Critical Review of Functional Analysis & Allocation in Engineering

This report provides a critical review of the Functional Analysis and Allocation (FA&A) process within systems engineering design, addressing inputs, outputs, the staging of the FA&A process within the system lifecycle, and approaches/methods for performing both analysis and allocation. It emphasizes that FA&A bridges the gap between constraints and high-level system requirements, defining an integrated functional architecture for supporting solution synthesis and risk management. The FA & A process is utilized for allocating the functions to the components of the system. The design criteria includes defining the system in the functional terms decomposing the functions which are of the highest level into the sub functions, identifying at the lower levels which actions the systems need to do, defining as well as identifying all of the internal and external interfaces and translating the performance of higher level needs and requirements in the performance design and functional design in detail or the constraints. The report also discusses different types of approaches that include observational, functional and indirect functional analysis processes. The functional allocation is a method of human factors that are classic for deciding if a specific function can be done by an individual, technology or a combination of technology as well as person. The allocation of function determines the names that are correct means for controlling the functions that are identified in the system of function requirement allocation procedure. The technical bases for the allocation of decisions includes the capabilities of human and machine, practices those are existing, the requirements that are regulatory, the technical feasibilities, performance demands, cost, diversity and redundancy.

Running head: SYSTEM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
SYSTEM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................2
Overview of the FA&A process:................................................................................................2
Approaches/methods for functional analysis.............................................................................4
Approaches/methods for functional allocation:.........................................................................5
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................7
References:.................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction:
The primary purpose of this paper is to discuss the process of functional analysis and
allocation. The report will also discuss the approaches and methods for the functional
analysis for the case study of Aircraft. In addition, the report will also discuss the approaches
and methods for functional allocation. The FA & A can bridge the gaps which are remaining
between the constraints & higher level set of the system requirements (Hui et al., 2015). The
detailed set is needed for the development or purchasing of the systems and the implemented
programs. This is one of the integral parts of the loop design and requirement loop. During
the activity, one of the integrated functional architecture has been defined for supporting the
synthesis of the solutions for allowing management and identification of attendant risk.
Overview of the FA&A process:
For the Aircraft system, the FA & A process is utilized for allocating the functions to
the components of the system. A function is one of the actions that is required for performing
a task for the fulfilment of the requirement. The functions are having outputs and inputs as
well as actions that are for transforming the inputs to the outputs (Fellbaum et al., 2014). The
functions cannot occupy the volume, having mess. The FA and A process is repeated for
defining the requirements of the performance and lower level functional requirements to
define the architectures at the increasing level of the details. The requirements of the systems
are defined and allocated in the details that are sufficient for providing verification as well as
design criteria for supporting the design of the integrated system (Barch et al., 2014). It is one
of the top down procedure for the requirements of translating systems into the performance
and functional details in detail. The design criteria are including:

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 To define the system in the functional terms decomposing the functions which are of
the highest level into the sub functions. Which is identifying at the lower levels which
actions the systems need to do.
 Defining as well as identifying all of the internal and external interfaces
(Faulconbridge and Ryan, 2003).
 Translating the performance of higher level needs and requirements in the
performance design and functional design in detail or the constraints.
 Identifying the grouping that are functional for minimizing and controlling the
interfaces.
The functional analysis is related to the generation of power and safety, the safety functions
are including the functions that are required for preventing or mitigating the consequences of
the events that are postulated. The functional allocation procedure can receive inputs from the
FRA (Howlett et al., 2015). The experience of the system operating can also be considered
for the allocations that are initial. The human reliability analysis or the PRA assumptions can
be considered for all of the risks that are important for human actions. The vendors that are
constraining on the operations that are physical for any of the components that are considered
on the case by case basis. All of the functions have been assigned in according with the
control that is required for ensuring the proper operation of the plant systems. The
assignments are either automatic machine, human or the shared responsibilities. The
functional allocation determines the actual mean for controlling the identified functions in the
systems. It includes the conditions under which the circumstances occur least and the most,
its features and many more (Mensah, Kakaï and Seifert, 2016). There are limitations of using
a functional analysis that is indirect. A method of collection of information of observational
analysis is to use a chart that is based on time. In this time chart, one of the marks has been
made in the cell that is appropriate in order for indicating the period of time in that a specific

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behaviour has been observed. From this information, there are certain activities or tasks,
people or events that are correlated to each other with the occurrence of the behaviour which
is challenging, this can be recognised as one of the reasons of that challenging behaviour. The
constraints of vendor on the operation those are physical of any of the component that are
considered on the basis of case-by-case. These are the functions that are assigned according
to the necessary of control to make sure that proper operation of the systems of plant (Chen
et al., 2015). For the functions that are automated, a consideration is given for the degree of
the involvement of the humans that are necessary for the control and monitoring of those
actions that are automated.
Approaches/methods for functional analysis
For the aircraft system, the functional analysis or assessment refers to different types
of approaches that include observational, functional and indirect functional analysis
processes. It is useful for a wider range of populations and behaviours that includes feeding
disorders, chronic hand mouthing, off task behaviour of children in the class room and many
more (Niinemets, Keenan and Hallik, 2015). There are various methods of functional
assessment:
Indirect functional assessment: A functional assessment that is indirect is the process in
that the data and information is gathered about the challenging behaviour from the persons
who are close to a particular individual such as teachers, parents and aides. Questionnaires,
interviews and the scales of rating are used for gaining information on the factors that are
potential that contribute to the challenging behaviour of an individual (Castro-Avila et al.,
2015). The functional analysis screening tool is one of the examples of the indirect
assessment method. When an open-ended functional assessment is held, the person who are
closest to a particular individual with behaviours that are challenging are asked for describing

