PROCESS TO ASSESS AND CURATE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING TECHNICAL REVIEW CRITERIA FOR EMPLOYMENT WITH MODEL-BASED SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Abstract

The Department of Defense has mandated the integration of digital engineering into acquisition engineering throughout the entire life cycle. One critical element to achieve this directive is the incorporation of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) into System Engineering Technical Reviews (SETR). However, little research exists that provides an evaluation of the current MBSE environment’s ability to satisfy SETR criteria. Furthermore, no research exists that assesses the state of SETR criteria with respect to its readiness for MBSE integration. This thesis performs this missing research by creating a process to assess SETR criteria. The process was then employed to assess Preliminary Design Review (PDR) criteria with respect to their suitability, quality, and readiness for integration into the current MBSE environment. The process is agnostic to the SETR event and the criterion’s background. A verification of previous findings related to the current MBSE environment’s ability to satisfy SETR criteria was performed. The research found that the PDR criteria is unable to integrate with the current MBSE environment, requiring changes to enable integration, including new MBSE views. This finding verifies the previous findings. The final finding notes that regardless of MBSE integration, the PDR criteria require significant curation in order to provide the necessary robustness and effectiveness to provide insight into the health and status of a SoI under review.