Corporate Library

SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems

Webinars

Productivity Aids Available for SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems (SEER-H)

All of us would love to have the right tools available to us when we’re performing a job so that we can be as productive as possible. SEER-H comes with several tools in its toolbox to assist a variety of estimating challenges. In this SEER University webinar, you will be introduced to the SEER-H tools folder location and its contents, including:

  • Operations & Support (O&S) Cost Templates
  • Labor Allocation Template
  • Prototype Counter
  • Input Worksheets
  • Flight Test Calculator
  • Travel Expenses Calculator
  • Calibration Entry File
Expand SEER Data Utilization Across the Enterprise with Application Integrations

SEER produces a wealth of valuable information that can often be leveraged by other enterprise applications. Similarly, various inputs to SEER models may exist in various enterprise applications. There are a variety of ways by which a user can import and export data to/from SEER. Become an empowered SEER user by embarking on your own integration efforts or take the next step to a higher level of integration of SEER models.

Join us and discover the various methods available for integrating SEER with other Enterprise applications:

  • COM linking
  • ODBC
  • Custom calculations
  • Servermode (SEER Scripting Language)
  • Automation API

This webinar is part of the SEER University webinar series. The SEER-U series is intended for current and prospective users to learn about specific SEER product capabilities and features and discover how to leverage them to gain the greatest benefit. These webinars provide you with the knowledge to become a more accomplished, skilled, and confident SEER user. With a better understanding of SEER applications, you can maximize the power of the model.

From Concept to Cost: Engineer Affordability into Systems with SEER® and Rational Rhapsody®

Architecture and design decisions made early in the lifecycle can have a major impact on costs later. You need to get it right from the start.

Learn how integrating cost analysis with system specifications early in the lifecycle with Galorath’s SEER and IBM® Rational® Rhapsody® can help you make better architecture and design decisions that maximize return on investment. Working through concepts in Rhapsody, a systems architect can invoke the SEER models to obtain cost and schedule estimates, even with relatively limited information. In this way, a Rhapsody-SEER integration helps systems and cost engineers collaborate earlier in the process with the greatest impact.

Join us to see:

  • A direct connection between systems and cost modeling
  • Analysis of functional requirements with Rational Rhapsody
  • Visualize and validate functionality early in development
  • Learn how basic concept diagrams translate into Cost, Schedule & Risk with SEER
  • Reliably and accurately estimate the total cost of ownership for new product development projects with SEER
  • Gain detailed insight into the risks, uncertainty and cost drivers associated with product development, acquisition and integration
  • A standardized and traceable approach to cost estimation

The SEER/Rhapsody integration is a working technology preview. The demonstration will be performed using SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems (SEER-H). This webinar is intended to demonstrate what is possible and to elicit feedback from the community during the working stages of this effort.

Hardware From Estimate To Plan: Construct a Plan Using Microsoft Project & SEER-H

Best practices suggest that estimates should become the basis of project plans. Yet building a plan from a hardware estimate manually can be a daunting task… Schedules, staffing, relationships: all of these are required for a viable plan. With SEER-H and its integration to Microsoft Projects, you can get all of this with a few clicks using your own processes and your own WBS.

SEER Integration to MS Project automatically constructs a complete project plan from any SEER for Hardware project estimate. This integration may be used "out-of-the-box" and is even more powerful when your processes are included with customized activity plans and labor categories.

This integration provides:

  • A powerful solution for planning hardware development projects by exporting SEER for Hardware effort and schedule estimates directly into MS Project.
  • The ability for users to construct a complete project plan, enabling them to anticipate almost every aspect of the lifecycle process with relatively limited input.
  • Plans can be laid out faster and more efficiently than with traditional methodologies.
  • Customized templates that can be defined that reflect an organization's specific manufacturing process.
Estimate Early: Estimate Faster with SEER Estimate by Comparison

This presentation will provide an insight into the SEER Estimate by Comparison application, its use in concert with the SEER solutions, and some applications which center around common project management issues.

The Estimate by Comparison application has traditionally been used to empower users to develop an understanding of software size; the single most significant driver of development cost, effort, and schedule for software projects. However, SEER Estimate by Comparison has evolved and can be utilized with all of the SEER solutions to provide an insight into effective definition of scope through a series of project analogies and/or comparisons to a user’s repository of past projects, thus helping users to develop a reliable estimate on a project’s scope even when information is scarce.

SEER Estimate by Comparison further adds capability to the project team when used in a more contemporary manner. It can be manipulated in such a manner that a wide realm of subjective, qualitative alternatives can be evaluated in context of the project as a whole in a robust, repeatable and ultimately measureable manner.

