ePreview
Issue 67 Spring 2017
ePreview INCOSE UK Ltd The Dyers Building, 21 Silver Street, Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 0DH Editor Phil Robinson preview-editor@incoseonline.org.uk Tel: +44 1460 298 217 INCOSE UK Communications Director Hazel Woodcock INCOSE UK is the UK Chapter of the International Council on Systems Engineering. The ePreview newsletter is provided free of charge to our members, on an ad hoc basis. The aim of this publication is to keep our members informed of developments within the UK Chapter and to shine a spotlight our regular events, as well as promote and encourage participation by our members. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of INCOSE UK Ltd (unless stated otherwise) and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission.
Contents 4
Welcome
Annual Systems Engineering Conference 2017 5
Call for Presentations
6
Systems Research Academic Showcase
7
Call for Tutorials
8
Submission Review Process
9
Anatomy of a Good Paper
10 Further Information 13 SWISSED 2017 14 INCOSE UK Training Day 2017
Copyright Š INCOSE UK Ltd, 2017 The Editor reserves the right to carry out amendments to articles in this publication, in order to ensure that content is concise, consistent, grammatically correct and that it adheres to INCOSE UK’s in-house branding guide. Every effort will be made to supply a copy of any amended articles to the contributor prior to the magazine being released, but this cannot be guaranteed. Any final decision regarding content will ultimately rest with the Editor.
www.incoseonline.org.uk
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ePreview Issue 67
Welcome Welcome to ePreview, the INCOSE UK newsletter. ePreview covers topical news and events that are of interest to the UK Systems Engineering community, complementing our tri-annual magazine, Preview. Welcome to this Spring edition of ePreview! In this issue we are putting a lot of focus on the preparation for this year’s Annual Systems Engineering Conference (ASEC), which will see us return to Warwick Conferences, University of Warwick. However in a departure from previous years, the 2017 ASEC will be held in Warwick Conferences’ brand new building, The Slate. On the ASEC theme, you will find the various call for submissions included on the following pages (Pg 5-7). In addition to the calls for content, we have also
included lots of guidance for all those who were considering submitting, from information on the review process, through to tips on the structure and format of a good paper (Pg 8 - 12). We are hopeful that this will give you everything that you need to know, but if you have any further queries regarding ASEC then please do contact us on events@incoseonline.org.uk. You can also keep up to date with the latest developments via this year’s event website, at www.ASEC2017.org.uk. In addition to ASEC, we are also looking forward to this year’s
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Training Day. We have six full-day courses on offer and in a first for this event, this year we are offering an on-site SEP exam. You can read further details on page 14 and there is also further information about every course and the SEP exam available on our website. We look forward to seeing you all at our various events throughout the year.
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Exterior of The Slate, the brand new venue for this year’s ASEC
Call for ASEC 2017 Presentations This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the formation of INCOSE UK. The theme this year will be focussed on Pushing the Boundaries of Systems Engineering. Submissions are encouraged based around, but not limited to: • Where
next Engineering?
for
Sys tems
• Growing the Systems Engineering
workforce of the future. • Lest we forget, what can we learn
from the past? • Dealing with uncertainty.
Presentations will be forty minutes in duration followed by five minutes of questions and answers at the end.
This year we will again be asking for a six-page paper submission that will be published after the ASEC by INCOSE UK. Each submission will be blind reviewed by a group of three reviewers, all of whom will be expert in the area of the subject matter. Full formal feedback will be provided to all for all submissions. The quality of submitted papers last year was outstanding and we are hoping for similar this year!
test your ideas with a knowledgeable audience. You will gain valuable feedback in the conference chamber and have plenty of time for informal discussions during the event.
Although the theme is an important driver for content, we are always interested in examples of innovative Systems Engineering application. The INCOSE UK ASEC provides an excellent opportunity to share and
Important Deadlines and Further Information • 30th April 2017: Submission of abstracts – abstracts should be between 250 and 300 words outlining your
presentation topic and main points. A shortlist of presentations will be selected based on the abstracts received. Please remember to assess your proposal against the criteria in the review process guidelines. Successful authors will be invited to submit a six-page paper for review by the judging panel. • 4th June 2017: Submission of six-page papers - successful authors will be asked to submit six-page paper that should be written according to the accompanying review process guidelines. Final conference presenters will be selected and notified by the end of June 2017.
