Systems Development, Integration, and Test (SDI&T) 2012 Conference Planning Committee Meeting

27 Sep 2011

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Planning Meeting Topics

• Today’s Objectives• Event Objectives• Planning Status• Program Structure

Tracks, Features, Activities, Session Model• Target Audience• Value Proposition• Must Have Topics• Potential Partnering

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Today’s Objectives

• Obtain alignment on objectives and conference model• Develop list of target audiences to share with staff for

marketing purposes• Refine value proposition for each audience• Discuss name of conference:

Is Systems Development, Integration, and Test Conference too long?

Is “conference” too specific to technical conference model?

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Event Objectives

• To provide a technical forum that addresses the integration of technologies to develop complex aerospace systems:

Complex Systems Development Integration, Test, and Verification of Complex Systems Program Management and Support for Complex Systems

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Status

• Conference Planning Committee formed

• Conference Event approved by AIAA TAC

• Call for Papers developed - Identifying 3 tracks and supporting topics

• Track chairs identified

• Venue identified:Co-located with Space 201211-13 Sep 2012Sheraton PasadenaPasadena, CA

• Marketing Strategy session held with AIAA Staff (21 Sep)

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Preliminary Structure

• Two and a half day event starting Tuesday afternoon• Same registration fee as SPACE - access to both events• 3 concurrent tracks:

15 sessions, estimated 115 technical papers 1 plenary (Wednesday); shared plenary with SPACE (Tuesday) Panel sessions

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Potential Program Features

Organize the plenary and panel sessions to address the big problems to be solved in systems development, integration, test

– Cost overruns– Systems delays– Late test failures

Include sessions that discuss roadmaps and solutions to big problems

Distribute product as an outcome of the event (similar to workshop report with description of issues and recommendations)

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Potential Peripheral Activities

Seminar prior to the event organized by the Management Technical Committee with Mike Griffin and leaders of the community we are trying to attract to discuss the event (locate it at a resort?)

Chief Engineer Summit or Roundtable as an exclusive part of the event to serve this community and provide them a forum (no-attribution discussion)

Program Manager Roundtable as part of the event

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Potential Follow On Activities

Teleconferences or webinars prior to the event to seed some of the program topics to prospective attendees (useful for marketing event)

Evolving event to include courses or workshops addressing systems-related topics and challenges

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Session Model

• Focus on invited sessions Paper, panel, combination Invited or otherwise tailored sessions should be the norm

• Session chairs will be much more involved Take ownership of creating sessions, inviting papers and

panelists Help develop the theme(s) Drive the discussions

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Session Model (continued)

• CONOPS Paper sessions will have a panel element, based on the

AMT/GT model The last 60 minutes of each session is used for the

presenters in that session to form a panel and delve into the session topic(s)

• Wrap-up session Conference organizers present the main themes and lessons

learned Work with sessions chairs for input, in addition to attending

the sessions to get the needed input

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Potential Target Audiences

• Vice Presidents for Program Management and Chief Engineers at companies• Program offices in government organizations

Air Force Space, NRO, Army, Navy, NOAA• Corporate member contacts

This might not be the right way to get to the Chief Engineers and Program Managers

• Other? Chief Engineer Councils within organizations Academics

Aerospace Professionals focused on developing Complex Systems and Executing Flawless Programs

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Target Audiences?

• Complex Systems Development Chief Engineers, Lead Systems Engineers, Technology Directors Engineers transitioning from Individual Contributor to Team Lead

• Integration, Test, and Verification of Complex Systems Chief Engineers, Lead Systems Engineers, Technology Directors Engineers transitioning from Individual Contributor to Team Lead

• Program Management and Support for Complex Systems Program Managers Engineers transitioning from IPT Lead to Project Manager

Aerospace Professionals focused on developing Complex Systems and Executing Flawless Programs

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What is the Value Proposition ?

• For marketing outreach, we need to answer the questions: What do I get? What’s in it for me? Why should I care?

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Marketing Position

• Need to develop positioning/value proposition statements for each audience segment to market and promote this new event well Chief Engineers

– Get access to inside of other programs (open discussion of issues, challenges, solutions)

– Share best practices and lessons learned Program Managers

– Get information and insight to help to solve problems back at work– Learn how other organizations handle issues and gain tools to address

issues on projects and programs within your organization– Understand paths to brining systems on schedule and budget

Corporate leadership– Tie engineering to the success of the corporate bottom line

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What are the Must Have Sessions for These Audiences?

• Complex Systems Development

• Integration, Test, and Verification of Complex Systems

• Program Management and Support for Complex Systems

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Potential Partnering ?

PMI – Program Management Association ICOSE – International Council on Systems Engineering

http://www.incose.org/about/leaders.aspx?id=wg NDIA – 14th Annual Systems Integration Conference, Oct 24-27,

2011 Risk Management Association (RMS) Risk Management Society (RIMS)

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