Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Capability Maturity Model (CMM) - Enterprise Architecture (24-slide PowerPoint presentation). The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is an organizational model that describes 5 evolutionary stages (or levels), in which the business processes in an organization are managed. The term "maturity" relates to the degree of formality and optimization of processes, from ad hoc practices, to formally [read more]

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Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is a formalized methodology that uses digital models to support the entire lifecycle of complex system development. It provides a single source of truth, ensuring discipline-specific views of the system are created using the same model elements. This fosters consistency and reduces defects associated with document-based approaches. MBSE encourages a systems thinking approach, allowing systems engineers to view a system as part of a larger interconnected whole. This approach helps identify potential issues, manage complexity, and optimize system design to meet diverse stakeholder needs.

Core Components of MBSE

1. The Model: A model simplifies a system while showing its structure and behavior. Modeling systems gives engineers clarity and manageability, making it an essential MBSE tool.

2. Systems Thinking: MBSE views systems as part of an ecosystem. System thinking allows engineers to examine boundaries, interactions, and feedback loops, revealing hidden patterns that affect system performance.

3. Systems Engineering: MBSE uses transdisciplinary methods to realize engineered systems. Systems engineering’s emphasis on design, implementation, integration, analysis, and management complements MBSE’s modeling.

Models serve as a simplified representation of a system, abstracting its complexity while highlighting its structure and behavior. Systems Thinking views a system as part of a larger ecosystem, enabling engineers to explore boundaries, interactions, and feedback loops. Systems Engineering complements MBSE’s modeling prowess by focusing on architecture, implementation, integration, analysis, and management.

Four Instruments of Modeling

Modeling is a foundational technique in MBSE, involving the formal representation of ideas, concepts, and interactions within the system. There are 4 instruments of modeling.

1. Language
2. Structure
3. Argumentation
4. Presentation

Language enhances clarity and understanding of the system’s design, while structure ensures understandability, usability, and maintainability of the representation. Argumentation facilitates persuasive argumentation, presenting logical connections between elements and relationships within the system.

MBSE covers 4 fundamental modeling domains: requirements/capabilities, behavior, architecture/structure, and verification and validation. Each domain provides a unique perspective, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the system throughout its lifecycle. The language of system modeling, composed of 4 language elements (noun, verb, adjective, adverb), serves as the bridge between abstract ideas and tangible representations, ensuring clarity and precision in system descriptions.

Serving as a unified repository, the MBSE Model is a comprehensive and integrated view of a system’s design and behavior that captures essential information for seamless collaboration among stakeholders, systems engineers, and developers.

The model’s 4 quadrants converge to deliver a holistic and interrelated perspective, empowering systems engineers to make informed decisions and optimize system designs.

MBSE also offers a curated list of certified tools that align with the framework’s principles and methodologies, ensuring seamless implementation of enterprise architectures.

Interested in learning more about Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)? You can download an editable PowerPoint presentation on MBSE planning here on the Flevy documents marketplace.

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