An Emerging Discipline: Service Systems Engineering

1
An Emerging Discipline Service Systems
Engineering

• Michigan Technological University
• Presented by Dana Johnson, PhD
• Associate Professor, Operations Management
• Tuesday, June 17, 2008
• Michigan Tech Career Center Corporate Advisory
  Board Meeting

2
Overview

• History of Engineering
• Service Sector, Providers, and Needs
• Michigan Tech Project
• SSE Curriculum
• Project Team

3
History of Engineering

• Engineering disciplines evolved to meet the
  changing needs of society
• Civil Engineering was the first discipline
• Provide populace with roads, water, bridges and
  sanitation
• Mechanical Engineering evolved with the
  Industrial Revolution
• Electrical and Chemical Engineering soon followed

4
Today

• Service Sector dominates the U.S. economy
• Largest and fastest growing sector
• 85 of the employment (11 manufacturing 1
  agriculture)
• Sustainability of global economy
• Food supply
• Resource systems
• Transportation systems
• Natural resources
• Water systems

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Introduction

• Changing role of engineers in the service sector
• Need for interdisciplinary engineering education
• Three year NSF grant to fund curriculum
  development
• New Center for Service Systems Engineering to
  launch
• Curriculum development
• Research agenda Service Enterprise Engineering

6
2007 Gross Domestic Product
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, National
Accounts Data, 2007 Cross Product by Industry in
Percent
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Service Providers

• Hospitality and Food Services
• Waste Management and Remediation Services
• Entertainment and Recreation
• Education
• Financial and Insurance Services
• Health Care and Social Assistance
• Information

• Management of Companies and Enterprises
• Public Administration and Policy
• Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Transportation Logistics/Distribution
• Retail and Wholesale Trade
• Real Estate Leasing
• Utilities
• Security

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Service Sector Needs

• What educational background is needed for the
  service sector?
• Scheduling, pricing, accounting, maintenance,
  management, facilities design, e-systems,
  finance, operations research, reliability,
  simulation, inventory, pricing, human factors,
  quality, marketing, etc.
• Little engineering expertise has been applied to
  the design and operation of service
  enterprises/organizations

9
Michigan Tech Progress to Date

• Secured funding (100K) from the National Science
  Foundation to identify curricular needs for
  Service Systems Engineering
• Delphi Study completed in January 2005
• Sheryl Sorby was the PI
• Draft curriculum and courses established
• Workshop convened (August 2/3, 2006) to
  validate/refine the draft curriculum
• Funding (500K) obtained from the National
  Science Foundation to implement curriculum
• Three-year project began October 1, 2006
• CoPIs Leonard Bohmann-ECE, Dana Johnson-SBE,
  Kris Mattila-CEE, John Sutherland-MEEM.
• Program startup September 2007

10
Curriculum Implementation

• 8-9 new courses will be developed with NSF
  support
• SSE will be launched from our Bachelor of Science
  in Engineering program
• Advantage is that BSE is already ABET accredited
• Eventually will evolve into stand-alone discipline

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Introduction-BSE

• Engineering programs typically have little room
  for free electives
• Lack of flexibility makes engineering less
  appealing to some students
• Rigid structure hampers interdisciplinary program
  development
• ABET restructuring enabled flexibility in
  engineering degree programs

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ABET Criteria for Accredited Programs

• One year of college level math and science
• One and one-half years of engineering topics
• A general education component that complements
  the technical content
• Student outcomes that must be achieved

13
BSE Structure

• Math and Science Core (32 credits)
• General Education (28 credits)
• Engineering Core (23 credits)
• Engineering Emphasis Area (25 credits)
• Emphasis area in one of the disciplines
• Directed Electives (16-24 credits)
• Usually satisfied by a minor or certification
  area
• For SSE, courses will primarily be from School of
  Business and Economics

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BSE Program Objectives

• A sound technical foundation with a disciplinary
  focus and the flexibility to pursue professional
  interests in areas outside of engineering that
  could lead to a wide variety of career paths.
• In-depth technical preparation in
  multidisciplinary or emerging engineering fields
  that could serve as a springboard to professional
  degree programs such as the Master of
  Engineering.
• The knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to
  facilitate a lifetime of professional success.
  These attributes would include excellent
  communication skills, an understanding of ethical
  and global issues, and a commitment to life-long
  learning and professional development.
• The ability to function on multidisciplinary
  teams that extend the traditional boundaries of
  engineering.
• Additional Outcome for SSE Graduates will be
  able to design and improve systems and processes
  that provide services by applying a system
  perspective coupled with a thorough understanding
  of the customer.

