in place (acknowledged or directed SoS), team starts focusing on ConOps, SoS architecture, etc. as shown in the Core Elements chart Pursue opportunities to identify, quantify, and mitigate risks through the analysis of inter-system interactions and dependencies –More inter-system interactions and dependencies increase risk Migrate to an SoS architecture that is –Logically loosely coupled –Robust with respect to constituent system failure or degradation –Conducive to individual system upgrades Investigate possibility of loosely coupled schedule (how tight must it really be) –Build in funded schedule margin Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE

Candidate Actions to Minimize/Avoid Synchronization Issues (continued) Three areas to work –Culture –Process –Tools Investigate possibility of a “blocking” policy to collect together asynchronous updates and roll out together for situations where synchronization is important Discover and encourage win-win conditions –Need to “market”/explain advantages to suppliers why they need to work to support SoS goals Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE

Process Synchronization Workshop© USC CSSE Conclusions Synchronization may not be possible… How to synchronize processes in an SoS became How to manage in the case where synchronization is difficult or not possible Need a better way to quantify and understand interdependencies in both systems and SoSs and determine how to best manage them