Stakeholder Needs Elicitation and System Hierarchy Consolidation for Value Engineering Design of Complex Systems: an Aeronautical Application

Developing complex engineering systems, particularly in highly regulated domains like aeronautics, necessitates a robust methodology to effectively translate diverse stakeholder needs into a coherent and valuable final solution. A common challenge lies in bridging the gap between often abstract stakeholder expectations and the concrete technical design specifications of the system of interest. This study introduces a novel methodology that systematically consolidates stakeholder requirements and establishes a direct and traceable connection to the system of interest, facilitating the structured definition and quantitative value assessment of the final deployed system. The approach begins with comprehensive stakeholder interviews, followed by a meticulous review of their expectations to ascertain the elements that inform their perceived value concerning the proposed final solution. This understanding then informs the application of the Mission, Operations, Functional, Logical, and Technical methodology to the system of interest. The approach provides a structured framework to define the system mission, operational context, essential functions, and the technical solutions required to fulfill them, appropriately logically interconnected. This methodology leverages the principles of value-focused thinking to ensure the final solution structure inherently aligns with and maximizes the stakeholders’ core values, overcoming the traditional disconnect between requirements and system architecture. The method was adopted to meet stakeholder expectations in the aeronautical field (complex aeronautical system) providing a clear basis for value assessment to support informed decision-making.