System architecture affects every stage of
the design process and yet many engineers
lose sight of this fact. Engineers at NASA
and OSU have expressed a need for
effective teaching tools in demonstrating
system architecture. The new supplementary tool, a Macromedia Flash movie, aims to facilitate the understanding of complex concepts, which include: time-based information, issues of scale, hands-on learning, and visualization methods. Working from the example of a Kodak single use camera, the Flash movie is an interactive approach that clearly shows the hierarchy of the system. We hope that improving the engineering community’s understanding of system architecture will result in better designs and possibly fewer failures of important engineering ventures, such as space shuttles.

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