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Program Outcomes for SSE

• an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,
  science, and engineering
• an ability to design and conduct experiments, as
  well as to analyze and interpret data
• an ability to design a system, component, or
  process to meet desired needs within realistic
  constraints such as economic, environmental,
  social, political, ethical, health and safety,
  manufacturability, and sustainability
• an ability to function on multi-disciplinary
  teams
• an ability to identify, formulate, and solve
  engineering problems

• an understanding of professional and ethical
  responsibility
• an ability to communicate effectively
• the broad education necessary to understand the
  impact of engineering solutions in a global,
  economic, environmental, and societal context
• a recognition of the need for, and an ability to
  engage in life-long learning
• a knowledge of contemporary issues
• an ability to use the techniques, skills, and
  modern engineering tools necessary for
  engineering practice

Additional Outcome an ability to use engineering
judgment to make decisions relating to systems,
processes, and components.
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Difference between BSE and regular engineering
degrees

• BSE students take around 15 fewer credits in
  engineering
• May take fewer math/science credits
• Room in curriculum for minor/certification

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Possible Degree Combinations

• Engineering Emphasis areas
• Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer,
  Electrical, Environmental, Geological,
  Industrial, Materials, Mechanical
• And nowService Systems!
• Sample minors/certification areas
• International Business, Modern Language, Ecology,
  Electronic Materials, Music, Secondary Teaching,
  Writing, Environmental Studies, Remote Sensing,
  Structural Materials

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Additional Flexibility with the BSE

• Students can establish their own set of directed
  electives instead of choosing a minor or
  certification area
• Directed Electives must have a unifying theme
• Random free electives are not allowed
• Directed Electives approved by oversight
  committee

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Courses in Services Systems Engineering

• SSE2100 Introduction to Service System
  Engineering The introductory course will allow
  students to see the breadth of the services
  field, while giving them an understanding of the
  challenges facing companies that supply services.
  Examples service industry examples will be
  provided and the students will be introduced to
  some important concepts such as quantitative
  problem solving, including linear programming.
• SSE2300 Service System Design and Dynamics This
  course introduces a systems perspective in
  solving complex problems. How systems are
  designed and implemented will be a focal point
  and topics such as simulation, life cycle, and
  regulation will be introduced.
• SSE3200 Analysis and Design of Web-based
  Services The focus of the course will be the
  strategy behind developing web-based service
  systems. Topics will include flowcharting, cost
  estimating, performance measurement, and alpha
  and beta testing. The course will include a
  semester project that demonstrates the use of
  these tools.

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Courses in Services Systems Engineering

• SSE3400 Human Influences on Service Systems The
  goal of this course is to help students develop
  an understanding of the social, cognitive, and
  cultural influences on individual and group
  behavior in the context of service systems.
  Students will be introduced to methods for
  assessing human perceptions, such as surveys,
  focus groups, and structured interviews. The
  design of the service interface for human
  interaction will also be explored.
• SSE3500 Service System Operations This course
  focuses on the operation of service systems in a
  customer-focused environment. Topics covered
  will include work task breakdown, performance
  measurement, and process evaluation and
  improvement. Supply chain, demand management and
  lean practices will also be introduced.
• SSE3600 Optimization and Adaptive Decision
  Making Techniques in optimization and adaptive
  decision making will be introduced. The
  fundamentals in linear, integer, and goal
  programming will be applied to real-world
  problems with a service systems focus. Adaptive
  decision making techniques, including Bayesian
  analysis, fuzzy systems, and neural networks,
  will also be investigated.

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Courses in Services Systems Engineering

• SSE4300 Project Planning and Management for
  Engineers The various stages in a project life
  cycle will be defined and explored such as
  planning, defining metrics, execution,
  completion, and maintenance. Basic project
  management tools such as CPM, PERT, Gantt, and
  budgeting will be introduced. Change
  assimilation in the context of project management
  will also be a course topic.
• SSE4600 Managing Risk Risk definition and
  identification in terms of financial, human,
  legal, and physical constraints will be
  introduced. Techniques for analyzing and
  managing risk such as FMEA and reliability
  studies will be covered. Other topics will
  include risk elimination, risk mitigation, and
  risk tolerance.

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New Curriculum in Service Systems Engineering

• New offering in the College of Engineering
• Fall 2007
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE)
• ABET Accredited
• Eight New Courses

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Service Systems Engineering Team At Michigan Tech

• Interdisciplinary Curriculum Design Team
• Dr. Leonard Bohmann, ECE
• Dr. Dana Johnson, SBE
• Dr. Kris Mattila, CEE
• Dr. Nilufer Onder, CS
• Dr. John Sutherland, ME-EM
• Originally Dr. Sheryl Sorby, College of
  Engineering was on the team she is on a two-year
  level at the National Science Foundation

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Our Project Partners

• Dr. James Tien, University of Miami, College of
  Engineering
• Dr. Namkyu Parks, Wayne State University,
  Industrial Manufacturing Engineering
• Dr. Durward Sobek, Montana State University,
  Industrial Management Engineering
• Dr. Ramavarapu S. Sreenivas, University of
  Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Industrial and
  Enterprise Systems Engineering
• Dr. Judith Puncochar, Northern Michigan
  University, Education

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Summary

• Curriculum Development
• Faculty Recruitment
• Student Recruitment
• Curriculum Administration
• Industrial Advisory Board
• Student Career Opportunities internships and
  career positions