SAVI Frequently Asked Questions

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1. What are you trying to do?

• SAVI aims to produce a new way of doing system integration – a virtual integration process (VIP) based on heterogeneous cross-domain models.
• The primary goal is to reduce the number of defects found during physical and logical system integration and to find defects earlier in the development process, thus lowering cost and saving time.
• Integration starts at conceptualization.  Moving integration forward gets it right sooner and then keeps it right as changes inevitably occur.

2. How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice?

• With the as-is development process we
  • Build, then integrate
  • Use multiple distributed models with little or late integration.
  • Deal with unexposed shared properties and multiple truths

3. What’s new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful?

• SAVI is architecture-centric and features
  • A distributed, annotated architectural model
  • Multi-language Model Repositories and a Data Exchange Layer
• SAVI is focused from the start on cross-enterprise integration
• SAVI leverages current investments.
  • It uses tailored, domain-specific tools and models.
  • It is evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
• SAVI exploits maturing modeling capabilities with
  • Consistency checking
  • Improving model accreditation
  • Formal (where feasible) analysis

4. Who benefits?

• End User and Acquisition Manager
  • Higher quality product in shorter development time
• System Integrator and Suppliers
  • Probes requirements earlier and reveals incompatibilities early enough to allow efficient design iteration
  • Builds more robust interface for evaluating effects of innovation
  • Adds visibility into effects of architectural changes at all levels
  • Promotes product line development and reuse of components
• Certification Authorities
  • Encourages use of analysis at all stages of development
  • Underpins verification, validation, and accreditation activities

5. If you’re successful, what difference will it make?

• SAVI takes direct aim at complexity.
• Complex systems are approaching affordability limits.
• Marriage of requirements, hardware and software is addressed in a formally structured, analytical fashion through architecture-centric modeling.
• Component reuse is facilitated and enabled through
  • Iterative consistency checking.
  • Accreditation of credible models.
• Interfaces are more completely explored using
  • A single truth reference architecture model.
  • Iterative consistency checking.
  • Hierarchical system static and dynamic analysis of element interfaces.

6. What are the risks and the payoffs?

• Challenges
  • SAVI VIP requires a significant development investment in both cash and high-value skills (cooperative development).
  • SAVI VIP requires a gestation period (methods, tools, and process development).
• Payoffs
  • With conservative assumptions SAVI VIP RoI is formally estimated to repay investment with use in one aircraft development program.
  • SAVI VIP can lead to other and broader MBE benefits.

7. How much will it cost and how long will it take?

The scale of the problem is large and total costs reflect this. However, the SAVI team has performed an ROI analysis that indicates a positive return on a single aircraft development program. Furthermore, stakeholders agree that:

• The problem will not go away, systems will continue to grow in complexity.
• We can’t afford to solve the problem multiple times with multiple approaches.
• We can’t afford to NOT solve the problem.

8. What are the midterm and final “exams” to check for success?

SAVI program progress checks (off-ramps)

• SAVI Version 1.0 – First Operational Capabilities (2012-2016)
  • Current plans (reviewed annually)
    • Mechatronic integration (readiness level 5)
    • Consistency checking (readiness level 5)
    • Requirements evolution (readiness level 4)
  • Overall readiness levels – 4.5
• SAVI Version 2.0 – Additional Capability (2016-2018)
  • Structural integration (readiness level 7)
    • Mechatronic integration (readiness level 7)
    • Consistency checking (readiness level 7)
    • Requirements evolution (readiness level 6)
  • “Industrial” assessments (from each participant)
• SAVI Version 3.0 – (2018-2020)
  • Readiness levels (all at 9)