Mary Bone

Transitioning Systems Thinking to Model-Based Systems Engineering: Systemigrams to SysML Models

A fundamental challenge for system engineers is to capture a problem with an effective model or framework and then facilitate transferring the information of that captured problem to practical systems engineering tools and methods. The early problem definition phase requires an application of systems thinking with adequate modeling tools and methods. Then, the later problem definition phase and early system architecting phase requires transferring the captured problem to systems engineering tools and methods through emerging techniques such as model-based systems engineering (MBSE) using SysML (MBSE is the practice of using a modeling tools to capture systems engineering diagrams). This paper presents a method for capturing a problem through systemigrams and the Boardman soft systems methodology and then directly translating the systemigrams into SysML diagrams. With MBSE increasing in usage, this method could provide a time savings opportunity during model development along with the possibility of lowering information distortion or loss that can occur during transformation of systems thinking to systems engineering activities. This paper includes a case study which demonstrates how the proposed approach was applied on a problem being considered by the U.S. Army-Contingency Basing for Small Combat Units. Finally, this paper will provide the conclusion on the development of the method and describe future research directions that can allow systems thinking and MBSE to function in a congruent methodology.

System architecture: Complexities role in architecture entropy

This is the second paper in a series that discusses and further defines the notion of system architecture entropy. This paper specifically looks at the correlation between system architecture entropy and system complexity. The role of complexity, as it relates to entropy, is established by investigating entropy-complexity relationships in biology and information theory. Those concepts are then used to assert the relationship of complexity and entropy in system and system of systems (SoS) architecture. Along with defining the entropy-complexity system architecture relationship, examples of systems that demonstrate it are provided. Application of lessons noted during the process of establishing the system architecture entropy-complexity relationship are provided so that practitioners can immediately begin to apply the best practices that were uncovered through this study.

Singleton to sandwich chunking into buslets for better system development

With the rising cost of developing increasingly complex software intensive systems, improved strategies to join together legacy systems are desirable. Connecting black boxes not easily customized by the integrator requires architectural innovation and new integration practices. Middleware software solutions turn disparate hardware systems into system of systems service oriented architecture but there still needs to be a common underlying service with a consistent data structure to the overall system. This paper proposes an innovative approach to transposing software subsystems into the dominant flow down system engineering process used in many large programs today, specifically; large legacy bound architectures The paper suggest this can be accomplished by creating a hybrid architecture pattern from two established software patterns, singleton and sandwich, which would allow users to phase in service availability long before dominant system engineering processes are completed.