DOE Systems Engineering Methodology (SEM) Version 3
Source: DOE SEM3 / DOE G 200.1-1A (US Government work, public domain) | Chapters: 7
When to use
Reach for this pack when planning or assessing a DOE-style systems development lifecycle for IT investments — especially stage gates (Stage Exits), peer Structured Walkthroughs, independent In-Stage Assessments, planning/QA/CM plan triad, requirements traceability, construction vs design boundaries, acceptance, or the nested maintenance process model.
Prerequisites: none — plain Markdown; no MCP server, API key, or licence tier needed at runtime.
How to Use This Skill
- Without arguments — load the core frameworks below.
- With a topic — ask about lifecycle stages, Stage Exit, walkthroughs, planning, requirements, design, construction, test/acceptance, or maintenance.
- With a chapter — ask for
ch01 through ch07.
Supporting files: glossary.md, patterns.md, cheatsheet.md.
Core Frameworks & Mental Models
What SEM is
DOE’s Systems Development Lifecycle guidance for IT investments (Office of the CIO). Version 3 renames software-centric SEM to systems engineering for IT projects and aligns practices with SEI CMM-SW Level 2/3 process areas.
Eight lifecycle stages
- Planning
- Requirements Definition
- Functional Design
- System Design
- Construction (formerly Programming)
- Integration and Testing
- Installation and Acceptance
- Maintenance (nested change lifecycle)
Quality machinery (every development stage)
| Mechanism |
Role |
| Structured Walkthrough |
Peer technical review of work products |
| In-Stage Assessment |
Independent QA review of stage deliverables |
| Stage Exit |
Owner/stakeholder go / continue / abandon decision |
Planning triad
Project Plan + Quality Assurance Plan + Configuration Management Plan baseline how the project will be managed, assured, and controlled.
Traceability
Requirements Traceability Matrix links needs → requirements → design → test → acceptance evidence.
Modern use note
Source date is September 2002. Keep stage intents, gates, and CM/QA discipline; modernize tools (cloud, CI/CD, agile increments) without dropping exits and baselining.
Chapter Index
| # |
Section |
Key content |
| ch01 |
Purpose and Context |
SEM scope, v3 changes, CMM alignment, DOE CIO context |
| ch02 |
Lifecycle Model & Quality Reviews |
Eight stages; walkthroughs; assessments; Stage Exits; tailoring |
| ch03 |
Planning Stage |
Feasibility, plans triad, risk, EA, performance measures |
| ch04 |
Requirements & Functional Design |
RTM, baselines, logical design |
| ch05 |
System Design & Construction |
Physical design, build, unit verification, CM |
| ch06 |
Integration Test & Acceptance |
System test, install, owner acceptance, training |
| ch07 |
Maintenance |
Nested change process model and metrics |
Topic Index
- Acceptance / owner decision → ch06
- CMM-SW alignment → ch01, ch02
- Configuration management plan → ch03, ch05, ch07
- Construction stage → ch05
- COTS considerations → ch05, ch07
- Enterprise Architecture (DOE EA) → ch03
- Feasibility analysis → ch03
- Functional design → ch04
- In-Stage Assessment → ch02
- Installation → ch06
- Integration and testing → ch06
- Lifecycle stages overview → ch02
- Maintenance process model → ch07
- Performance measures → ch03, ch06
- Planning stage → ch03
- Project plan → ch03
- Quality assurance plan → ch03
- Requirements definition → ch04
- Requirements traceability matrix (RTM) → ch04, ch06
- Risk management → ch03
- Stage Exit → ch02, ch06
- Structured Walkthrough → ch02
- System design → ch05
- System owner / users → ch03, ch06
- Tailoring by project size → ch02, ch07
Supporting Files
- glossary.md — SEM lifecycle terms with chapter references
- patterns.md — implementation patterns (When/How/Trade-offs)
- cheatsheet.md — decision rules, stage map, tells & smells
Scope & Limits
This pack covers DOE Systems Engineering Methodology Version 3 (SEM3_1231.pdf, September 2002, DOE G 200.1-1A) — the DOE SDLC for IT investments — as synthesized reference notes. Extracted page count recorded in PACK.yaml is 318. It does not cover: current superseding DOE CIO directives if any; DOE O 413.3B capital asset project management in full; agile/DevSecOps toolchains as mandates; or non-IT nuclear/facility systems engineering methods. US Government public domain work. No source-material download link is published. In-PDF third-party copyright check at build found no copyright notices (IEEE/SEI are citations only).
