Minelab Systems Engineering Support

19 Feb 2025

Background

Minelab Electronics (Minelab) is a globally recognised design and manufacturer of advanced detection technologies, specialising in a range of markets including recreational and industrial metal detection and humanitarian and military demining. Minelab are renowned for their cutting-edge technology and innovation, and their detectors are widely regarded as global leaders.

Minelab’s flagship treasure detector (MANTICORE)
in use in a littoral setting (image courtesy Minelab)

Minelab established a new project (‘the project’) after identifying an opportunity to expand one of their existing product lines into a more specialised and targeted market segment. Due to this niche market, they recognised that prioritising a deep understanding of the problem would set the project up for success.

To support this effort, Minelab approached Shoal Group to provide expert advice in Systems Engineering for early-stage product definition activities. Additionally, Minelab requested general Systems Engineering and Project Engineering Manager support to accelerate the project’s progress.

Approach

Shoal embedded a Systems Engineer into Minelab for four months to lead Concept Proposal Stage activities, progress the project through internal stage gate reviews, and to uplift Minelab’s Systems Engineering practices. The enhanced practices were applied to the project to demonstrate their value and effectiveness.

Shoal worked within Minelab’s stage gate lifecycle framework and developed an information model and system architecture, leveraging Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices. The approach emphasised a whole-of-capability mindset, encouraging multi-disciplinary collaboration across Minelab’s engineering teams to ensure alignment.

Solution

During the engagement, Shoal produced several key technical Systems Engineering products:

A product brief that captured use cases and stakeholder needs, setting the foundation for end-user expectations and aligning all internal stakeholders.
A System Requirements Specification, developed with input from the Product Brief, to provide a complete set of requirements for the system design.
New templates and guidance documents for early product lifecycle stages, including Product Briefs, Concept Proposals, and System Requirements Specifications.

Harrison has been an excellent engineer, Minelab

Outcomes

Shoal’s involvement had a very positive impact on both the project and Minelab’s broader System Engineering practices:

Strong foundations for the project. The well-socialised Product Brief, traceable to end-user interviews, enables Minelab to confidently progress to the next stage knowing they have a shared understanding of the product across stakeholders that is aligned with end-user needs.
Process improvements. By introducing MBSE principles and delivering uplifted guidance, Shoal has highlighted opportunities for enhancements in Minelab systems engineering practices.
Systems engineering maturity. Shoal’s efforts have elevated Minelab’s systems engineering understanding, equipping the organisation to better define, analyse, and design future projects.

About Shoal

Shoal is complex systems design company. We use Systems Engineering combined with Modelling, Simulation and Analysis to help our clients define, analyse, decide, optimise, and deliver technology-intensive projects in complex environments across Defence, Space, Transport, Energy and Infrastructure.

More: shoalgroup.com