The emerging need for security systems engineering
Australia's security industry is acquiring increasingly complex and interconnected systems. The manager responsible for the acquisition of such systems must ensure the new technology meets stringent security and operational requirements. David McKeague has the story.
Let me set the scene. A security professional has been given authority to purchase new security systems. The challenge for that person is to acquire security systems which are:
* clearly specified
* meet user requirements
* are delivered on time and to compressed project budget
* highly reliable
* can be easily modified and upgraded over the next 10 years as new technology is introduced
* easily supported.
How should the security professional achieve this difficult outcome?
The immediate project task may well be to acquire a single system. But the system may well be highly complex and have to interconnect with many security subsystems and other types of systems. Each of these systems may be upgraded over the next one or two years.
This may appear to be a seemingly impossible task. But other industries such as aerospace, telecommunications and defence are managing these types of complexities.
Meet the challenge
To meet the challenge, the security industry needs to train and educate a new discipline of security systems engineer!
Systems engineering can be traced back to the telecommunications industry in the 1940s. Since then it has been refined and built upon by various industries such as telecommunications, aerospace, space and defence. Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering.
Systems engineering focuses on the development and support of complex systems. It integrates other disciplines and specialty groups into a team effort, forming a structured development process that proceeds from concept to production to operation and disposal. Systems engineering considers both the business and the technical needs of all customers, with the goal of providing a quality product that meets the user`s needs.
An example of this complexity would be the acquisition of a new security camera system for a critical infrastructure facility that needs to interconnect with building access systems. In this simple example, it may well be a requirement that the security camera operator be alerted when a new visitor arrives at the facility.
In real time it also would be handy to see the building access database to determine a visitor`s details. In case of a power failure, this facility may need to be able to hand off security monitoring to a remote security facility. These type of requirements may impact the new camera system, but also the existing building access control system, requiring a new, unexpected project.
Another example of systems complexity may be for the acquisition of a replacement public safety communications system which needs to interconnect with voice recording subsystems and other mobile data systems such as a criminal record database or for a HAZMAT database. How important is wireless data speed, latency, and reach? Is it important that wireless data must be able to communicate with first responders while they are in the basement of a building?
It is a real challenge for security professionals to successfully acquire a working system which meets the requirements of a fast changing and dynamic set of user requirements.
Moving much faster than the security industry
Another trend that impacts this complexity is that the electronics and software industry is moving much faster than the security industry. So the challenge is for security systems to harness emerging technologies. An example of this is that while face recognition in a camera wasn't possible with older technologies; as we move forward security cameras may well be able to deploy brand new capabilities which weren't envisaged when the original system was specified.
The challenge for security professionals to choose where they want to be on the product / technology curve. Is the project objective to be an early adopter of a new technology, or of more mature technology that is well proven but less capable? All of these decisions need to be balanced against cost and risk.
As well as managing the technology, a common issue for successfully acquiring security systems is the human dimension of coordinating teams of different disciplines.
Teams of security professionals, information technology professionals, communications, executive management and operations personnel may need to work together to understand whether the desired security system is even feasible.
Increasingly, the security systems engineer needs to be able to lead teams of different disciplines in creating the right results.
Require multi-disciplinary teams
Security systems are complex systems that require multi-disciplinary teams to be successful. Security systems engineering needs to be a recognised discipline that defines and manages the systems acquisition process. Before a decision to purchase is made, it is important the following issues are clearly defined:
* system requirements
* system components
* interfaces between system elements
* system test plan.
The introduction of a new discipline in security systems engineering will make a significant difference for the successful delivery of new security systems.
About the author: David McKeague consults in the commercialisation of leading edge national security technologies. Xon Xoff Pty Ltd is based in Chatswood, Sydney. David can be contacted on 0419 437 092 or via email mckeague@xonxoff.com