1---2name: doe-sem3description: Knowledge base from DOE Systems Engineering Methodology (SEM) Version 3 — the DOE SDLC for IT investments. Use for staged systems lifecycle planning through maintenance, Stage Exits, Structured Walkthroughs, In-Stage Assessments, requirements traceability, and CMM-aligned process discipline. Covers SEM3 (2002) guidance only; does not replace modern DevSecOps tooling standards, DOE O 413.3B capital-asset directives, or current CIO policy supersessions.4---56<!-- argument-hint: [topic, stage, or chapter number] -->78# DOE Systems Engineering Methodology (SEM) Version 39**Source**: DOE SEM3 / DOE G 200.1-1A (US Government work, public domain) | **Chapters**: 71011## When to use12Reach for this pack when planning or assessing a DOE-style systems development lifecycle for IT investments — especially stage gates (Stage Exits), peer Structured Walkthroughs, independent In-Stage Assessments, planning/QA/CM plan triad, requirements traceability, construction vs design boundaries, acceptance, or the nested maintenance process model.1314**Prerequisites:** none — plain Markdown; no MCP server, API key, or licence tier needed at runtime.1516## How to Use This Skill17- **Without arguments** — load the core frameworks below.18- **With a topic** — ask about lifecycle stages, Stage Exit, walkthroughs, planning, requirements, design, construction, test/acceptance, or maintenance.19- **With a chapter** — ask for `ch01` through `ch07`.2021Supporting files: `glossary.md`, `patterns.md`, `cheatsheet.md`.2223## Core Frameworks & Mental Models2425### What SEM is26DOE’s Systems Development Lifecycle guidance for IT investments (Office of the CIO). Version 3 renames software-centric SEM to systems engineering for IT projects and aligns practices with SEI CMM-SW Level 2/3 process areas.2728### Eight lifecycle stages291. Planning 302. Requirements Definition 313. Functional Design 324. System Design 335. Construction (formerly Programming) 346. Integration and Testing 357. Installation and Acceptance 368. Maintenance (nested change lifecycle)3738### Quality machinery (every development stage)39| Mechanism | Role |40|-----------|------|41| Structured Walkthrough | Peer technical review of work products |42| In-Stage Assessment | Independent QA review of stage deliverables |43| Stage Exit | Owner/stakeholder go / continue / abandon decision |4445### Planning triad46Project Plan + Quality Assurance Plan + Configuration Management Plan baseline how the project will be managed, assured, and controlled.4748### Traceability49Requirements Traceability Matrix links needs → requirements → design → test → acceptance evidence.5051### Modern use note52Source date is September 2002. Keep stage intents, gates, and CM/QA discipline; modernize tools (cloud, CI/CD, agile increments) without dropping exits and baselining.5354## Chapter Index55| # | Section | Key content |56|---|---------|-------------|57| [ch01](chapters/ch01-sem-purpose-and-context.md) | Purpose and Context | SEM scope, v3 changes, CMM alignment, DOE CIO context |58| [ch02](chapters/ch02-lifecycle-model-and-quality-reviews.md) | Lifecycle Model & Quality Reviews | Eight stages; walkthroughs; assessments; Stage Exits; tailoring |59| [ch03](chapters/ch03-planning-stage.md) | Planning Stage | Feasibility, plans triad, risk, EA, performance measures |60| [ch04](chapters/ch04-requirements-and-functional-design.md) | Requirements & Functional Design | RTM, baselines, logical design |61| [ch05](chapters/ch05-system-design-and-construction.md) | System Design & Construction | Physical design, build, unit verification, CM |62| [ch06](chapters/ch06-integration-test-and-acceptance.md) | Integration Test & Acceptance | System test, install, owner acceptance, training |63| [ch07](chapters/ch07-maintenance-stage.md) | Maintenance | Nested change process model and metrics |6465## Topic Index66- **Acceptance / owner decision** → ch0667- **CMM-SW alignment** → ch01, ch0268- **Configuration management plan** → ch03, ch05, ch0769- **Construction stage** → ch0570- **COTS considerations** → ch05, ch0771- **Enterprise Architecture (DOE EA)** → ch0372- **Feasibility analysis** → ch0373- **Functional design** → ch0474- **In-Stage Assessment** → ch0275- **Installation** → ch0676- **Integration and testing** → ch0677- **Lifecycle stages overview** → ch0278- **Maintenance process model** → ch0779- **Performance measures** → ch03, ch0680- **Planning stage** → ch0381- **Project plan** → ch0382- **Quality assurance plan** → ch0383- **Requirements definition** → ch0484- **Requirements traceability matrix (RTM)** → ch04, ch0685- **Risk management** → ch0386- **Stage Exit** → ch02, ch0687- **Structured Walkthrough** → ch0288- **System design** → ch0589- **System owner / users** → ch03, ch0690- **Tailoring by project size** → ch02, ch079192## Supporting Files93- [glossary.md](glossary.md) — SEM lifecycle terms with chapter references94- [patterns.md](patterns.md) — implementation patterns (When/How/Trade-offs)95- [cheatsheet.md](cheatsheet.md) — decision rules, stage map, tells & smells9697---9899## Scope & Limits100This pack covers DOE Systems Engineering Methodology Version 3 (SEM3_1231.pdf, September 2002, DOE G 200.1-1A) — the DOE SDLC for IT investments — as synthesized reference notes. Extracted page count recorded in PACK.yaml is **318**. It does **not** cover: current superseding DOE CIO directives if any; DOE O 413.3B capital asset project management in full; agile/DevSecOps toolchains as mandates; or non-IT nuclear/facility systems engineering methods. US Government public domain work. No source-material download link is published. In-PDF third-party copyright check at build found no copyright notices (IEEE/SEI are citations only).
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