An Analysis of the Model Based Systems Engineering Process

Much of systems engineering has been performed by writing requirements and specifications primarily in text. An alternative approach preserves the proven best practices of systems engineering, but adds rigorous computer executable models to capture and record the information which describes the system. The requirements and specifications are executable and transformable. Text descriptions are joined to the models so that the proven best practices are not replaced; they are augmented. This paper analyzes the systems engineering process using executable models of behavior and executable models of structure. The structure models are compatible with the traditions of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and modern object‐oriented software. A major goal of this work is to provide a convenient separation of the concerns of the systems engineer and to use abstraction to make the sub‐processes as simple as possible.