We will explore its use in two major Project Management areas, namely, Risk Management and Requirements Management.

The possibilities and the opportunities to better quantify qualitative conjecture are virtually limitless.

Estimate More with Less: Cost IQ

Imagine being able to produce comprehensive estimates derived from just a few requirements . . . Now you can.

The CostIQ system has been designed to rapidly produce full projects in any SEER model, with little more needed from the user than a few requirements.

Learn:

  • An in-depth introduction to the system
  • Its use and configuration
  • Its interface with the SEER applications
  • How CostIQ can be customized to your own estimating challenges
Design and Cost Optimization with SEER for Hardware and PHX ModelCenter

ModelCenter® 9.0 by Phoenix Integration is a graphical environment for process integration and design automation that empowers engineers to explore a design space and find the best solutions that meet all specified design requirements. SEER® for Hardware (SEER-H) by Galorath, a decision-support tool that reliably and accurately estimates the total cost of ownership for new product development projects, can be easily integrated into PHX ModelCenter 9.0 to determine the best design while meeting all specified design and cost requirements. The problem of designing a potential wind farm at lowest possible cost to meet a specific wind profile will be presented to demonstrate how SEER® can be used to explore a wide array of cost-related variables while Data Visualizer in PHX ModelCenter® 9.0 can be used to understand the cost impact of design changes.

Live Demonstration Featuring:

  • Overview of PHX ModelCenter® 9.0
  • Overview of SEER® for Hardware by Galorath
  • Phoenix Integration’s Data Visualizer
Discover Hardware Oriented Applications for SEER-IT

SEER-IT is a versatile application that enables you to estimate IT infrastructure deployment as well as operations. It is easy to see how SEER-IT can be used to estimate deployment and support of enterprise IT systems. However, SEER-IT can be very effective in estimating the deployment and operations of systems that use custom hardware interconnected by IT based technologies.

This presentation will show:

  • How SEER-IT can be used to estimate the deployment and operations of the IT based technologies prevalent in network centric systems (NCS).
  • How to estimate the required systems engineering needed to bring estimating
  • Where and when to use SEER-SEM, SEER-H and SEER-IT for different components of a NCS
  • Examples of a SEER-IT estimate for NCS and hardware oriented systems are included
Acquisition Reform (WSARA) And How It Impacts Your Estimations: Looking forward And Lessons Learned

Weapons systems acquisition reform has been a recurring topic within the Department of Defense for many years.

Mr. Bob Hunt, Galorath’s V.P. of Professional Services, was a Senior Pentagon official during the previous Acquisition Reform initiatives. He has since been active in the contractor community. Mr. Hunt will offer a unique perspective on how these acquisition reforms will impact both the Government and the contractor estimating communities.

This WebEx discusses the unique implication of the latest reform on the cost and schedule estimating process, including:

  • Cost Assessment & Program Evaluation
  • Directors of DT&E and Systems Engineering Performance Assessments & Root Cause Analysis
  • Assessment of Technology Maturity
  • Trade-Offs in Cost, Schedule and Performance
  • Critical Cost Growth in MDAPs
  • Earned Value Management
  • Required Reports
  • Cost Assessment & Program Evaluation
  • How some of the SEER applications can be advantageously applied for Pre-milestone A estimates
  • And much more!

Much (or some) of this has been tried before, e.g. Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986; also discussed in “The Cost Analysis Improvement Group: A History” by Srull, Margolis, and McNicol. WSARA is being driven by the continued and “sometimes surprising growth” in the cost and schedule of Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs).

Don’t Let Estimating Complex Custom ICs Intimidate You

Estimating Circuit Card development has become more challenging due to the increased presence of complex custom ICs like ASICs, FPGAs and RFICs. These critical components provide a dramatic increase in capability but are also a challenge to estimate due to the ever increasing performance of each new generation of chips.

Learn how the SEER-IC plug-in:

  • Expands the capabilities of SEER-H to allow a deeper look into these custom components in order to more accurately estimate these significant costs.
  • Performs tradeoffs between different technologies and assess possible cost impacts of various technical options.
  • Can be used to estimate costs for ASICs, FPGAs and RFICs. We will show some common examples and tradeoffs done with the model.
Estimating Electro-Optical Sensor Lifecycle Costs for Air, Missile and Space Vehicles

Parametric modeling of electro-optical sensors (EOS) has historically been challenging, due to lack of data and a complex technical domain. The SEER-EOS plug-in expands the capabilities of SEER-H, allowing you to perform a full lifecycle cost for electro-optical sensors operating on a variety of platforms including:

  • manned aircraft
  • unmanned aircraft
  • missiles
  • space vehicles

Estimate key EOS components including:

  • optical devices
  • detectors
  • mechanisms
  • coolers
  • lasers

Evaluate over 45 different EO sensor technologies in terms of key technical and performance parameters.