Please be aware that standard conference registration terms apply to presenters! All papers and presentations will be made available to all delegates. For any queries, please email Prof. Jon Holt, technical-director@incoseonline.org.uk. All submissions should be emailed to events@incoseonline.org.uk. ASEC 2017 will be held at The Slate Conference Centre, Warwick University. The conference website can be found at www.asec2017.org.uk. 5
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Call for Posters—Systems Research Academic Showcase INCOSE UK has held the Systems Research Academic Showcase at its Annual Systems Engineering Conference (ASEC) for last few years. Due to an overwhelming interest from the delegates, it will be run again at this year’s ASEC. Its format has been changed to allow a greater opportunity to the poster authors to engage with the delegates. A dedicated session (entitled ‘Posters that Talk’) has been planned to allow the poster authors to present (within a 10-15 minute timeslot) a summary of their work. The Systems Research Academic Showcase is a poster competition for academic research but, unlike other competitions, has a far wider remit that includes: •
•
Individual contributions, from full-time students researching systems engineering topics Group contributions, from academic research groups in specific universities
Project contributions, such as EU and EPSRC projects. INCOSE UK welcomes contributions that may consist of a collaboration of partners involved in a single research project. There will be a maximum of ten posters accepted and the best five will be offered one complementary attendance at ASEC2017 (two-day registration plus one night’s accommodation – includes event dinner). A panel of industry experts will judge the poster competition. The poster authors should be available to discuss the poster with the judging panel. The winning poster (as selected from the best five at the event by the judging panel) will be awarded a prize (sponsored by the judging panel’s organisation(s)) at ASEC. •
posters and a winner’s prize up for grabs, this is an opportunity too good to miss!
ASEC 2016 - Winning Poster
The INCOSE UK ASEC will provide an excellent forum for you, your group or project to tell the INCOSE UK community about your work. With funded places for the top five
Important Deadlines and Further Information •
•
31st May 2017: Submission of Abstracts – abstracts should be between 250 and 300 words outlining your poster topic and main points. A shortlist of posters will be selected on the basis of the abstracts received. 30th June 2017: Submission of Proposed Poster – successful researchers will be asked to submit a single-page draft of their poster which should give a good indication of objectives, structure, main themes, supporting evidence, conclusions, etc. Final conference posters will be selected and notified before the end of July 2017.
Please remember that there are funded places for the best five submissions and a winner’s prize! The selected researchers should also produce an overview of their work for inclusion in the conference proceedings. For any queries, please email events@incoseonline.org.uk All submissions should be emailed to events@incoseonline.org.uk ASEC 2017 will be held at The Slate Conference Centre, Warwick University. The conference website can be found at www.asec2017.org.uk Winner of 2016’s Competition, Mo Mizra (L)
Please distribute this Call for ‘Systems Research Academic Showcase’ Posters to any interested parties 6
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Call for ASEC 2017 Tutorials INCOSE UK includes half-day tutorials at its Annual Systems Engineering Conference (ASEC). The format of ‘tutorial’ can cover a range of options; from a ‘set of instructions to complete a task’ to ‘an interactive problem solving workshop’. A typical ASEC tutorial attracts between five and twenty delegates who are interested in trying something new or perhaps finding a different perception on something already familiar to them (or maybe looking for a b r ea k f ro m b ac k - t o- b ac k presentations). INCOSE UK is looking for around
four tutorial options which will be selected from the proposals that it receives. Proposers are welcome to submit more than one proposal, but each proposal must be self-contained so that it can be assessed independently. It is vital that the tutorial style is explicitly expressed so that delegates clearly understand whether they will be expected to plaster flip charts with Post-it notes or simply sit and listen.
more than one presenter, then additional presenters must register for the event in the usual way. You should be prepared to present on either the 21st or 22nd of November 2017. The information in your proposal will be incorporated into promotional material for the event and used to ensure that the required facilities are provided. INCOSE UK will contact the proposer if any clarification is required.