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the circumstances in detail that are occurring after as well as the before the behaviour that are
challenging. It includes the conditions under which the circumstances occur least and the
most, its features and many more. There are limitations of using a functional analysis that is
indirect. The type of data that is gathered with the methods that are indirect is not based on
direct observation that is objective.
Observational functional analysis: In the functional analysis that is observational, the
professional that is present unobtrusively and directly observes the challenging behaviour of
the individual in the environment that is natural and then records the circumstances that are
surrounding the behaviour (Norman et al., 2016). A method of collection of information of
observational analysis is to use a chart that is based on time. In the time chart, a mark has
been made in the cell that is appropriate in order for indicating the period of time in which a
specific behaviour has been observed. From this information, there are certain activities or
tasks, people or events that are correlated with the occurrence of the behaviour that is
challenging can be recognised as one of the causes of that challenging behaviour (Młodzińska
and Zboińska, 2016). The data that is collected is based on the consequences, antecedents and
behaviours as they get unfolded in a situation where the behaviour that is challenging occurs
mostly.
Experimental analysis: The experimental analysis involves tests that are based on some
experiments for the problem behaviour of the client. The analysis has been discovered as a
clinical method that is effective of recognising the functions of the behaviour that is
challenging and then treating the behaviour based on the research that is based on several
years (Gilray, Adams and Might, 2016). Using one of the standard experimental analysis
demand, attention, conditions and the tangible that are alone are compared with a condition
that is controlled as well as which is recreational. The evidences that are regarding the

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functions of the behaviour is given when the levels of behaviour that are higher in one of the
conditions when it is compared with the other conditions.
Approaches/methods for functional allocation:
The functional allocation is a method of human factors that are classic for deciding if a
specific function can be done by an individual, technology or a combination of technology as
well as person.
The function allocation procedure receives some input from the function requirement
analysis. The experience of system operating is considered for the allocations that are initial.
The assumptions of human reliability analysis are considered for all the important an action
of humans that are full of risk (Alabbasi, Rezki and Shihada, 2014). The constraints of vendor
on the operation those are physical of any of the component that are considered on the basis
of case-by-case. These are the functions that are assigned according to the necessary of
control to make sure that proper operation of the systems of plant. These are the assignments
that are machine, human or responsibility that are shared.
The allocation of function determines the names that are correct means for controlling the
functions that are identified in the system of function requirement allocation procedure. The
technical bases for the allocation of decisions that include the following:
 The capabilities of human and machine
 Practices those are existing.
 The requirements that are regulatory
 The technical feasibilities
 Performance demands

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 Cost
 Diversity
 Redundancy
The allocation of functions determines the best means for controlling of a function that is
given. The specific control mechanism can be automatic, manual or can be shared. The
function allocations to automatic or controlled by machine do not negate the involvement of
humans in the function (da Silva et al., 2017). For the functions that are automated, a
consideration is given for the degree of the involvement of the humans that are necessary for
the control and monitoring of those actions that are automated. This allows the given operator
to assume some control in the event of a system failure that is automatic.
The experience that is operating plays an important role in modifying and establishing the
allocations of functions that are in initial (De et al., 2016). The output of the procedure of
function analysis is a listing of the functions that are allocated and transitions allowed
between the functions that act as input to the procedure of task analysis. The function
allocation applies from the level of plant to the level of system and subsystem. The outcomes
of function analysis are maintained through the plant lifecycle.
The other reasons for changes after the allocation that is initial include operating experience
that are new and that signals the requirement for the reallocation, changes to the requirements
of the functions (Sage and Rouse, 2014). The modifications are to be made from plant after
plant that are being licensed, operated and constructed and are expected to be processed by
using the data that is in a tool. The modifications will use functional analysis data that are
initial as well as the changes that are proposed to the operation and the design of the plant in
order to determine if the changes for the allocation is necessary.

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Conclusion:
Thus, it can be concluded from the report that the functional allocation can determine
that one of the best means for the controlling for a function that is given. That specific
mechanism for control can be automatic or machine controlled. The output of the FA & A
process is one of the lists of the functions that are allocated. The output of the procedure of
function analysis is a listing of the functions that are allocated and transitions allowed
between the functions that act as input to the procedure of task analysis. The constraints of
vendor on the operation those are physical of any of the component that are considered on the
basis of case-by-case. Thus, it can be said that all of the credible diagnostic analysis and
testability have to be on the basis of one of the appropriate levels of the functional analysis
and allocation as identified in the procedure related to the system engineering. The human
reliability analysis or the PRA assumptions can be considered for all of the risks that are
important for human actions. The vendors that are constraining on the operations that are
physical for any of the components that are considered on the case by case basis. The paper
has discussed the overview of FA & A process, approaches or
methods for functional allocation and the approaches or methods for functional analysis.

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schizophrenia: reduced effort allocation predicts amotivation and functional
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rehabilitation during intensive care unit stay on functional status: systematic review and
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da Silva, J.A.M., Santos, J.J.C.S., Carvalho, M. and de Oliveira Jr, S., 2017. On the
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Fellbaum, C.R., Mensah, J.A., Cloos, A.J., Strahan, G.E., Pfeffer, P.E., Kiers, E.T. and
Bücking, H., 2014. Fungal nutrient allocation in common mycorrhizal networks is regulated
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Młodzińska, E. and Zboińska, M., 2016. Phosphate uptake and allocation–a closer look at
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