Functional Analysis and Allocation: Approaches and Methods

This article discusses the approaches and methods used in functional analysis and allocation. It explains the importance of functional allocation in system design and highlights the different perspectives and disciplines involved. The paper also emphasizes the need for a shared understanding among designers and suggests further research in this area.

SYSTEMS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
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INTRODUCTION
The primary purpose of this kind of the system engineering process operations is to
assist in the transformation of the performance, functional, interface and finally other
requirement which were identified through the analysis of the requirement as placed in the
coherent system of the description as the used functions to properly guide the Synthesis of the
design as the operations follows(Venturelli et al 2017). The designer is therefore expected to
know which kind of the system must operate, how well should they operate and what kind of the
constraint will limit the flexibility of the design. This is effectively accomplished by having all
the functions arranged in the logical sequence thereby decomposing functions of the higher level
into the functions perceived to be of the lower level before the performance can be allocated to
the lower level functions from higher level functions.
The tools that are commonly required include the functional block diagram and
analysis of the timeline. The product is actually a functional architecture which is actually the
description of the system itself. It is expressed in terms of the performance and function
parameters rather than the description of the physical parameters(Xu and Liao 2015). The
facilities of Functional Analysis and Allocation which are used in the traceability obtained from
the requirement as presented for the requirement to the description in the outcome of the
synthesis of the Design. The functions are basically discrete actions which are necessary to be
used in the achievement of the objectives of the system. These particular functions may be
explicitly stated. Alternatively, they may be derived from the requirements which had been
stated previously. Such functions will ultimately be carried out or performed through the
utilization of the personnel, facilities, combination or the facilities(Xu and Liao 2015).

OVERVIEW
Functional Analysis and Allocation (FA and A)
The requirements of the functional, as well as the performance at any level of the
system, will be developed from the higher level within the system which is developed from the
higher level necessities. Functional Analysis and Allocation is usually subjected to process of
repetitions in order to successfully define the functional requirements of the lower level hence
having the architecture defined at every increasing detail at various levels. The requirements of
the systems are therefore allocated as well as defined in details that are considered be detailed
enough so as to assist in the provision as well as verification of the criteria to effectively support
the integrated design system.
The top-down process of the system level translation into the comprehensive design functions as
well as performance criteria.IT actually contains the following:
 Definition of the system in terms of the functionality before the top level function can be
decomposed into the sub-functions. This basically implies that identification at the
necessity of successfully lowering the level of the actions which the system is set to do
 Translation of the higher level performance requirements in a detailed manner.This will
include the constraints or criteria(Howlett et al .2015).
 Identification of the functional grouping to be used in the minimization as well as control
of the interfaces which is basically known as the functional partitioning
 Determination of the functional characteristics of the directed elements or components of
the system before they can be incorporated in the analysis as well as allocation.

 Examination of all life cycle functions which include the eight primary functions as
considered appropriate for the specific project.
 Trade studies performance in order to determine the alternative approaches which are
needed in the requirements.
 Revising the analysis requirements steps as deemed necessary to resolve the issues of the
functionality.
Outputs
The outputs include functional architecture as well as supporting details. The functional
architecture is regarded as the top-down decomposition of the system functions as well as
requirements of the performance.
Inputs
These are regarded as the output requirement analysis
Staging and supporting processes
The supporting processes include decision database, tools as well as models including QFD, the
Functional Flow Block Diagram, Requirement, Allocation Sheet, Data Flow Diagrams,
Diagrams, IDEF charts, Behavior Diagrams among others
Controls
They include the following:
COTS.GFE, Constraints as well as Reusable S/W, choices of the subsystems, System Concept
and finally organizational Procedures.

Purpose/Objectives
 Definition of the modes and the states and modes of the system
 Definition of the functions of the systems as well as external interfaces
 Definition of the functional interfaces
 Allocation of the requirement of the performance as well as the functions
 Performance analysis
 Analysis of the resources and timing
 Analysis of the failure mode critically(Novakovskiy et al 2016)
 Function integration.
Figure 1: Integrated system (Gilray, Adams and Might 2016).

Figure 1: Functional Analysis and Allocation(Roscher et al 2019)
APPROACHES/METHODS FOR FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS
There are basically there a key that is used in the functional assessment approaches. They include
indirect methods, observational and finally experimental. Collection of the information about the
surrounding behavior, asking relevant individual questions about the initial steps in the entire
behavior. In the event that the results as obtained from the indirect, as well as observational
approaches, are still not clear, the testing of the variable would be recommended.
Observational Functional Analysis
In the case of the observational functional assessment, the professional is expected to
unobstructively and directly observe the individual challenging behavior. One of the methods
that can be used in the data collection will include the use of the time chart which includes