Successful presenters will be awarded a single one-day pass for ASEC2017. If you wish to field
Your full tutorial proposal must include the following information: • Title of the Tutorial • Name and contact details of the proposer and the presenter • Aims and objectives of the Tutorial/Workshop • Overview of content • Course material to be provided • Facilities required (Note: presenters should source their own laptop, but rooms will be equipped with projectors and flip charts) • Credentials of presenter(s) • Intended audience/potential interest • Maximum number of attendees catered for (if fewer than fifteen) The INCOSE UK ASEC will provide an excellent forum for you to engage with the INCOSE UK community and raise your profile.
Tutorial taking place at ASEC 2016
Important Deadlines and Further Information •
07th April 2017: Expression of Interest / Enquiries
•
05th May 2017: Full Proposal
•
09th June 2017: Confirmation of Selection / Feedback on Proposal
Please remember that successful presenters will be awarded a single one-day pass for ASEC2017. If you wish to field more than one presenter, then additional presenters must register for the event in the usual way. For any queries, please email events@incoseonline.org.uk All submissions should be emailed to events@incoseonline.org.uk ASEC 2017 will be held at The Slate Conference Centre, Warwick University. The conference website can be found at www.asec2017.org.uk
Please distribute this Call for ‘Tutorials / Workshops’ to any interested parties
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Submission Review Process Following on from the success of ASEC 2016’s review process, ASEC 2017 will continue using last year’s re-vamped review process for submissions for authors and speakers. The process will be executed as follows: Call - There will be a general call for submissions Abstracts - Authors will respond by submitting a short abstract. These will then be assessed for the content, how it matches the theme of ASEC 2017 and the general applicability and interest to the Systems Engineering community. Authors will be ask ed t o c l a s si f y t heir submission according to a set of broad Systems Engineering categories. Successful authors will then be invited to submit a six-page paper for full review. Pa pers - Each six-page submission will then have a set of three reviewers allocated to it, each of whom will be experts in the subject area of the paper. Each reviewer will have extensive experience and will hold CEng or CSEP level expertise in their specialist field.
All papers will be blind-reviewed and each reviewer will be asked to produce a score of between 0 (terrible) to 10 (earth-shattering) and also to produce a set of comments that can be used for feedback to the authors. Review - All scores will then be aggregated and a final decision will be made by the events committee, with ultimate responsibility lying with the INCOSE UK Technical Director. All authors will receive the feedback comments and a final decision: the paper will be accepted, the paper will be held for a reserve paper or the paper will be declined. All submissions and feedback will be handled by the INCOSE UK Secretariat at Dot-the-Eye Ltd.
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In order to ensure that the review process is as fair as possible, authors should bear in mind the following guide on what makes a good paper. This will be used by the reviewers as part of their assessment.
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Anatomy of a Good Paper The papers should be submitted in accordance with the following structure.
Figure 1 Anatomy of the paper The diagram above shows a recommendation for the structure of the paper. Please bear in mind that this is a recommendation and, therefore, feel free to tailor the structure, but the overall structure should cover the key areas.
Example of Paper layout
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Author Details As an absolute minimum, authors must supply: Name - The names of all of the authors. Affiliation - The organisation or organisations that they are representing. Email - An email address for each author. Authors may also include other details, such as addresses, phone numbers, etc.
Categorisation Each submission will be categorised by the authors in three broad categories: Accessibility, Application and Topic. Accessibility - Indicates the level of knowledge required to understand the paper and gain the maximum benefit from its content. There are three levels here: Beginner: Aimed at people who are new to the topic and will typically hold the Awareness level of competence in this area. Practitioner: Aimed at people who have performed work in this area and are looking to increase their knowledge. They will typically hold the Supervised Practitioner or Practitioner level of competence.