SEER IC Pro Intro

This webinar provides a top level view of SEER IC PRO, its general architecture and integration into SEER H. It also delineates the various types of technology process flows (ASIC/FPGA) that are included in the model in order to demonstrate the estimation scope. There is also mention of some common uses of the model to estimate FPGA prototypes and conduct hardware versus software tradeoffs.

What Would You Like to Estimate Today?  SEER Estimate by Comparison

With SEER Estimate by Comparison, good estimates based on intuition are only a few comparisons away.  By stepping through a series of intuitive comparisons to better-known items, SEER Estimate by Comparison provides a credible basis for accurately determining either quantitative or qualitative values for both SEER and non-SEER parameters.

In a portfolio analysis exercise, we will demonstrate how multiple software projects’ sizes and value can be simultaneously estimated.

Need Defensible Estimates Of Projects Far Out Into The Future?

For those of you faced with estimating into the far distant future and whose estimates must withstand a greater level of scrutiny, Galorath will present an alternative method whereby the final estimate can be better substantiated.

Pull out your telescope and discover:

  • The complications of estimating costs far out in the future and how to deal with them
  • How Galorath services can help you estimate the costs of “far out” technologies for any platform via their far out process and your data
  • An available application of Galorath’s “far out” estimating capabilities to estimate the costs of spacecraft 15-20 years into the future
Project Estimation is a Risky Business: Risk Analysis with SEER and Crystal Ball

The need to understand the lack of certainty surrounding an estimate is an integral part of effective cost and schedule management. It is imperative that those who make the ultimate organizational decisions have visibility of the most pessimistic forecast of outcome in order that they can effectively direct appropriate mitigation responses and deliver solutions to the required standards and costs within a timely manner.

This presentation will discuss the following aspects:

  • How the SEER suite of models provide such visibility.
  • The rationale for a SEER and Crystal Ball integration.
  • How the Crystal Ball/SEER integration enhances a Risk Analysis capabilities by providing the user better definition and control of the Risk Analysis process.
Estimation of Military Space Communications ASICS with SEER:  The Final Frontier

Today’s military communication systems are playing an ever expanding critical role in our domestic security as well as the security of our assets abroad. Satellites that are the core of these communication systems are being required to do more complex functions and perform them faster than ever before. To accomplish complex on-orbit tasks, modern space electronics are using advanced micro-electronics in their unit designs. The rapidly changing field of advanced micro-electronics, largely developed by commercial industry, presents a problem for the cost estimator. Common cost estimating techniques using historical data or cost estimating relationships based on historical data are not well suited to address the complexity of today’s electronic devices. This presentation will focus on ASIC devices used in the military space environment and will discuss the cost drivers of these devices, including how the SEER for Hardware-Integrated Circuits Option parametric cost estimating model is being used to develop a cost estimate for ASICs, and what future estimating challenges may be on military space communication satellites.

Better Schedule & Staff Planning for Hardware Projects with SEER

This presentation will review the concepts, theory and methods used to implement the comprehensive set of features in SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems (SEER-H). Examples of how these features can be used will be provided along with how they can benefit a cost analyst or project manager. SEER for Hardware is a leading hardware cost estimating and planning system. Until recently, SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems had basic visibility into the scheduling of estimates, limited to annual expenditure. An upcoming version of this model will include a set of new features to help program managers better schedule tasks and manage their expenditures. The advanced schedule features cover areas such as allocation into program phases (e.g. preliminary design, detailed design, system validation) with the ability to independently schedule them. Scheduling of the development effort can be constrained by such things as a slow start, overstaffing, and understaffing, shortened or extended schedules. Depending on the scenario, cost penalties can be incurred for various types of constraints.

Smart Sourcing in the Global Environment

This presentation discusses how process-based parametric cost models, SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems (SEER-H) and SEER for Manufacturing (SEER-MFG), are used to facilitate proactive real time cost impact assessments of commodity design alternatives in today’s global sourcing environment. The main purpose is to show how model use in the sourcing process can produce a significant financial benefit to any organization that employs the use of the SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems and SEER for Manufacturing modeling process. It will also introduce the model's flexibility in the development of trade study “should cost” estimates, using a ‘real world’ case study.

