SEMP, SEP or SEWP? It’s All in Your Point-of-View

Success may depend on knowing the differences between a systems engineering management plan (SEMP), SE plan (SEP) and a SE working plan (SEWP).

By John Blyler, Affiliate Profession, Systems Engineering, PSU

According to Dr. Blanchard’s, “Systems Engineering  Management” book: The key to the successful implementation of any program is early planning. Planning for system engineering activities commences at program inception. As the “need” for a system is identified and feasibility studies are conducted in selecting a technical design approach, requirements are established to define a program structure that can be implemented to bring the system into being. Planning is initiated with the definition of program requirements and the subsequent development of a Program Management Plan (PMP), shown in Figure 1.26. This, in turn, leads to the identification of system engineering requirements and the preparation of a detailed System Engineering Management Plan (SEMP), or System Engineering Plan (SEP).

It should be noted that some institutions and organizations differentiate between the SEP and the SEMP, i.e, the SEP is created internally for the acquirer or customer while the SEMP is developed by the supplier or contractor.

Regardless of the name of the top-level document, it is important to describe any nomenclature differences between the SEMPs of all involved parties. Various names are given to the SEMP depending upon one’s reference position, i.e., whether from the customer or the integrating contractors point-of-view. For example, the DoD (acquirer) may refers to its internal SEMP as a Systems Engineering Plan (SEP), thus reserving the title of SEMP for the document developed by the DoD contractor (supplier) [Ref #1].

Other organizations have referred to their internal SEMP as a Systems Engineering Working Plan (SEWP) [Ref. #2]. The SEWP describes how to implement systems engineering-based policy and guidance provided in the SEMP. The SEWP is an internal company (contractor) document that is subordinate to the governments (customer) SEMP. Unlike the previous DOD example in the paragraph above, in this case the DOE’s SEMP is the top level Systems Engineering management document. The SEWP refers to the top level contactor SE management document. Additional SEMPs or SEWPs may be required at the project level depending on the specific scope, nature, and complexity of the activity.

It is best to clarify the difference in nomenclature or content between the customer and contract SEMPs.

References:

1. Systems Engineering Plan and Systems Engineering Management Plan Alignment, NDIA 11th Annual Systems Engineering Conference
2. Discussion of Hanford Systems Engineering and Principal Findings. Systems Analysis and Systems Engineering in Environmental Remediation Programs at the Department of Energy Hanford Site . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 1998 . (See the referenced, “The TWRS Systems Engineering Management Plan (Westinghouse Hanford Company, 1996a)”)