Glossary · Systems engineering and MBSE
Systems engineering management plan (SEMP)
Also known as: Systems engineering plan (SEP)
German: Systems-Engineering-Managementplan (SEMP)
In systems engineering, a systems engineering management plan (SEMP) describes how the technical work of a project is organized and controlled: lifecycle model, technical reviews, requirements and configuration management, verification approach, tools, roles and deliverables.
- Systems engineering
In one sentence
A systems engineering management plan (SEMP) describes how a project's technical work, reviews, baselines and verification are organized.
Example
The SEMP of a new robot cell defines three technical reviews, the requirements tool, the baseline policy and who approves changes to safety requirements.
How it applies
- Engineering: The SEMP is written early and updated at major milestones; it aligns disciplines (mechanics, electrics, software, safety) on one way of working.
- Safety: The SEMP should reference the functional safety management plan rather than duplicate it, and define how safety evidence is produced.
- Documentation: Include the documentation team in the SEMP: which deliverables (manuals, safety information, as-built documentation) are produced at which milestone and from which sources.
- Tailoring: Scale the SEMP to the project; a small machine modification needs a few pages, a new plant considerably more, but both should define baselines and reviews.
SEMP vs. project management plan
The project management plan covers cost, schedule and resources. The SEMP covers the technical process. Both must be consistent, but neither replaces the other.