Applying Systems Engineering to Life

Jonathan Kaiser

Research output: ThesisMaster's Thesis

Abstract

This project treats life as a system of systems. As with all systems of systems, life can be vastly improved with the use of Systems Engineering tools. Architectures, Project Management, Quality, Lean Thinking, and Ethics play key roles in Systems Engineering. The tools of those practices can be easily manipulated to organize, simplify, and improve one's life.

The wants and needs of individuals can be translated into requirements and further derived into a full requirements document. Specifications can be made and requirements can be verified. The interactions between different aspects of life can be depicted and further understood through architectural diagrams.

Treating life as an already working system, Quality principles can be applied to make sure that one is producing a set of products that meet the stakeholder needs. Everyday recurring tasks can be analyzed and Lean techniques can be applied to increase throughput or just free up time. Complex tasks can be worked out through Project Management techniques. People in our lives can be associated as resources.

Ethics touches every aspect of our lives. A personal code of ethics is usually not written but comes from parents and/or faith in a higher power.

Through this project, I plan to use Systems Engineering techniques to organize, simplify, and improve my life.

Original languageEnglish
QualificationMaster of Science in Systems Engineering
Awarding Institution
  • Loyola Marymount University
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Brown, Frederick S., Advisor
StatePublished - Apr 1 2011
Externally publishedYes

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