Application -There are three levels Topic - A number of broad here, which are: categories have been identified Research: Aimed at new ideas that from existing Groups and are: have been carried out as part of a MBSE, Architecture, Enterprise research project. Systems Engineering, Agile Case Study: Details examples of Systems, STEM, Service Systems, how Systems Engineering good Education, Project Management, practice has been applied on real C a p a b i l i t y , O r g a n i s a t i o n a l Capability, Sports and Human projects, showing real results. Factors. If your topic does not Good Practice: Details how mature appear here, feel free to add it to Systems Engineering practices are the list but use the suggestions being disseminated, deployed and wherever possible. Authors must adopted. identify between one and three topics for their submission.
Advanced: Aimed at people with extensive experience and who are looking to hone their skills and knowledge in the area. They will typically hold the Expert level of competence.
Abstract The abstract should be between 200 and 300 words and should provide an overview of the scope and purpose of the paper and touch on any key conclusions.
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Paper Body The main body of the paper must cover the following areas: Introduction This section will describe the ‘why’ of the paper. It should introduce the subject matter and provide a justification of its relevance. This section also gives the authors the opportunity to demonstrate that they have sufficient background knowledge to justify the paper, including any relevant references to existing work. This section must also explicitly
Approach This section describes the basic approach that was taken to carry out the work. It may describe any life cycles, processes, procedures, techniques, tools, etc. that were fol-
Result Any results from the work should be stated here. This may take the form of formal result tables, observations, emergent properties, lessons learned etc.
Conclusion The conclusions should provide a summary of the salient points of the paper and present any conclusions that were reached. This section must explicitly address the main aims that were identified in the introduction – remember ‘Introduction + Conclusions = Paper’. This section may also identify any follow-up or future work resulting from the paper.
This structure is a recommendation, but will be used by the reviewers to be used as part of their assessment. If you have any queries regarding your submission, you can contact the Technical Director, Jon Holt, on technical-director@incoseonline.org.uk.
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Promotional and Sponsorship Opportunities ASEC 2017 offers opportunities to promote your business to the INCOSE UK membership. Our events attract senior systems engineers from a broad range of industries, many of whom help to shape investment decisions within their organisations. You can display your company’s products and services at an exhibition stand or raise your company’s profile through one of the sponsorship options. The various options are described in detail below.
Full details of the Sponsorship Opportunities at ASEC 2017 will be issued shortly, as with previous years they will include Sponsorship of the Event Brochure, the Poster Competition, Event Dinner, Ice Breaker Drinks etc.
you have in mind in the meantime, please contact Emma Jane on emmajane@incoseonline.org.uk.
The INCOSE UK Events Team is happy to discuss suggestions for sponsorship with organisations who may wish to do something that is not outlined in this document. To discuss any potential ideas that
Referencing The references are an essential part of any paper. They provide the provenance for the work and help to establish that the authors know the area that they are writing about. The references will also help to resolve any claims of plagiarism that may arise from the paper or presentation.
Each reference should take the following format: [REFNAME] Title, Authors, Publisher, Date For example: [Holt13] ‘SysML for Systems Engineering – a model-based approach’, Jon Holt & Simon Perry, IET Publishing, 2013 [Hitchins2014] ‘Respice, Adspice, Prospice’, Derek Hitchins, INCOSE UK ASEC presentation, 19.11.2014
Reviewers If you would like to become a reviewer for INCOSE UK, please contact INCOSE UK directly using: enquiries@incoseonline.org.uk. Please send a brief biography of you and your experience and indicate the areas of Systems Engineering (using the classification criteria above) that you feel that you could review.
Queries If you have any queries regarding these guidelines, please contact INCOSE UK directly using: enquiries@incoseonline.org.uk
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The Swiss Society of Systems Engineering host this event annually, being known in full as the SWISS Systems Engineering Day (SWISSED). This year’s event will take place in Zürich on Monday 4th September. In supporting our fellow EMEA chapter, we would encourage submissions from any members of INCOSE UK who have a paper they would like to present in line with this year’s theme: "Conquering complex conundrums through Systems Engineering education" Key Deadlines 30th April: Final submission of IP form, photos, abstracts & biographies 26th May: Draft programme to be released 16th June: Draft presentations to be submitted 21st July: Reviews by SWISSED17 committee completed 18th August: Final presentations to be submitted 4th September: SWISSED17 event 18th September: Release of SWISSED17 presentations online
Snapshot from SWISSED 2016 (Credit: Swiss Society of Systems Engineering)
This is the fourth year that SWISSED has run and following a trend in recent years of many presenters travelling from elsewhere in the EMEA sector, we are keen to highlight this opportunity to our members. You can find further details about the event itself on the SSSE website here. You can access a PDF guideline document for submissions, directly from their website here. For a summary of key deadlines, please see above.
