WSTAT

Whole System Trades Analysis Tool

WSTAT is a decision support tool that integrates subsystem models into a holistic system view, mapping critical design choices to consequences relevant to stakeholders. It is capable of solving highly complex optimization problems covering various technology areas and performance requirements while balancing costs, risk, and growth – in sufficiently short timeframes to support the various stages of a system’s modernization process. WSTAT was developed and applied in partnership with the US Army Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems to provide unprecedented analytical capability and application of systems engineering in system design.

What does WSTAT Enable?

• Decision support for system designs
• Exploration and evaluation of the complex trade space that exists between component-level design decisions and system-level stakeholder value areas (e.g. performance, investment cost, schedule risk, growth potential, operating cost)

Why is WSTAT important?

• Provides analytical rigor and a robust systems engineering approach to tradeoff analysis
• Provides a repeatable way of assessing system design solutions to determine major cost and capability drivers
• Is capable of solving highly complex optimization problems for system design choices covering various technology areas and performance requirements while balancing other areas of stakeholder value (cost, risk, etc.)

Example Applications

• Inform Requirements:
  • Evaluate the ability of optimum system configurations to meet performance requirements
  • Assess the tradeoffs among opposing requirements
  • Evaluate the impacts of meeting certain requirements (on cost, other requirements, or system characteristics)
• Exploring Tradeoffs:
  • Assess which technologies are cornerstones of an optimal system design strategy
  • Explore technology trends at different cost points, weights, performance target goals, etc.
  • Compare existing designs at various levels of performance, cost, risk, and growth

Fact Sheet