More Than Just a Class: Chesapeake Chapter’s Ripple Effect and the Object Oriented Systems Engineering Method

It's amazing how a single Saturday morning can alter the course of your career. For Sean McGervey, that Saturday happened in a small classroom in the Kossiakoff Center at JHU/APL. At the time, he was a young, eager systems engineer at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, intrigued by whispers of a new language called SysML. Driven by curiosity, he decided to explore the INCOSE CC and their Object-Oriented Systems Engineering Method Working Group (OOSEM WG).

Walking into that classroom, Sean had no idea it would be a pivotal moment. He was greeted by Mike Pafford, whose enthusiasm was contagious. Pafford introduced him to Sandy Friedenthal and Joe Wolfrom, two individuals who would become integral to his professional life. Wolfrom was the driving force behind the OOSEM/MBSE/SysML training material, resources still available from APL today. Little did Sean know that this initial meeting with Wolfrom would evolve into a lasting friendship and collaborative partnership.

Those Saturday mornings with the OOSEM WG proved invaluable. Sean absorbed everything he could about SysML and its application to OOSEM, guided by Friedenthal's expertise. So impressed was he by Friedenthal's knowledge that, after he taught a course at Northrop Grumman, Sean, somewhat sheepishly, asked him to sign his copy of "A Practical Guide to SysML," a humorous anecdote they still share. The impact of that class, however, was profound.

Inspired by Friedenthal and the OOSEM WG, Sean became a champion for MBSE and SysML within Northrop Grumman. He spearheaded the creation of their Corporate-wide Model-Based Engineering Community of Practice, disseminating the knowledge and passion he had acquired. His connection with Wolfrom led to them co-instructing and refining those original OOSEM training materials, ultimately developing three MBSE Strategic Education Courses for APL staff and even two graduate-level courses for JHU.

Looking back, it's evident that Sean's involvement with the INCOSE CC and the OOSEM WG had a ripple effect extending far beyond those Saturday mornings at APL. It exemplifies the power of professional organizations and the importance of community engagement. It serves as a reminder that unforeseen opportunities may await at the next workshop, conference, or committee meeting. Sometimes, all it takes is showing up.

OOSEM

Object Oriented Systems Engineering Method

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