Snapshot from SWISSED 2016 (Credit: Swiss Society of Systems Engineering)
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Training Day 2017 7th June, Engineers House, Clifton, Bristol Overview of the Training Day INCOSE UK is offering six one day courses for the 2017 Training Day. All of these provide an opportunity to update or extend your Systems Engineering (SE) skills, under the guidance of acknowledged experts in the application of SE. This year’s Training Day also offers the opportunity for any current SEP programme candidates to sit their examination on-site at Engineers’ House.
Pricing The registration fee for training courses is £300 (ex VAT) for INCOSE members and £360 (ex VAT) for non -members. Non-members who sign up for annual membership of INCOSE at the time of registering for the event (£105) will be charged at the member rate. The student and retired members’ registration fee is £200 (ex VAT). The registration fee for the SEP examination is flat rate at £120 (ex VAT). At least six registrants are required for a training session to be run and there is a maximum of 15 places on each training course. There is a maximum of 40 places for the SEP examination. Book early to secure a place on your chosen training course and ensure that it has enough participants to run. The Training Day will be held at Engineers’ House in Clifton, Bristol. For more information, please visit
Engineers’ House Bristol the Venue page. Engineers’ House is an impressive Grade II listed conference venue in Clifton Down, a prestigious suburb of Bristol. This venue offers extensive facilities that are perfectly suited to our requirements, including a full AV setup in every room, free Wi-Fi coverage throughout and ample onsite parking. For full information regarding travel to and from the venue please cons ult Engineers’ House’s dedicated Travel Guide, which contains full details on all local transportation. You can also find additional information on their website. For any enquiries related to this event, please contact the INCOSE UK Secretariat at: enquiries@incoseonline.org.uk or via +44 1460 298 217.
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SEP Examination INCOSE UK is pleased to offer members the opportunity to participate in a certification examination to be held alongside the INCOSE UK training day in Bristol on Wednesday 7th June 2017.
The examination is based on the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook V4 and is valid for applicants at both the ASEP and CSEP levels of certification. The exam will run from 10:00 – 13:00.
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Overview of Courses Training Course 1 - Product and System Test and Evaluation Essentials (PASTEE) for Systems Engineers
Ian Presland presents a course in ‘Product and Systems Test and Evaluation (PASTEE)’, a subject that can sometimes be overlooked within the plethora of ‘standard’ courses for systems engineers. The principle aim of this course is to equip delegates with core knowledge in PASTEE planning and execution activities, processes and techniques. Training Course 2 - A Systems Approach to Requirements Stuart Burge returns this year to provide a fresh look at requirements from a systems viewpoint. Of all the topics in Systems Engineering, requirements and what to do with them is the cause of endless debate and argument – this course aims to allay this by using two requirements models to explain. Training Course 3 - Understanding and Applying NAF (NATO Architecture Framework) Version 4.0 This course is presented by Tom Riley and Kevin Galvin and is
intended to give delegates a description of the rationale behind NAF V4.0, its relationship to NAF V3.0 and MODAF, its key components and an overview of the new features of NAF V4.0, including the new methodology (based on the TOGAF ADM) and the ‘palette’ of views. Training Course 4 - ISO 16355 Redefining QFD To Transform HighValue Systems Engineering This year’s course on Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is presented by Kim Stansfield, John Fraser and Stephen Dimelow. This session aims to show how the modern forms of QFD described in the recently published ‘ISO 16355 standard for QFD’, have enhanced the ability of teams to transform the identification and delivery of stakeholder value in systems design and deployment.
