What Is Model-Based Systems Engineering? (original) (raw)

This chapter provides a short overview of systems engineering approaches, activities, and goals and how model-based systems engineering (MBSE) can help achieve them. The chapter makes the distinction between systems and discipline-specific engineering disciplines and then identifies and describes the primary systems engineering activities and their resulting engineering data. Following this, the three primary workflow models (V-Model, Incremental Model, and Hybrid V-Model) are discussed as means for sequencing the system engineering activities.

With that basic understanding in place, the chapter proceeds with the advantages of MBSE over traditional document-centric approaches—such as supporting deeper reasoning about system properties and providing a single source of engineering truth. A short discussion of how to move from traditional methods to MBSE is supplied in the section on “Adopting MBSE.” The chapter winds up with “The Rules of Modeling” to provide a set of guidelines for new practitioners.