INCOSE UK Chapter/APM Joint Working Group on Systems Engineering and Project Management
Terms of Reference (Issue 0.1)
16 May 2013
Background
Following a successful joint INCOSE UK/APM event in January 2013 addressing the relationship between systems engineering and project management, the INCOSE UK Council and APM Board agreed to the initiation of further joint activities and the establishment of a joint group to manage these activities. This document is the formal Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the INCOSE UK/APM Systems Engineering and Project Management Joint Working Group (SEPM JWG).
Aims/objectives
To aims and objectives of the SEPM JWG are summarised as follows:
- To provide guidance and practical advice to INCOSE UK and APM members: The SEPM JWG will provide both guidance and practical advice to corporate and individual members of INCOSE UK and APM by identifying, describing and sharing good practice.
- To exert influence outside of INCOSE UK/APM: The SEPM JWG will be involved in influencing, generating awareness and educating standards bodies and relevant stakeholder organisations on established SE/PM practices and trends.
- To liaise/coordinate with other relevant professional bodies: INCOSE UK and APM recognise the foundational importance of SE/PM to a range of other disciplines and the SEPM JWG will seek to coordinate its activities with other relevant professional bodies.
The SEPM JWG will not act as a lobby group for any particular method or approach to SE or PM.
Scope
The SEPM JWG will not be constrained by any particular flavour or brand of SE or PM but will draw on the widest range of current practices across market sectors and across business/technical disciplines.
In particular, it is intended that the following will fall within the scope of the SEPM JWG:
- UK Focus. The SEPM JWG will have a UK focus, although international influences and context will be within scope.
- Industries/domains: All types of industries and domains within industries will be within scope.
- Lifecycle and lifecycle phases. All types of lifecycle and phases within those lifecycles will be within scope.
- Resources. The human attributes/competencies required for SE/PM will be within scope.
- Prioritised scope of work. The potential range of activities within scope of the SEPM JWG is very broad, so prioritisation of work will be required. The initial set of priorities will be those identified in the document produced at Joint APM/INCOSE event held in January, as follows:
A. Sharing and exploiting what is known by the SE and PM communities;
B .Carrying out joint research into areas where open questions remain;
C. Developing co-ordinated policy;
D.Further joint workshops; and other joint events. - Out of scope It will be the responsibility of the JWG to decide if any elements should be declared out of scope.
Membership
The SEPM JWG membership will be drawn from the membership of both sponsor organisations. The aim will be to maximise representation whilst maintaining an efficient and effective working team. Broader engagement of the INCOSE UK and APM membership will be achieved through the publishing of appropriate documents and the staging of specific events.
There will be no specific rules on membership but the co-chairs (see below) will have discretion to limit participation in the JWG and in its events in order to preserve efficiency and effectiveness.
Governance
Chairmanship
The SEPM JWG will be co-chaired by APM and INCOSE UK representatives. It is envisaged that there will be two co-chairs but this number can be increased at the discretion of the co-chairs themselves. An approximate balance between APM/INCOSE UK representatives will be maintained.
The initial co-chairs will be [x] and [y].
Planning
Planning of the programme of activities for the JWG will be led by the co-chairs and updated annually. Key milestones will take account of the opportunities afforded by the INCOSE UK Annual Systems Engineering Conference (ASEC) and other events organized by INCOSE and APM.
Reporting
The WG will have joint reporting to the INCOSE TD (Andrew Farncombe) and to the APM Board (via Mary McKinlay). The co-chairs will report on a quarterly basis on activities in the previous period and activities planned for the next period.
Review and approval of work products
A tiered review and approval process will be applied subject to the nature and purpose of the products:
-Internal work in progress: peer review by the JWG
-Draft work products: extended community review
-Any work products disseminated under INCOSE UK/APM branding: endorsement required by INCOSE UK TD and the APM (via Mary McKinlay).
Ownership and use of work products
All work products will be jointly owned by INCOSE UK and APM.
The co-chairs will be responsible for agreeing the appropriate distribution of each work product as follows:
-SEPM JWG only;
-INCOSE UK/APM members only;
-INCOSE International/APM International members only;
-Public domain;
-Other.
Branding
The branding for all work products will be joint INCOSE UK/APM. By agreement of the INCOSE UK TD and APM Board, branding can include other professional bodies, as appropriate.
Closure of the JWG
The JWG can be closed at any time by agreement between the INCOSE UK TD and APM BOARD or by either party formally withdrawing its support.
Ways of Working
It is envisaged that the WG will include a ‘first tier’ comprising co-chairs and Workstream leads, totalling a working team of around 1/2 dozen people. The WG will then also include a ‘second tier’ comprising people who wish to contribute to the workstreams and WG discussions but who do not have the time to take on a leadership role.
Further engagement with APM/INCOSE members will be achieved through events and publication of joint artefacts.
Other professional bodies (eg IET) will be invited to participate as appropriate in the activities of the WG.
SEPM JWG meetings
Meetings of the SEPM JWG will be scheduled to be held every 2 months. In addition to this, topic workshops and other working meetings will be held as required.
Ex committee working
The bulk of the work will be undertaken ex committee and will be discussed/progressed at the regular meetings, workshops and other working meetings.
Support from INCOSE UK/APM
INCOSE UK and APM will provide support to the JWG as follows:
-Email communications to their respective memberships;
-Provision of web space/promotion of WG activities;
-Provision of meeting venues (as available);
-Logistical and administrative support (as available).