‘Don’t Panic! The absolute beginner’s guide to model-based systems engineering (MBSE)’, published by INCOSE UK. This course is aimed at the complete novice to the world of MBSE. Training Course 6 - The System Engineering of Interfaces This year’s course on interfaces will be presented by Hazel Woodcock and Graham Bleakley. The aim of this interactive tutorial is to give participants an insight into best practices when dealing with system interfaces, as every interface is an opportunity to lose information, control and / or money. This tutorial will explore some of the common pitfalls and solutions, and offer patterns for describing interfaces, ultimately equipping delegates with some practical methods for improving their management of interfaces.
Training Course 5 - Don’t Panic! The Absolute Beginner’s Introduction to Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Scarecrow Consultants are pleased to be returning for this year’s Training Day, with Simon Perry and Rob Behan presenting a one-day tutorial to coincide with the launch of their latest book
SEP Examination Format
Multiple Choice, Paper Based
Duration
3 Hours
Time of Exam
10.00 - 13.00 (No late candidates will be admitted)
Registration
09.00 - 09.45
Location
Engineer’s House, Clifton, Bristol
Cost
£120.00 15
UK Advisory Board Members
UK Advisory Board Members
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INCOSE UK Event Calendar This calendar is a summary of events at the time of going to press. For the latest, up-to-date information please visit the Events page on the INCOSE UK website. Date / Time
Organisation & Location
Description
5 April 2017
Railway Interest Group
How Not to do Requirements Management with Civil Engineers
17:00—18:30
Network Rail, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN
In this presentation, Anne Bearne of Arup shares her experiences in delivering requirements management which meets the needs of client, and project managers and which design teams can efficiently embed within their design processes and outputs. To book, visit the full calendar entry here.
24 April 2017
Bristol Local Group
Embracing Complexity: Managing Organisations in a Volatile and Complex World
18:30—21:00
Atkins, The Hub, 500 Park Avenue, Aztec West, Bristol, BS32 4RZ
Find out more information and book your place via the full calendar entry here.
26 April 2017
Midlands Local Group
Global Strategic Trends - Paul Norman, Futures Team, DCDC, Shrivenham
18:00
Loughborough University (Room TBC)
For further details or to book your place, visit the full calendar entry here.
27 April 2017
MBSE Interest Group
MBSE Interest Group Meeting - April 17
09:30—16:00
Culham Centre for Fusion This is a regular meeting of the MBSE Interest Group and will Energy, Culham Science include (subject to availability) presentations from Changan UK Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3DB (automotive), Jaguar Land Rover (automotive), UKAEA (power generation) and possibly a tour of some of the facilities at Culham. You can book your place here.
17 May 2017
Railway Interest Group
The Special Theory of Holes: A Systems Thinking methodology applied to the exercise of power
17:00—18:30
Room C308, Tait Building City, University of London Northampton Square, EC1V 0HB
Power is like gravity and electricity. We know it exists through its effects; we often however, explore its consequences rather than the medium itself. We all work in or for organisations where the perception of power is distributed among many actors and, when we get that distribution wrong, the effects are adverse. Read the full synopsis and book your place here.
7 June 2017
UK Chapter
2017 Training Day
Full Day
Engineers’ House, Clifton, Bristol
This year there are six courses on offer based around a full day’s training, with coffee breaks and lunch provided. We are also running an on-site SEP exam. Read full details and book your place on the website here!
21—22 November 2017
UK Chapter
Annual Systems Engineering Conference (ASEC) 2017
Full Days
The Slate, Warwick Conferences, University of Warwick, CV4 7SH
ASEC is INCOSE UK's flagship annual event and brings together a wide range of professionals from a variety of backgrounds, with the common interest of building upon their Systems Engineering (SE) knowledge and sharing ideas with their peers. Visit this year’s website here. 18
INCOSE UK Secretariat The Dyers Building, 21 Silver Street, Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 0DH
Tel:
+44 1460 298 217
Email:
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www.incoseonline.org.uk
INCOSEUK
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