1st Edition
Systems Lifecycle Cost-Effectiveness The Commercial, Design and Human Factors of Systems Engineering
Traditional costing models for new systems and new buildings in industry, defence or government, have tended to focus on the costs of acquisition and implementation, with scant regard for the costs of running the system or decommissioning after use. The pressure to minimize expenditure and provide value for money from reduced resources means that complex projects have to encompass a wide range of often conflicting issues and interests. Systems Lifecycle Cost-Effectiveness shows how to manage the difficulties that can arise. Optimizing the system lifecycle cost-effectiveness is complex and influenced by many factors. Massimo Pica presents a variety of models for calculating cost, benefits and risk in projects, and explains how the human factors associated with a system�€�s design and consequent value are as important as the technical costs associated with its construction or creation. This comprehensive text can be used by students, experienced system engineers, cost analysts and managers to improve their understanding of the wide range of issues involved in the evaluation of system life cycle cost-effectiveness.
Biography
Massimo Pica graduated in Chemical Engineering at 'Sapienza' University in Rome, Italy. He retired from active service with the rank of Brigadier General in the Corps of Professional Engineers of the Italian Army. Throughout his career Gen. Pica built up significant experience in Project Management, and especially Project Cost Management, as he participated in a number of NATO and international programs for the design, development and production of advanced defence systems. His current activities are in the area of specialist training on Project Management and Economic Engineering. He is a member of European Council of Construction Economics and of International Cost Estimating and Analysis Association.
’A very valuable body of knowledge covering best practice and established theory for those involved with the long term cost appraisal of complex engineering projects. The first part of the book provides a thorough and essential grounding in the basic concepts of systems life cycle and related economics. The second part of the book, with its coverage of a wide range of practical engineering applications, will afford an essential reference for practitioners conducting analysis, estimation and managing the life cycle costs of complex systems as well as for students of life cycle cost estimation and evaluation.’ A.J. Barltrop, President, Association of Cost Engineers, UK ’The book takes the reader through all of the stages of systems design through to procurement and also stresses the importance of considering the cost of replacement. The writer makes some very interesting observations along the way and some very useful check-lists are included in the text...Those managers now seeking to gain a cost or efficiency advantage via the use of new systems will find this an indispensable text book.’ Chartered Management Institute (CMI) ’As a guide to life-cycle costing from a purely Systems Engineering perspective it is certainly a resource to add to a Systems Engineer's library.’ International Centre for Complex Project Management (ICCPM)
