May 08, 2009

- Dr. Malcolm G. Currie

Abstract

Many organizations have adopted Use Cases for defining the intent of a system. This is a good start, but do they also build executable models of the Use Cases? Doing this will, for example, clearly define the interfaces between the system and its environment in each one of its intended uses. If that is done, is it done functionally before allocating the functions to specific parts? If the functionality is modeled first, it is less likely that the developing organization will make premature implied design decisions that result in specifying physical objects and then explaining what they do.

Many people do not know what to do with the Use Case after they are developed; much less understand the availability or the power of executable models of the Use Cases. Management especially seems to be unaware of the power of Use Cases as a way to partition a project and to track the progress of deliverable capabilities.

• Use Cases are synergistic with the use of the principle of incremental development with such processes as the UP (Unified Process) or the ICM (Incremental Commitment Process).
• Use Cases also complement Risk Management by providing a means to evaluate risks - both technology risks and project cost and schedule risks.
• Use Cases also provide management a means to specify and monitor testing.
• Well constructed high level Use Cases map close to, if not exactly to, final acceptance tests of a system, allowing the question to be asked during the concept phase of a system: If you have this system, how will it be used? That, after all, ought to highly correlate with the final acceptance test - Use Cases provide a means to plan tests of the system early in development (very early).

Use Cases, when used properly, will shorten the development time - especially integration testing - while improving quality and reducing maintenance costs and turnaround time for enhancements.

Your Presenter: Dr. Malcolm G. Currie

Overview:

Over 30 years experience in systems and software engineering, including requirements discovery and analysis, product design, and the development, implementation, and test of systems. Products included systems for control, navigation, guidance, and communications. Performed risk analyses and developed prototypes to define and quantify requirements - to allocate system functions to system components and to support design decisions.

Professional Accomplishments:

Supported FCS (Future Combat System) in the mapping of software functional requirements as represented in sequences of operations that describe operational Use Cases, into text based functional requirement statements. He also supported preparation for integrated testing of an earlier engineering increment of BCS (Battle Command System). FCS is currently under development with BCS used in multiple communicating vehicles.

Designed and developed a high level simulation of aircraft guidance. The simulation used Simulink (and Matlab) for studying the dynamics of a cooperating group of interacting aircraft to keep safe spacing during a mission. Algorithms for guidance are in use on Air Force aircraft. He also used Matlab directly for some digital signal processing of audio signals to recover Morse code pulses from a noisy environment.

Developed top level Use Cases, supporting Sequence Diagrams in Rational Rose, and startup/operation State Diagrams in I-Logix Rhapsody for a system/software architecture for an SDR (software defined radio). Organized and conducted peer reviews of architecture products, mentoring the organization on the DoDAF and the use of UML in its implementation.

SDR product is currently under development.

Dr Currie developed requirements, design, and implementation for the software in nodes of a distributed, intelligent, real-time elevator control system - as well as for interfacing elevator and security systems. He performed analysis and design utilizing UML Visual Modeling tools and UML elements such as Use Cases, Message Sequence Charts, Object Structure Diagrams, State (Behavior) Diagrams, etc. Organized and facilitated TIMs (Technical Interchange Meetings) to exchange technologies between the supporting sections of the development organization. Products include software now utilized in over 30,000 elevator systems world wide using LonWorks technology and implemented in NeuronC.

Developed requirements and top-level software design for message translation between a satellite with a proprietary interface and its ground support system with a CORBA interface. Development utilized Object-Oriented System concepts and Use Cases. Instituted tracing from system requirements to the translator software. Product is now in use for ground system control of communications satellite software configurations.

Developed requirements and top-level system design for the routing-functions software in a communications satellite using Object-Oriented System concepts and Use Cases. Dr Currie Performed a task modeling study for the performance of a distributed processor communications satellite. Organized and facilitated TIMs (Technical Interchange Meetings) to exchange technologies between the supporting organizations of the sections of the development project. He also instituted process control for software requirement's changes for software that was used in satellites for initial deployments.

Dr Currie developed requirements and design for navigation system of UAV (unmanned air vehicle) including real-time hardware in the loop simulations.

Conducted analyses and prepared verification simulations of the navigation system which included inertial, LORAN, and terrain contour matching navigation sensors. He conducted GPS feasibility studies for the UAV. Supported flight tests and managed flight test report preparations. He also managed an analysis and software group that successfully implemented phased top-down automatic checkout and mission planning software for UAV.

On the Strategic Defense Initiative, he assumed systems engineering and GN&C responsibilities on SBI (space based interceptor) for the system concept and flight experiments. He conducted analyses and simulations in for support of pre-proposal, proposal and concept exploration contract of SBI, including a feasibility study of surveillance systems. Developed requirements and design, and participated in implementation of software, for a data acquisition system to process Space Shuttle telemetry received from the IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). He developed simulation programs for evaluating performance of current and future designs of IMU. He also prepared requirements for updated IMU, now flying on the Space Shuttle, and participated in study and test program to integrate GPS into the future Space Shuttle navigation system.

Consulting Service Experience:

Software Systems Engineering and UML; Systems Engineering and SysML; Object Oriented Software Methodologies: UP (Unified Process); Spiral Model and knowledgeable of (no experience using) ICM (Incremental Commitment Model); Booch; ROOM/ RT-UML; Schlaer-Mellor (pre-UML) methodologies; I-Logix Harmony with Rhapsody.

Communication Protocols, e.g., OSI 7 layer model; Database Management Systems, e.g., data persistence; Control Systems Analysis/Design; Mathematical/Numerical Analysis; System Test and Integration; Communications Satellite Requirements; Software Build Version Control.

Major Systems Experience:

Future Combat Systems SoS and M&S; Software Defined Radio; Elevator Controls Systems; Interface from Elevator to Security Systems; Global ; Communications Satellite; Space Based ICBM Interceptor; Space Shuttle Orbiter; Saturn Launch Vehicle; Radar /Countermeasures Systems; Air Transport Fuel Advisory System; Unmanned Air Surveillance System.

Education:

Ph.D., UCLA, Major: Control Systems Engineering, Minors: Computer Science and Mathematics MS, UCLA, Control Systems Engineering BS, Mechanical Engineering, CSU Fresno Taught college level computer science courses, including object-oriented methods and C++.

Expertise:

Systems and Software Requirements Capture and Control, Use Cases, Message Sequence Diagrams and Class Modeling, Applications Analysis/Design/Implementation/Delivery, Mathematical Analysis, System Process Modeling, Prototype Efforts, Embedded Control Systems

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Logistics

Location: Northrop Grumman E2 Presentation Center (in tall building off of Entrance 2), Redondo Beach, CA (formerly TRW) - 2299 Marine Ave., Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Directions: Take the 405 Inglewood exit (southbound it's the exit after Rosecrans East, northbound it's the exit just after Hawthorne) and go north on Inglewood Avenue (southbound, turn left at the end of the ramp, northbound, turn right). Turn left at Marine. Continue West under the freeway past the railroad tracks three lights to Simon Ramo Drive. E2 is on the tall white building to the LEFT, past the shorter presentation building. (See page 733 A5 of the Thomas Brothers Guide.)
Time: 9 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Admission: Free
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