The South Wales and West of England Regional Network is delighted to co-host this collaborative event with IfSE hosted by AtkinsRealis. The event, presented by Kevan Boll, Principal Systems Engineer at Atkinsrealis, focuses on Digital Engineering Fundamentals and its role in transforming engineering processes through model and data driven approaches. The event is being held on 19 November.
Kevan introduced the event agenda, which included an overview of digital, his experience, and a workshop/panel discussion for attendees. Kevan went on to discuss the following:
- Definition of Digital Engineering: Kevan defines digital engineering as the use of digital technologies, data-driven models, and advanced simulations to perform engineering tasks, replacing traditional, documentation-heavy methods with integrated digital environments.
- Milestones in Digital: Milestones in Digital, including Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine and the Electronic Plotter from the 1960s, highlight the long history of digital.
- Key concepts in Digital: such as lifecycle management, AI integration, virtual prototyping, system integration and digital twins, among others.
- Value Chain and Digital Thread: Kevan explains the concept of digital thread and its role in the value chain, from problem identification to executive decision making and integration of tools and data in digital.
- Key tools in digital: including Jira, ClickUp, monday.com, SIEMENS, PTC Inc., HEXAGON and others.
- Industries adopting digital: Kevan discussed the adoption of digital in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and the automotive industry, highlighting the use of digital twins, AI, and simulation. The U.S. Navy reported a 17% increase in productivity.
- Global trends in digital: market size, digital twin and stream adoption rates, and strongest adoption in high-tech, automotive, aerospace and defense industries.
- Personal Experience: Kevan shares his experience in model-based systems engineering (MBSE), data and tool integration, change cases, and using Jira in managing digital projects.
Breakout Session: Kevan assigned specific questions to each table in the breakout session, focusing on project scoping and control, quality control and acceptance, use of AI and digital assistants, and impact on project stakeholders.
- Participants discussed and identified issues, risks, opportunities, mitigation measures and benefits related to the assigned questions.
- Each panel presents its findings, along with discussions on topics such as change management, configuration control, and the impact of digital on stakeholders.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways: Kevan concluded the discussion by emphasizing that digital is about transformation as much as it is about tools, and highlighted the key benefits and future success factors for digital.
Person said:
Kevan Boll, Principal Systems Engineer, AtkinsRealis
Kevan’s 23-year career as a systems engineer has spanned a wide range of complex projects, from cruise missile programs and future aircraft carriers to the development of Department of Defense policy and guidance on systems engineering, systems programming, organizational change, and more. He works closely with project and program specialists. Like most businesses, many of Kevan’s current projects involve “transitioning” to digital ways of working.
Kevan has very kindly allowed us to share his presentation materials.
The slides on Slideshare are now available in our APM resources section and are also embedded below for reference.