A system maturity index for the systems engineering life cycle

TLDR

NASA and DoD use the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale to gauge technology maturity, but extending this metric to entire systems introduces a broad set of concerns. The paper proposes a system‑focused approach to manage development and support efficient decisions throughout the systems engineering life cycle. It introduces a System Readiness Level (SRL) index that combines TRL with an Integration Readiness Level (IRL) to assess system readiness during the life cycle. The authors conclude by discussing the implications of the SRL and its potential application to four case studies.

Abstract

In the United States (USA) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the USA Department of Defense (DoD) the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale is a measure of maturity of an individual technology, with a view towards operational use in a system context. A comprehensive set of concerns becomes relevant when this metric is abstracted from an individual technology to a system context. This paper proposes the development of a system-focused approach for managing system development and making effective and efficient decisions during a systems engineering life cycle. This paper presents a System Readiness Level (SRL) index that incorporates both the current TRL scale and an Integration Readiness Level (IRL) and provides a method for determining readiness of a system in the systems engineering life cycle. This paper concludes with a general discuss of the implication of the proposed SRL and how this may be applied to four case