Mike, Jon, and Jess were all there to meet attendees at the Scarecrow stand. It was great to see old friends as well as meet many new friends and people we’ve only previously ‘met’ on LinkedIn…! Jon chaired the final panel session, discussing ‘Is SysML v2 a Silver Bullet for Industries?’. It was a fantastic event with a lot of good discussion generated. 

The team at Dassault have long supported our own MBSE Events, and it was actually a discussion after our MBSE Phantasmagoria that led them to host an event of their own. Thank you to the team for inviting us, and we look forward to having you back at our 2026 event – working name MBSE Sharkfest…

Scarecrow Consultants were thrilled to host the first ever Adventures in Systems Engineering Industry Summer School 1st-5th September at the Birmingham and Midland Institute in Birmingham. The week was a roaring success, with evil sorcerers vanquished, friendships made, and a lot of laughs together along the way.

We were joined by Adventurers from all over the UK and US from a variety of different backgrounds and industries, from new university students to established industry trainers. Over the course of the week we completed the Adventures in Systems Engineering training course, that takes attendees through the full engineering life cycle and the Systems Engineering activities at each phase. The material covers everything from stakeholder engagement, through definition of context, requirements, interfaces, onto design work, and eventually testing, verification and validation.

Teams have to work together to create a rescue system to save elves from a cursed village surrounded by a treacherous enchanted river. The designs from teams this year were: a huge crane to lift the elves out and swing them back over the river, and a giant inflatable bridge stretching across the river for the elves to bring themselves to safety.

As well as the training, we also had a ‘Systems Thinking Scavenger Hunt’ around central Birmingham that kept the trainers on their toes as teams answered clues and completed challenges a lot faster than we anticipated..! This was to practice applying big picture thinking, from all the different stakeholders of different systems, rainy and sunny day scenarios, and assessing the full life of systems and how its functions might change over time. There was also a session after the training about ‘Where next’ and how adventurers can continue their Systems Engineering learning through a variety of resources, IfSE and INCOSE, and further training.

The Summer School was the first time Scarecrow has put together a fully residential format for one of its courses, and so there were also evening activities and meals together throughout the week. Our activities started with a movie night in the BMI’s theatre watching A Knight’s Tale, made even more special by BMI Dan putting out proper cinema popcorn boxes out for us. This was followed the next night by a lively session of axe throwing (some adventurers are clearly lying about having never attempted it before…) and on the final night, a celebratory ‘castle’ feast at Albert’s Schloss. We all squished into their photo booth to remember the week and our experience together – evidence shared below!

We had such a wonderful time running the Summer School but don’t just take our word for it, here is what our attendees had to say:

‘On arrival we were met by the Scarecrow team, and immediately felt at ease. The course was not rushed, and there were plenty of opportunities to share experiences. The course was really interactive and fun. It was great to have different Scarecrows in each day. We were well looked after all week.’

‘I had a lot of fun getting to know people experienced in the industry and learning the basics, how they are implemented, and understanding where and why to implement them. The social aspect was incredible, with really fun evenings out that included well-chosen events and a great environment to network in.’

‘An excellent, insightful and enjoyable demonstration of the value of Systems Engineering and how it applies to the entire lifecycle.’

‘Had a fantastic time delving into the Systems Engineering world with the great team at Scarecrow’

Thank you so much to all who attended and supported the Summer School. We cannot wait until next year!

Scarecrow Consultants were delighted to host their first ever SysML Pub Quiz this April, at the Birmingham and Midland Institute.

We welcomed teams from organisations across the country, who arrived ready for a day of modelling mischief at the (fictional) Scarecrow and Rabbit pub. Teams took on questions about key notation, a number of SysML diagrams, and fundamental understanding of Model-Based Systems Engineering.

We had great feedback from the event, with participants saying they enjoyed the lecture and discussion type format of theory sections, and the informal pub quiz feeling. Due to popular request we have immediately started running the pub quiz directly in organisations, for those looking to develop their modelling skills and understanding of SysML. If this is of interest to you please email enquiries@scarecrowconsultants.co.uk to discuss.

The first is a three day, remote course on Tuesday 8th – Thursday 10th July, and is specifically aimed at anyone in full or part time education (students, apprentices, interns, career returners or changers). This course is offered at a special reduced rate and will take place online to target those new to the profession and those who may otherwise be unable to engage in extra curricular summer experiences relevant to their course of study. If you are connected with any universities or colleges, please share widely so we can reach as many students as possible.

Tickets for the STUDENT course, can be booked here

The second summer school is a five day, fully residential course on Monday 1st – Friday 5th September in Birmingham. This edition includes not only the training course in the ticket price but also hotel, all meals, and evening activities such as axe throwing. This is open to all industry professionals who may benefit from the course but in particular early career professionals or graduates. Should you need help to convince a manager to send you on this course, please contact jessica.korzeniowska@scarecrowconsultants.co.uk for a slide pack about the content, benefits, and philosophy behind the Adventures course.

Tickets for the INDUSTRY course can be booked here.

For those interested in how Agile approaches relate to Systems Engineering, you will find our one-day “Agile in Systems Engineering for Beginners” workshop very useful. This thought-provoking workshop explores the good, the bad and the ugly of agile approaches, discusses which aspects work in a Systems Engineering context (and which don’t) and reframes software engineering’s ‘Agile Manifesto’ as ‘The Systems Engineering Agile Manifesto’.

We are running this workshop in Birmingham on the 16 July 2024. Places are limited, and tickets are available through Eventbrite.

We have already sold almost 25% of the available tickets, including the “Bring Your Boss for Free” tickets, so book now to avoid disappointment!

Tickets are available via Eventbrite here.

Places are strictly limited and are at an introductory low price for this first run of the course.

So book now to avoid disappointment!