making of marks in the appropriate cells so as to serve as an indicator of the time period and the
day which there was the observation of a particular behavior (Gilray, Adams and Might 2016).
Example of the Time Chart(Gilray, Adams and Might 2016).
From such information, certain activities, people and events can be correlated with the
occurrence of the behavior considered to be challenging and therefore its possible causes can be
determined effectively. A direct observational FA can actually provide some of the effective
means of information collection which may assist in substantiating the findings of the indirect
assessment. It should, however, be recognized that the methods of the direct observational are
basically correlational as well as very casual(Steuwer, Remmelg and Dubach 2017). Drawing of
the conclusions is therefore not possible at all. There may be actually other factors which are

involved in the contribution of the occurrence of the person challenging behavior whose
identification is really involving.
Indirect Functional Analysis
The procedure of collecting information on challenging the behavior of an individual from
closely related people like teachers, parents, supporters and service providers are referred to as
indirect functional assessment. Data on potential aspects that affect the challenging behavior of
an individual is collected by examiners, questionnaires, and scales of rating. Functional Analysis
Screening Tool (FAST) is one of the instances methods of indirect functional assessment. This is
a designed questionnaire with 16 entries that are presented to anybody close to and may have the
whereabouts of an individual having the challenging behavior to recognize the historical
background and the possible outcomes associated with the behavior(Smith et al 2019).
In case open-ended functional assessment interview is used to identify the challenging
behavior in an individual, the interviewee in close relationship with the person having
challenging behavior are interviewed to provide detailed information concerning the arising
situations after or prior to the challenging behavior(Gleixner et al 2018). They are also
interviewed to provide a description on most possible occurrences or least occurrences, the
features and many more. Afterward, other functional assessment types are used for advanced
examination of the identified related variables from the collected information for the period of
the interview. The information collected may be proposed to memory loss which is a limitation
to the indirect functional assessment as the information provided is not from what is directly
observed and different information may be collected(Venturelli et al 2017).
APPROACHES/METHODS FOR FUNCTIONAL ALLOCATION

Functional allocation
The system architecting method as implemented in SA-CAD will usually assume that
generation is possible as long as possible architectural variation and finally the best one is
selected from the available option. It is actually a representation of the conceptual design. The
SA-CAD does not allow effective designation of specific function with a particular entry.
FIGURE 2: Function Allocation performs a similar designation as required(Gilray, Adams and
Might 2016)..
The figure above illustrates the entire process.
There are various methods that are used in the functional allocation as used in the design in
different fields. In mechanical engineering, for example, functional allocation as proposed by the

scholars has been adapted and conceived by different authors. Such approaches require or need
the transformation process in order to effectively expand from the starting state to the final state.
Also, the required technical processes, as well as the effects within the product which is
considered technical, is derived and this enables transformation processes to be conducted
externally. The modeling processes there will involve the activities of the human operators. They
can either substitute the processes of the transformation or just deal with the system as a whole.
The additional system which is performing or supporting the individual process of
transformation is usually allocated within the functional modeling.
In electrical engineering, the functional allocation method is basically process
oriented hence focuses on addressing particular sequences of switching within different cases of
use. The electrical system of functional allocation proposes an approach of the stepwise overall
design process. In this particular case the functional allocation that may involve alternative
functional models. There is no clear specific succession(Field et al 2016). The design may,
therefore, choose which functional model can be used in the particular succession to be adopted.
In the case of software development, the filed requirement takes precedence over
everything. In this particular field, the method of functional approaches used focuses on the
interaction with processes of transformation as well as processes. In this approach, the operations
will begin by first listing the system processes while more details are included gradually. This
will include among other interaction processes representation as well as triggered transformation
system to be executed(Dos et al 2018).
CONCLUSION

Since the major choices are grabbed in the technical system abstraction, it is very
important and advisable for the system designers to share understanding for the purpose of
development of the system. The shared understanding of the principles is established on the basis
of incorporated functional allocation. The approach allocation should give a desired flexibility to
the designers and correlate the various views of functional allocation pertinent to the principles.
This paper discusses the findings from the wide range study of literature concerning the
approaches of functional allocation suggested on the various principles. The opportunities and
specific requirements for the allocation approach development were recognized by the research
study which was conducted by scholars.
The scholars claimed that there is specificity in self-allocation approaches according to
the view of the tackled functional allocation as well as the necessary movements in between. The
range is so widespread within the disciplinaries approaches of the development system but there
is a change in process to tackle the approaches of functional allocation over the disciplines
perspectives. The change in allocation technique forms the base for the establishment of the
approach of functional allocation. Regarding the allocation views in designing a particular
project, it should be incorporated into the perspective change in progress(Di Bona et al 2016).
This will enable flexibility of the approach such that operations like elimination or
supplementation of perspectives of allocation can be achieved regardless of their requirement in
the project system of the establishment. Reasoning and understanding of the designers beyond
their field of an expert can be improved through a shared perspective provision of the functional
approach of allocation that links the different perspectives of functional allocation. An advanced
research study will have to be conducted to determine the specificity of an approach of

functional allocation and also to determine the appropriate functional allocations for the
designers in various disciplines.

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