1 ECOR 1010 Introduction to Engineering The Systems Engineering Tradition at Carleton U D.L. Bailey Department of Systems and Computer Engineering Carleton University November 2007 Copyright © D.L. Bailey. Additional slides added Nov. 2005, Copyright © 2005 T.W. Pearce. For use in ECOR 1010 only. May not be distributed outside the Faculty of Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, without permission.

2 Carleton Engineering: "Systems" Programs Most courses in our programs are taught by the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering (SCE) and the Department of Electronics (DOE)‏ –we’ve never had an Electrical Engineering department! Electrical Engineering (1960) (DOE)‏ Computer Systems Engineering (1982) (SCE)‏ Communications Engineering (1998) (SCE) Engineering Physics (1998) (DOE)‏ Software Engineering (1999) (SCE)‏ Biomedical and Electrical Engineering (2006) (SCE)‏

3 What is Systems Engineering? Stereotypes abound... Do you have “The Knack”?

4 Did You Know?

5 Engineering Education “Preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist......using technologies that haven't yet been invented...to solve problems we don't even know are problems”

6 What Do Systems Engineers Do? Develop systems that acquire, transmit, store, retrieve, and process information –a heartbeat –a vehicle's speed –a cell phone call –a simulation of an amplifier circuit –a distributed filesystem –MMORPG and MMORTS games –etc., etc., etc.

7 What Will You Work On After Graduating? Difficult to predict... What problems will need solving 4 years from now? 10 years from now? Some technologies that did not exist (or were in their infancies) when I started in industry –CDs, DVDs, iPod, laptop computers, cell phones, portable medical diagnostic devices, the Internet, WWW, personal computer applications (word processing, spreadsheets, CAD)‏ –Python, Ruby, Java, C++, C#, Groovy, Visual Basic, MATLAB, Mathematica, Maple, ECMAScript (JavaScript), HTML, XML,...

8 What Will You Work On After Graduating? Some areas of opportunity –ubitquous computing computers are everywhere desktop PCs are statistically non-existent –portable, wireless medical devices –organization, search, & retrieval of information on the Web is painful - your generation of graduates will be the ones that design WWW 2 –"programming for everyone" - will require major changes to current software technologies

9 Preparing For a Career, Not a Job The 3 P's –Principles (most important)‏ –Processes –Products (evolve rapidly - life cycle often 18 months to 2 years, or less)‏

10 Preparing For a Career, Not a Job Don't overspecialize at the undergraduate level A solid understanding of fundamental engineering principles and design (modeling) skills is much more important than immersing yourself in the latest hot technology Communication and teamwork skills! Learn how to learn

11

12 So, Just What is a System? a system converts inputs......to outputs

13 The Role of the Engineer What are the inputs? What are the outputs? What goes inside?

14 Systems Consist of Subsystems... inside? inputs? outputs?

15 …And Subsystems Consist of Subsystems inputs? outputs? inside?

16 Systems Can Be Complex Many systems are so complex that no one person can comprehend them in their entirety How can you think & talk about a system you want to build before the system is actually built? Design abstract models...

17 What is a Model? A model is a simplification of reality –sketches –3D models (may involve architects and industrial designers)‏ –blueprints, schematics (increasing use of CAD tools in all disciplines) –analytical (mathematical) models (increasing use of tools; e.g., Matlab, Maple)‏ –computer programs (algorithmic models)‏ –simulations

18 Models Help Us Deal With Complexity Models let us focus on the important stuff, hide (ignore?) the rest We often design multiple models with different levels of abstraction, often dealing with different aspects of the system –some models are detailed –some models ignore (most) details and instead focus on the “big picture” You weren't taught this in high school! Learning how to model is one of the most important aspects of an engineering education

19 Systems Span Engineering Disciplines Systems aren’t just the domain of SCE Many of the topics taught in courses offered by Electronics, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, and Civil & Environmental Engineering deal with systems Many systems projects involve engineers (and other specialists) from several disciplines working in teams

20 SCE's Focus Communications Systems - telecommunications - networks - DSP Control Systems - robotics Real-time Systems - embedded systems - concurrent systems - distributed systems Design of Computer-Based Systems Biomedical Systems

21 SCE's Focus Software Development - algorithm design & coding - data structures - object-oriented systems Operating Systems Computer Organization and Architecture (to chip level)‏ - microprocessors Design of Computers as Integrated Hardware/Software Systems

22 Putting it All Together: 4 th Year Projects SCE: –Proposal –Progress report –Oral presentation –Poster fair –Final report

23 SCE Through the Years Over the years, SCE has been known as: –Division of Computing, Communications, Control and Power Systems (CCCP)‏ –Division/Department of Systems Engineering –Department of Systems Engineering and Computer Science –Department of Systems and Computer Engineering