Defining a Model-Based Systems Engineering Approach for Technical Reviews

Abstract

Program technical reviews are discrete points in time, within a system’s life cycle, where the system is evaluated against a set of specific accomplishments, known as “entrance criteria.” These criteria are used to track the technical progress, schedule, and program risks. Technical reviews serve as gates used to demonstrate that the program is on track, and should be allowed to proceed. Current technical reviews are based around evaluations of static, contractually obligated documents that are used to demonstrate successful completion of the entrance criteria. These documents represent “snapshots” of the systems and do not represent a total view of the system. As a result, systems are often viewed by the entrance criteria individually, which fail to account for the system from a holistic perspective. Department of Defense (DoD) organizations are migrating to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) environments, with a vision of modernizing, developing, delivering, operating, and sustaining systems. Model-based reviews allow for complexity to be managed more efficiently because data, not “systems engineering products,” is the commodity used to evaluate the entrance criteria. The data-driven MBSE technical reviews will provide greater insights and details across a program’s life cycle. This paper discusses the applicability of current technical reviews criteria to MBSE.