Methods of System Engineering

Objectives and competences

The aim of the course is to introduce the concept of thinking in the design or re-engineering of systems, based on the broad consensus, a number of solutions and continuous analysis and improvement of the process.

Students of the Methods of systems engineering acquire the following competences:

• understanding the methods of systems engineering in the system design in terms of comprehensive solutions,
• knowledge of the process dynamic analysis and development , in conjunction with the methods of system engineering,
• efficient finding of errors and defects in processes and proposing of justified solutions,
• analysis and design of production processes, services or development of novel ideas to a new product or service.

Prerequisites

Required prerequisit knowledge from courses Engineering mathematics, Introduction to computer science and a basic knowledge of logical and conceptual thinking. Basic knowledge of graph theory and english language is required.

Content

  1. Introduction
  2. Basics of system theory
  3. Methods of industrial engineering
  4. Techniques of system engineering for problem solving
  5. Basics of production systems and Japanese manufacturing philosophy

Intended learning outcomes

Students are introduced to concepts such as system, problem, problem solving, and a systematic approach to planning and re-engineering of systems and processes. Methods of systems engineering unlike traditional methods for solutions searching address the final solutions in every possible aspects and propose several solutions of which one should choose the most appropriate; the cheapest, most efficient, e.g.the least risky. Students learn how to locate the problem in the system, analyse the processes in the system, find the possible solutions and choose the most appropriate solution, evaluate it and present it. Methods of systems engineering require monitoring of the implemented solution, so the students are acquainted with the tools for cyclical monitoring of the results as a consequence of the implemented solution.

Readings

Basic:

  • Cikajlo, F. Gider: Tehnike reševanja problemov, V Novi Gorici : Univerza, 2010 ([Ljubljana] : Pleško). ISBN 978-961-6311-62-5 Catalogue UNG Publisher
  • P Roques: Systems Architecture Modeling with the Arcadia Method A Practical Guide to Capella, 2017,eBook ISBN: 9780081017920 Catalogue

Additional:

  • M. Basadur: The power of innovation: how to make innovation a way of life and put creative solutions to work. London : Pitman Publishing, 2002, cop. 1995. ISBN 0-273-61362-6. E-version Catalogue
  • Osborn: Definition of creative problem solving. Creative Education Foundation website E-version
  • A. P. Sage, W. B. Rouse, Handbook of systems engineering and management. 2nd ed. - Hoboken : Wiley, cop. 2009, ISBN 13: 9780470083536 E-version
  • Starbek M, Grum, J., Kušar, J. Pretočni časi operacije / The Flow Time of Operation, Strojniški Vestnik, 46(2), 2000, 66-76 E-version
  • Newton P., Bristoll H. Six Key Decision Making Techniques, ISBN 978-1-65522-277-8 E-version

Assessment

• 2 intermediate tests to check the well-known theoretical and practical skills learned. With computational exams the understanding of the concepts are evaluated • Written exam, which assesses theoretical knowledge and the knowledge of basic concepts to solve practical problems and the use of tools for problems solving. • Ustni izpit, kjer se ocenjuje teoretično znanje in razumevanje orodij sistemskega inženiringa. 25/25/50

Lecturer's references

Dr. Imre Cikajlo, is a full professor of electrical engineering and received his PhD degree in robotics and electrical engineering from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2003. From 2003 until 2004 he was a post-doc fellow at the Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan and in 2007 a visiting researcher at the University of Tokyo, Japan. Currently he the Dean of the School of Engineering and Management at the University of Nova Gorica and a Senior Research Associate at the University rehabilitation institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Prof. Cikajlo took part in several EU-FP7 projects (GENTLE/S, MIMICS, CORBYS), H2020 (PD_manager) and startup (MindMyths Ltd.) and company supported projects (Gorenje). He published more than 50 journal papers, altogether more than 100 papers, book chapters and books and holds a patent in EU and USA. In 2000 he received the Prešeren Award from Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana. His research interests include human motion analysis and synthesis, biomechanics, integration of sensory information, control of machine and human movements and rehabilitation robotics. Currently he is involved in the development of rehabilitation devices and procedures that may be used in clinical and/or home environment through application of telerehabilitation techniques and introduction of virtual reality in rehabilitation. He is also a member of ISVR, IFMBE and IEEE.

Selected bibliography

• CIKAJLO, Imre, HUKIĆ, Alma, UDOVČIĆ PERTOT, Anja. The size and behavior of virtual objects have influence on functional exercise and motivation of persons with multiple sclerosis : a randomized study. Scientific reports. Nov. 2022, vol. 12, art. no. 19375, 13 str.,
• CIKAJLO, Imre, HUKIĆ, Alma, ZAJC, Dejana. Exergaming as part of the telerehabilitation can be adequate to the outpatient training : preliminary findings of a non-randomized pilot study in Parkinson's disease. Frontiers in Neurology. [Online ed.]. March 2021, vol. 12, str. 1-11.
• TIMOTIJEVIĆ, Lada, CIKAJLO, Imre, et al. Designing a mHealth clinical decision support system for Parkinson's disease : a theoretically grounded user needs approach. BMC medical informatics and decision making. Feb. 2020, vol. 20, iss. 1, str. 1-21.
• POTOČNIK, Božidar, DIVJAK, Matjaž, URH, Filip, FRANČIČ, Aljaž, KRANJEC, Jernej, ŠAVC, Martin, CIKAJLO, Imre, MATJAČIĆ, Zlatko, ZADRAVEC, Matjaž, HOLOBAR, Aleš. Estimation of muscle co-activations in wrist rehabilitation after stroke is sensitive to motor unit distribution and action potential shapes. IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering. [Print ed.]. May 2020, vol. 28, iss. 5, str. 1208 - 1215,
• GORŠIČ, Maja, CIKAJLO, Imre, GOLJAR KREGAR, Nika, NOVAK, Vesna D. A multisession evaluation of a collaborative virtual environment for arm rehabilitation. Presence : teleoperators and virtual environments. [Online ed.]. 2018 (izšlo 2020), vol. 27, no. 3, str. 274-286,
• CIKAJLO, Imre, ČIŽMAN ŠTABA, Urša, VRHOVAC, Suzana, LARKIN, Frances, RODDY, Mark. A cloud-based virtual reality app for a novel telemindfulness service : rationale, design and feasibility evaluation. JMIR research protocols, ISSN 1929-0748, Jun. 2017, vol. 6, iss. 6, str. e108, ilustr. https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.6849, doi: 10.2196/resprot.6849. [COBISS.SI-ID 2348905]
• CIKAJLO, Imre, ŠPRAGER, Sebastijan, ERJAVEC, Tatjana, ZAZULA, Damjan. Cardiac arrhythmia alarm from optical interferometric signals during resting or sleeping for early intervention. Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, ISSN 0208-5216, 2016, vol. 36, no. 1, str. 267-275, doi: 10.1016/j.bbe.2015.12.006. [COBISS.SI-ID 2128233],
• KRPIČ, Andrej, SAVANOVIĆ, Arso, CIKAJLO, Imre. Telerehabilitation : remote multimedia-supported assistance and mobile monitoring of balance training outcomes can facilitate the clinical staff's effort. International journal of rehabilitation research, ISSN 0342-5282. [Print ed.], 2013, vol. 36, no. 2, str. 162-171, doi: 10.1097/MRR.0b013e32835dd63b. [COBISS.SI-ID 1671017],