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Mission and Systems Engineering Methods

Abstract

This chapter describes our application of the modeling methods to develop models for various publicly available use cases. We first provide some background about a global scan from industry, government and academia that was conducted to determine the most advance approaches for using modeling process, methods and tools. The results of the global scan initiated the NAVAIR Systems Engineering Transformation and a number of research use cases that are summarized as they relate to modeling methods. We also discuss how to develop technical models for mission, system and subsystem models for analysis and design, as well as how we leverage model modularization using enabling technologies within descriptive modeling tools to link models at different levels of abstraction and to establish a collaborative, cross-model authoritative source of truth (AST). We then discuss the tools used to establish the AST and explain how modeling methods enable Digital Signoffs using OpenMBEE, DocGen View and Viewpoints, Model Management System, and web-app View Editor. We use DocGen and Digital Signoffs to demonstrate how to transition away from traditional documents and milestone reviews, toward performing continuous reviews within the modeling framework as different parts of the system design mature at different rates. We also provide some guidelines on performing model management, a variation of configuration management used to curate and pedigree models. Next, we demonstrate how to develop a Digital Systems Engineering Management and Technical Plan, which is a type of Digital Engineering Systems Engineering Plan (DESEP) that is linked to the other technical and stakeholder models. Finally, we discuss how Digital Signoff can support the Source Selection process using an unmanned air vehicle developed as one of the publicly available use cases.

Leads

Benjamin Kruse

Stevens Institute of Technology

Brian Chell

Stevens Institute of Technology

Timothy D. West

Stevens Institute of Technology

Mark R. Blackburn

Stevens Institute of Technology

Publications

  1. Bell Eagle Eye (2023). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Eagle_Eye (accessed 4 June 2023).

  2. Blackburn, M. and Kruse, B. (2023). Conducting design reviews in a digital engineering environment. Insight 25 (4): 42–46.

  3. Blackburn, M., Cloutier, R., Hole, E., and Witus, G. (2014). Transforming System Engineering Through Model Based System Engineering. Systems Engineering Research Center, Final Technical Report, Research Task 48.

  4. Blackburn, M., Bone, M., and Witus, G. (2015). Transforming System Engineering Through Model-Centric Engineering. System Engineering Research Center, Research Task 141. Technical Report SERC-2015-TR-109.

  5. Blackburn, M., Blake, R., Bone, M. et al. (2017). Transforming Systems Engineering Through Model-Centric Engineering Research Task 157. SERC-2017-TR-101.

  6. Blackburn, M., Kruse, B., Stock, W., and Ballard, M. (2020). Digital engineering modeling methods for digital signoffs. NDIA Systems and Mission Engineering Conference. 2020 Virtual Systems and Mission Engineering Conference (10 November–13 December 2020).

  7. Blackburn, M., Dzielski, J., Peak, R. et al. (2021). Transforming Systems Engineering Through Model-Centric Engineering. Final Technical Report SERC-2021-TR-012, WRT-1036 (NAVAIR).

  8. Chell, B. (2021). Multidisciplinary system and mission design optimization. Dissertation. Stevens Institute of Technology.

  9. Delp, C., Lam, D., Fosse, E., and Lee, C. (2013). Model based document and report generation for systems engineering. In: IEEE Aerospace Conference (02–09 March 2013). Big Sky, USA. IEEE.

  10. Hutchison, N., Pepe, K., Blackburn, M. et al. (2020). Developing the Digital Engineering Competency Framework (DECF). Technical Report SERC-2020-TR-010.

  11. ISO/IEC/IEEE (2011). Systems and Software Engineering – Architecture Description. ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010:2011(E) (Revision of ISO/IEC 42010:2007 and IEEE Std 1471-2000), pp. 1–46. https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEESTD.2011.6129467.

  12. Kruse, B. and Blackburn, M. (2019). Collaborating with OpenMBEE as an authoritative source of truth environment. Procedia Computer Science 153 (C): 277–284.

  13. Kruse, B., Hagedorn, T., Bone, M., and Blackburn, M. (2020). Collaborative management of research projects in SysML. 18th Annual Conference on Systems Engineering Research (CSER) (8–10 October 2020).

  14. McDermott, T., Van Aken, E., Hutchison, N. et al. (2020). Digital Engineering Metrics. Technical Report SERC-2020-SR-002.

  15. OpenMBEE: Open Model-Based Engineering Environment (2023). www.openmbee.org (accessed 4 June 2023).

SERC Logo

The Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) was established in the Fall of 2008 as a government-designated University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). The SERC has produced 15 years of research, focused on an updated systems engineering toolkit (methods, tools, and practices) for the complex cyber-physical systems of today and tomorrow.


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