An obsolescence management framework for system baseline evolution—Perspectives through the system life cycle

Abstract

In military, civil, and commercial systems there exists a need to affordably manage the operational effectiveness of the system of interest through the acquisition and operational stages of its life cycle. Once a system design is baselined and instantiated, then the challenge during development, production, and utilization life cycle stages is to maintain the currency of the physical system baseline to facilitate affordable system support. In essence, the system must adapt to potentially frequent asynchronous obsolescence of its constituent elements, requirements growth (driven by the operational environmental and external constraints such as funding, schedule or risk), and external environment changes. This paper specifically addresses the impact that system element obsolescence has on a system baseline during the various system life cycle phases and provides a framework for affordable system evolution. Literature search and consolidation has articulated six integral components that comprise a comprehensive evolution framework through bottoms‐up obsolescence management of constituent system elements. Each of the obsolescence management components is tangibly addressed in terms of each system life cycle phase and the available tools and methods. Additionally, each of the obsolescence management framework components is analyzed for life cycle phase applicability and then extended further with the criticality and type of analysis to be done for that life cycle phase. In this way, a project can determine which studies to perform, while in a specific life cycle phase, that maximizes the insight of impending obsolescence for a particular system. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng

Market withdrawal of new molecular entities approved in the United States from 1980 to 2009

“…The rate at which pharmaceutical products diffuse across the product life‐cycle is influenced by many factors including cost, perceived efficacy, side effects, comparative analyses, drug classification, and obsolescence . In our study, it is interesting to note that NMEs decreased from the 1990s through 2000s along with a concomitant decrease in drug discontinuations in the 2000s.…”

Transitioning Systems Thinking to Model-Based Systems Engineering: Systemigrams to SysML Models

“…Since their inception, they have evolved into a tool to explore diversity in perspectives while maintaining a single objective. Some examples of how systemigrams have been used in various applications of systems engineering are: reinforcement of a program of cultural change in a medium-sized systems engineering business [22]; creation of an organization learning platform through organizational knowledge creation and effective distribution [23], process integration and improvement [24]; modeling of U.K. Ministry of Defense network enabled capability concept for communication with stakeholders [25]; writing effective CONOPS [26]; obsolescence management for system baseline evolution [27]; defining a body of knowledge for advanced systems engineering [28]; architectural systems engineering methodology for cyber security [29]; and principles and rules for complex adaptive systems [30].…”

Obsolete software requirements

“…Herald et al define obsolescence as "when a part (hardware, software, constraint) is no longer able to perform its required function such as: availability for purchase or ability to be repaired affordably" [46]. However, Merola's definition says that "Software applications become obsolete when they are retired from use and taken off the market due to technology advancements, decrease in product popularity, or other market factors.…”

“…Commercial-off-the-Shelf COTS) is different from software requirements obsolescence. Software obsolescence has been discussed in the literature mainly in conjunction with hardware and 29 electronics obsolescence in the military, avionics and electronics industries, or, in other words, Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS).Herald et al define obsolescence as "when a part (hardware, software, constraint) is no longer able to perform its required function such as: availability for purchase or ability to be repaired affordably" [46]. However, Merola's definition says that "Software applications become obsolete when they are retired from use and taken off the market due to technology advancements, decrease in product popularity, or other market factors.…”