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Model-Based System Architecting and Decision-Making

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Handbook of Model-Based Systems Engineering

Abstract

We explore the application of MBSE for conceptual system architecting. Choosing an architecture is a fundamental activity. Our Model-Based System Architecting (MBSA) framework facilitates the specification of an architecture as a reasoning process – a series of conceptualization and decision-making activities, backed-up by an MBSE environment. Our framework captures both the ontology of a stakeholder-driven and solution-oriented system architecture, and the process of growing the architecture as a series of conceptualization steps through five ontological domains: the stakeholder domain, the solution-neutral environment, the solution-specific environment, the integrated concept, and the concept of operations. Our MBSA approach shifts the modeling focus from recording to conceptualizing, exploring, decision-making, and innovating. In comparison to an “offline” architecting process, our approach may initially require a bigger effort but should enable stronger stakeholder engagement, clearer architectural decision point framing, quicker exploration, better long-term viability, and increased model robustness.

“The straight line, a respectable optical illusion which ruins many a man.” – Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia

    Yaroslav Menshenin

  2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Yaniv Mordecai, Edward F. Crawley & Bruce G. Cameron

Authors
  1. Yaroslav Menshenin
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  2. Yaniv Mordecai
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  3. Edward F. Crawley
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  4. Bruce G. Cameron
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yaroslav Menshenin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Azad M. Madni

  2. Lockheed Martin (United States), Bethesda, MD, USA

    Norman Augustine

  3. University of Southern California, Los Angelies, CA, USA

    Michael Sievers

Section Editor information

  1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Michael W. Sievers

  2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, USA

    Jeff Estefan

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Menshenin, Y., Mordecai, Y., Crawley, E.F., Cameron, B.G. (2022). Model-Based System Architecting and Decision-Making. In: Madni, A.M., Augustine, N., Sievers, M. (eds) Handbook of Model-Based Systems Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27486-3_17-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27486-3_17-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-27486-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-27486-3

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