Key SE aspects & great MBSE resources to leverage (part 1)

MBSE starts with understanding key SE concepts and how a model-based approach can leverage them. There’s a lot to it, so let’s tackle two of the topics here and expand further in the comments and upcoming articles.

Researching stakeholder needs

SE is all about humans, their needs and their opportunities. A way to see systems engineering put simple is that it accurately characterises human needs and creates and maintains solutions that satisfy them. To achieve it, deep research of stakeholder needs is vital, which can prove challenging since it requires great communication lines between the entity gathering the needs and the stakeholders.

Models help in this stage by establishing a shared understanding framework and fueling idea exchange. They also facilitate tailoring the focus to particular (customer/user/engineer) perspectives through the use of diagrams - we all convey and understand ideas better with visual aids.

What’s even better: the elements shown in the diagrams are part of the model and can be linked between them and future elements produced when defining the solution, bringing the problem and solution domains.

For example, if done carefully, modeling the concept of operations enables a clear representation of stakeholder needs. It also facilitates tracing the elements of the concept of operations (such as operational performers and operational activities) to the system elements (e.g., systems, subsystems, or functions) intended to fulfill those needs.

Have you already captured a system concept of operations and use cases in a model? Let’s hear your thoughts!

Trade studies for solution type

Once stakeholder needs are captured, trade studies allow to choose among a range of solutions that best fit to the set of needs.

Models allow the centralised definition of all alternatives and comparing them through model simulations - where the characteristics of each candidate solution type are analysed against the set of needs. Those analyses are also good to compare alternatives for a varying range of capabilities needed so that the preferred solution not only covers present needs but a provision for expected needs variation.

Note that here models serve as a central hub for gathering all possibilities and aiding quantitative comparisons. For instance, they can provide rough performance estimates for your solutions.

You can add a table in the model to compile automatically updated simulation results for each solution type and for each measurable capability. Additionally, you can display non-measurable stakeholder needs and capabilities to select the best candidate based on both model simulation results and their judgement. These tables allow also to capture comments and quickly generate a report if needed.

IMO, this possibility stands as one of the most promising yet uncharted territories in model-based approaches. Let me know if you’re interested in an article with a guided example.

Coming soon

On the following 3-4 articles we'll keep talking about key topics of SE and MBSE possibilities. Here's a glimpse:

• Requirements improved validation when imported into the model
• Model traceability and change tracking
• How model approaches can power team work
• Implementing MBSE practices into our team/company/institution
• Much more
• Got a burning topic you'd like to read about? Drop a line in the comments!

Captivating sources for deeper insights!

Great book to learn and understand the most important concepts in Systems Engineering: Systems Engineering theory and Practice, by A. Sols.

Living guide to SE knowledge: SEBoK (Systems Engineering Book of Knowledge). Great source to look for specific definitions and learn about particular SE processes and methodologies. Link: https://sebokwiki.org/wiki/Guide_to_the_Systems_Engineering_Body_of_Knowledge_(SEBoK)