Modeling Composites in SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems and SEER for Manufacturing

SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems can provide comprehensive lifecycle cost estimates for composite processes and systems even when information is limited to weight volume and material mix. The model has built-in Knowledge Bases that cover composite materials and manufacturing processes. SEER-DFM operates at the manufacturing process level, modeling composites using three different approaches, all of which have different levels of input and output granularity. The standard SEER for Manufacturing (formerly SEER-DFM) model comes with two modeling options: Composites Model and Detailed Composites Model. A plug-in is available for SEER-DFM that provides more advanced composites and aerostructures modeling capabilities. This webinar demonstrates the various ways in which composites estimation can be accomplished utilizing these models.

SEER Electro-optical Sensors (formerly SEER-Spyglass)

SEER-Electro-Optical Sensors (formerly SEER-Spyglass) is a plug-in module for SEER for Hardware, Electronics and Systems (SEER-H) that provides specific features and simulation models to estimate the full lifecycle cost of space-based electro-optical sensor (EOS) devices. SEER-Electro-Optical Sensors enables the user to evaluate more than 30 EO sensor technologies relative to key technical and performance parameters. Six categories of EO devices or processes have been added to SEER-H containing over 30 distinct technology areas within them. Categories include: Optical telescope assemblies, focal plane arrays, coolers, mechanisms, calibrators, and integration & test. For each distinct technology area, there are 3-5 Key Technical & Performance Parameters (KTPPs). This webinar demonstrates how SEER-EOS enables you to integrate your EO sensor estimates into your overall estimating environment.

SEER Integration to MS Project: Automated Layout of Hardware Development and Production Plans

This webinar covers the SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems (SEER-H) Integration to Microsoft Project. With this integration it is now possible to export SEER-H hardware cost and schedule estimates directly into MS Project. The SEER-MS Project integration provides a powerful solution for planning hardware development projects. With relatively limited input, users can construct a complete project plan which enables them to anticipate almost every aspect of the development lifecycle. Hardware and production plans can be laid out faster and more efficiently than with traditional methodologies. The SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems Client also allows customized templates to be defined that reflect an organization's specific manufacturing process.

SEER Total System Vision: An Integrated Process for Estimating Hardware, Electronics, Software, Systems, and Manufacturing Lifecycle Costs

SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems is a cost estimation and decision support model designed for complex projects that include ground, air, space and sea vehicles, electronic devices, industrial equipment, consumer electronics and appliances. Mechanical, electro-mechanical, structural and electronics programs are challenging to estimate. SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems can help you make better decisions quickly and with more confidence by simulating your project based on extensive knowledge bases, and sophisticated parametric modeling capabilities. The model provides fast, reliable estimates on everything from individual components to a variety of complete product assemblies, including subsystem, system, and system-of-system costs, including systems engineering, program management, and integration. This webinar demonstrates SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems system-level costing, along with its capabilities to estimate development, production, operations and support, and disposal costs.

Introduction to Hardware Estimation Using SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems and SEER -MFG

Mechanical, electro-mechanical, structural and electronics programs present are challenging to estimate. SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems (SEER-H) can help you make better decisions quickly and with more confidence by simulating your project based on extensive and extensible knowledge bases, and sophisticated parametric modeling capabilities. SEER-H provides fast, reliable estimates on everything from individual components to a variety of complete product assemblies. But the best design doesn't mean much if it can't be efficiently and reliably manufactured. SEER for Manufacturing (SEER-MFG) is an estimation and analysis application that lets you identify, evaluate and manage the complex array of cost, labor, assembly, process, part design, material, and production variables that affect manufacturing operations. This webinar will not only demonstrate capabilities of SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems and SEER for Manufacturing, but how the two integrate with one another to provide the most complete and accurate estimates possible.

Capturing System of Systems Costs

This webinar discusses how a parametric lifecycle cost model, SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems with Total System Vision and SEER for Software estimation models are used to facilitate the cost impact assessment of Systems Engineering labor and materials for a major System of Systems project containing both hardware and software components. We will discuss the underlying methodology and demonstrates the flexibility of the cost model for developing system-level costs at the system-of-systems level. Learn about the model, its premise, and how engineers applied it to obtain system-level engineering labor and material estimates on a constellation of 18 earth-orbiting optical satellites. This example includes the launch vehicles and services, mission control and worldwide tracking antenna sites as well as operational and support costs.

