Presentation Systems Engineering Test & Evaluation Conference 2024

Embracing AI in Digital Engineering: A Holistic Approach to Managing Work, Workforce, and Workplace (21271)

Erika Palmer 1 , René King 2 3 , Christian Sprague 1
  1. INCOSE
  2. Certification Training International, Johannesburg, South Africa
  3. Project Performance International, Sedgefield, South Africa

Workshop Session

Overview: This workshop presents the Sociotechnical Function Allocation and Risk Analysis (SFARA) Framework, a conceptual schema for evaluating the relationships between humans and technology in the context of digital engineering for AI integration. The workshop addresses the opportunities and shifting risk profiles of utilizing AI in systems and offers a holistic approach to managing work, workforce, and workplace.

Context: Managing the interplay of human and technological elements within socio-technical systems is crucial, especially in the context of rapid AI advancements. AI integration in digital engineering requires frameworks like SFARA to make strides towards advancement while managing new risks.

Purpose: The workshop aims to explore the challenges and opportunities of AI within digital engineering and to present the SFARA Framework as a valuable resource for engineers and designers to assess function allocation and risk within a sociotechnical context.

Approach: The session presents an array of global perspectives and best practices, followed by a hands-on activity that challenges participants to apply the SFARA Framework for AI implementation to an example in digital engineering. Participants will then engage in group discussions and presentations to share their findings and receive feedback.

Insights: Attendees will gain knowledge about the SFARA Framework, which involves functional decomposition, subfunction assignment of automatability along the Human-Technology Spectrum (HTS), and analyzing the resulting functional distribution and risk profile across the system. They will learn how to apply the framework for AI integration in digital engineering and explore a holistic approach to managing work, workforce, and workplace.