ASEP/CSEP PREP QUESTIONS (INCOSE) - I (SE
HANDBOOK CH.1-4)
System Concept - Answers :A shared mental representation of the actual system
System elements have processes that have the binary value of ______ or _____ -
Answers :idle, execute
System elements cannot be systems on their own merit. (True/False) - Answers :False
What are two things that integration must establish? - Answers :1. relationships
between the effects that organizing the elements has on their own interaction.
2. How these effects enable the system to achieve its purpose
In defining a hierarchy, a SE must strike a balance between: - Answers :1. Defining
span of control clearly and simply
2. Resolving the structure of the SOI into a complete set of system elements that can be
implemented with confidence
Characteristics that can be used to decide if SOI is better understood as a SoS -
Answers :o Operational independence of constituent system
o Managerial independence of constituent system
o Geographical distribution
o Emergent behavior
o Evolutionary development process
A life cycle can be defined as _____ - Answers :series of stages through which
something passes.
Per IEEE 15288: "5.4.2 - life cycles vary according to - Answers :the nature, purpose,
use and prevailing circumstances of the system..."
Where are SE tasks usually concentrated? - Answers :At the beginning of the LC
What are the three aspects of the lifecycle? - Answers :Business case
Funding
Technical
What are two critical parameters that systems engineers sometimes lose sight of? -
Answers :o Time to break even
o ROI
Decision gates or control gates are often called_____. - Answers :"milestones" or
"reviews"
,Approval events in the project cycle that are important enough to be defined and
included in the schedule. - Answers :Decision/control gates
Decision/control gates address what questions? - Answers :- Does the project
deliverable still satisfy the business case?
- Is it affordable?
- Can it be delivered when needed?
These ensure that new activities are not pursued until previously scheduled tasks are
completed - Answers :Decision/control gates
What are the primary objectives of decision gates? - Answers :Ensure that the
elaboration of the business and tech baselines are acceptable and will lead to
satisfactory V&V.
Ensure the next step is achievable and the proceeding risk is acceptable.
Continue to foster buyer and seller teamwork
Synch project activities
There are at least two decision gates in any project which are? - Answers :(1) authority
to proceed and (2) final acceptance of the deliverable
List the decision options for decision gates - Answers :- Acceptable
- Acceptable with reservations
- Unacceptable: Do not proceed
- Unacceptable: Return to proceeding stage
- Unacceptable: Put a hold on project activity
- Unacceptable: Terminate project
Per IEEE 15288: "5.4.1 - A system progresses through its life cycle as the result of... -
Answers :actions, performed and managed by people in the organizations, using
processes for execution of these actions.
The 6 generic LC stages per ISO/IEC TR 24784-1, 2010 are... - Answers :o Concept
o Development
o Production
o Utilization
o Support
o Retirement
In complicated systems, the interactions between many parts are governed by______. -
Answers :fixed relationships
Difference between complex and complicated systems - Answers :o In complicated
systems, the interactions between many parts are governed by fixed relationships.
o In complex systems, interactions between the parts exhibit self-organization where
local interactions give rise to novel. Nonlocal, emergent patterns.
, o Complicated systems can often become complex when behavior patterns change.
Challenges that influence the engineering of an SoS - Answers :o SoS Authorities (each
constituent system has its own local owner)
o Leadership
o Constituent systems' perspectives
o Capabilities and requirements (most SoS are made up of multiple independent
systems with their own requirements),
o Autonomy, interdependencies, and emergence
o Testing, validation, and learning
o SoS principles (new field, major learning curve for traditional SEs)
o Security challenges
What should be considered during life cycle stages of the SOI? - Answers :Relevant
enabling systems
One system variable can be the cause and effect of another system due to - Answers
:circular causation
What are the three classes of SE competencies? - Answers :Systems thinking
Holistic life cycle view
SE management
Operating environment/ Operating Context - Answers :collection of elements that
interact with the system
Attribute - Answers :observable characteristic/property of a system
System Boundary - Answers :what belongs/does not belong to the system
Functionality - Answers :interactions of the system with its operating environment
System Architecture - Answers :per IEEE 42010 (2011): "the fundamental concept or
properties of a system in its environment embodied in its elements, relationships, and in
the principles of its design and evolution."
Variable - Answers :symbol/name that identifies an attribute
Measurement - Answers :outcome of a process in which the SOI interacts with an
observation system under specified conditions.
Dynamic behavior - Answers :time evolution of the system state
Emergent behavior - Answers :behavior of the system that cannot be understood
exclusively in terms of the behavior of individual system elements.