The New SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems and ICs Pro

SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems (SEER-H) is a leading hardware lifecycle cost estimation application. This webinar introduces and demonstrates the latest improvements to SEER-H. Whether you are an experienced user or new to hardware estimation, this presentation will provide insight into the latest in estimation technology. New and improved cost modeling features include: New knowledge bases, Electro-optical Sensor model updates, Integrated Circuits Pro, and improved weight calculations and technology characterization. New and improved usability features include: Flexible work element structure and a new knowledge base repository

 

Presentations

Decisions, (Multi-Criterion, Subjective, unbounded), Decisions - by Chris Hutchings

The primary objective of this paper is to introduce two alternative methods, Absolute and Empirical Referencing, used to minimize the subjectivity surrounding some of the more crucial processes associated with project management and analysis. The Estimate by Comparison solution developed by Galorath Incorporated will be used as the vehicle to illustrate comparative sizing for the purposes of Parametric Estimation along with a few other more contemporary applications.

Computer-aided Business Case Assessment in Engineering Design Education - by Askin Isikveren

In all engineering initiatives the only acceptable basis for launching a product development programme is one in which low risk and high return-on-investment in the shortest possible timeline is secured. Up to 80% of the life-cycle cost of most high valued-added engineered products is incurred during the conceptual design phase, and, by the time completion of the design and development stage occurs 95% of the product cost is fixed and most of the development cost is spent. The University of Bristol, Department of Aerospace Engineering, and, the Department of Engineering Mathematics via its Engineering Design degree programme offer many examples of group project orientated education for undergraduates. The major student group projects for academic year 2008/09 include: (1) Airbus UK project “250-passenger Transport Aircraft Optimised for Multi-stop, Long-range Operations; (2) Arup project “Elevated Transport and Entertainment Ride System”; (3) Motorola project “Water Powered Pico Generator for a Mobile Phone Base Station”; (4) Hewlett-Packard project “Personal Carbon Footprint System”; (5) GE Aviation project “Automation of Pitch Control of a Propeller Engine; and, (6) Babcock project “Design Optimisation of a Nuclear Flask ‘Grab’ System”. A review of business case results from the aforementioned student group project work using the Galorath SEER-H cost estimation software will be presented.

What’s New and “Dan Galorath on Estimating” - by Dan Galorath

What's new and what's coming in SEER will be featured.

Additionally Dan will discuss selections from his blog. Dan will discuss selections from metrics, effectiveness measurement, the real costs of a variety of undertakings, what is ITIL versus ISO 9000, the risk of IT projects, what the assets of failed banks really are worth, and lots more. He weighs in on a wealth of topics both timeless and contemporary.

Understanding the Mysteries of MOD Support Costs - by Neil Morrill and Steve Robinson

The costs incurred during the service life of equipment are a significant proportion of the whole life cost. However, these costs are not well understood and there are inconsistencies within the MOD as to how these are collected, collated and used. These costs are also used within the analysis at Dstl to inform high level Balance of Investment (BOI) decisions and it is therefore imperative that these costs are included as accurately as possible. The Support Costs study, funded by Director Equipment Plans (DEP), was commissioned to address this problem.

The presentation will cover how the project team tackled the problem and explore some of the conclusions from the work.

Benchmarking SEER for Hardware, Electronics & Systems to the AH-64A Apache Rotorcraft

This presentation covers the methodology, data sources, benchmark results and lessons learned in estimating the hardware for the Apache helicopter program.

 

Whitepapers

Smart Sourcing in the Global Environment

This paper discusses how process-based parametric cost models, SEER-H and SEER-MFG, are used to facilitate proactive real time cost impact assessments of commodity design alternatives in today’s global sourcing environment. The main purpose is to show how model use in the sourcing process can produce a significant financial benefit to any organization that employs the use of the SEER-H and SEER-MFG modeling process. It will also introduce the SEER-H and SEER-MFG estimation cost models, their premise, and flexibility of use in the development of trade study “should be costing” estimates. This approach facilitates organizations to take full advantage of outsourcing cost reductions and profit increases made possible thru the use of parametric cost models. Readers are introduced to how commodity managers and engineers can use these models to obtain substantial cost savings through uses in a ‘real world’ case study.

Evaluating Design Trade-offs and Their Effect on Cost, Schedule and O&S

This real-world case study evaluates each of four proposed designs for a particular high-cost, high-risk, high-interest hardware component based on development and production cost implications, as well as development schedule and O&S considerations. The four designs were all technically viable, but risk-adjusted procurement costs, O&S costs, and schedule were important to the viability of the project. This white paper discusses the entire process of data collection, as well as the use of an automated application (SEER) to perform the cost and schedule estimates, risk assessment, and the final evaluation of these designs using the risk-adjusted cost and schedule estimates.

 

Case Studies