HANDBOOK CH.1-4)
System Concept - Answers :A shared mental representation of the actual system
System elements have processes that have the binary value of ______ or _____ -
Answers :idle, execute
System elements cannot be systems on their own merit. (True/False) - Answers :False
What are two things that integration must establish? - Answers :1. relationships
between the effects that organizing the elements has on their own interaction.
2. How these effects enable the system to achieve its purpose
In defining a hierarchy, a SE must strike a balance between: - Answers :1. Defining
span of control clearly and simply
2. Resolving the structure of the SOI into a complete set of system elements that can be
implemented with confidence
Characteristics that can be used to decide if SOI is better understood as a SoS -
Answers :o Operational independence of constituent system
o Managerial independence of constituent system
o Geographical distribution
o Emergent behavior
o Evolutionary development process
A life cycle can be defined as _____ - Answers :series of stages through which
something passes.
Per IEEE 15288: "5.4.2 - life cycles vary according to - Answers :the nature, purpose,
use and prevailing circumstances of the system..."
Where are SE tasks usually concentrated? - Answers :At the beginning of the LC
What are the three aspects of the lifecycle? - Answers :Business case
Funding
Technical
What are two critical parameters that systems engineers sometimes lose sight of? -
Answers :o Time to break even
o ROI
Decision gates or control gates are often called_____. - Answers :"milestones" or
"reviews"
,Approval events in the project cycle that are important enough to be defined and
included in the schedule. - Answers :Decision/control gates
Decision/control gates address what questions? - Answers :- Does the project
deliverable still satisfy the business case?
- Is it affordable?
- Can it be delivered when needed?
These ensure that new activities are not pursued until previously scheduled tasks are
completed - Answers :Decision/control gates
What are the primary objectives of decision gates? - Answers :Ensure that the
elaboration of the business and tech baselines are acceptable and will lead to
satisfactory V&V.
Ensure the next step is achievable and the proceeding risk is acceptable.
Continue to foster buyer and seller teamwork
Synch project activities
There are at least two decision gates in any project which are? - Answers :(1) authority
to proceed and (2) final acceptance of the deliverable
List the decision options for decision gates - Answers :- Acceptable
- Acceptable with reservations
- Unacceptable: Do not proceed
- Unacceptable: Return to proceeding stage
- Unacceptable: Put a hold on project activity
- Unacceptable: Terminate project
Per IEEE 15288: "5.4.1 - A system progresses through its life cycle as the result of... -
Answers :actions, performed and managed by people in the organizations, using
processes for execution of these actions.
The 6 generic LC stages per ISO/IEC TR 24784-1, 2010 are... - Answers :o Concept
o Development
o Production
o Utilization
o Support
o Retirement
In complicated systems, the interactions between many parts are governed by______. -
Answers :fixed relationships
Difference between complex and complicated systems - Answers :o In complicated
systems, the interactions between many parts are governed by fixed relationships.
o In complex systems, interactions between the parts exhibit self-organization where
local interactions give rise to novel. Nonlocal, emergent patterns.
, o Complicated systems can often become complex when behavior patterns change.
Challenges that influence the engineering of an SoS - Answers :o SoS Authorities (each
constituent system has its own local owner)
o Leadership
o Constituent systems' perspectives
o Capabilities and requirements (most SoS are made up of multiple independent
systems with their own requirements),
o Autonomy, interdependencies, and emergence
o Testing, validation, and learning
o SoS principles (new field, major learning curve for traditional SEs)
o Security challenges
What should be considered during life cycle stages of the SOI? - Answers :Relevant
enabling systems
One system variable can be the cause and effect of another system due to - Answers
:circular causation
What are the three classes of SE competencies? - Answers :Systems thinking
Holistic life cycle view
SE management
Operating environment/ Operating Context - Answers :collection of elements that
interact with the system
Attribute - Answers :observable characteristic/property of a system
System Boundary - Answers :what belongs/does not belong to the system
Functionality - Answers :interactions of the system with its operating environment
System Architecture - Answers :per IEEE 42010 (2011): "the fundamental concept or
properties of a system in its environment embodied in its elements, relationships, and in
the principles of its design and evolution."
Variable - Answers :symbol/name that identifies an attribute
Measurement - Answers :outcome of a process in which the SOI interacts with an
observation system under specified conditions.
Dynamic behavior - Answers :time evolution of the system state
Emergent behavior - Answers :behavior of the system that cannot be understood
exclusively in terms of the behavior of individual system elements.
