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mbse:modelmgt:notations

Suggestions for the Evolution of Notations

SysML

“a general-purpose language for systems engineering applications, called the OMG Systems Modeling Language (OMG SysMLTM) … referred to as SysML. SysML supports the specification, analysis, design, verification, and validation of a broad range of complex systems. These systems may include hardware, software, information, processes, personnel, and facilities.”

Suggestions

[NOTATION-SYSML-DM-101]

(DM == Decision Management)

Members of the Model Lifecycle Management Activity Team suggest that the OMG SysML Specification team consider the inclusion of the Decision Viewpoint metamodel of Heesch, Avgeriou, and Hilliard which was proposed for ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010 as an evolution of SysML's current–arguably limited–Problem and Rationale concepts (see SysML 1.4, Section 7.3.2.5 and Figure 7.2).

Such Decision Management concepts could easily be introduced in other modeling notations such as the OMG's Unified Profile for DoDAF and MODAF or the Business Motivation Metamodel that are tailored more to Enterprise Architect versus SysML's intentional Systems scope.

For a sound argument on the value of the Decision Viewpoints backed by good case study empiricism, see the seminal 2011 paper here

Refer to Friedenthal observations

[NOTATION-SYSML-PROV-101]

(PROV == Provenance)

Members of the Model Lifecycle Management Activity Team suggest that the OMG SysML Specification team consider the inclusion of the concepts of the Provenance for Authoring and Versioning (PAV) Ontology such that each SysML element becomes an element whose provenance (i.e. attributes of change) can be recorded. A separate recommendation is made to modeling tool vendors to enhance their repositories such that every SysML element stored within the repository is stored with such provenance information automated updated.

For information on PAV, see PAV

For an argument proposing automatic collection of PAV attributes, see VanZandt2015

[NOTATION-SYSML-TEMP-101]

(TEMP == Temporality)

Members of the Model Lifecycle Management Activity Team suggest that the OMG SysML Specification team consider the inclusion of the concepts of bounded temporality–or what innovative PLM vendors call “effectivity” into the elements of SysML's structural, behavioral, and relational elements. All concepts (here, both abstract and reified) except for axiomatic Truths exhibit temporality. That is, their spatial extent, their behavior, or their relationships hold for particular durations in Time. However, current modeling notations and practices assume that every structural, behavioral, or relational claim either always does not exist or always does exist. The inability to explicitly represent temporality or effectivity in model elements leads architects and systems engineers into awkward complexity as they attempt to communicate that particular claims within their models hold for one context yet don't, may not, or may be qualitatively different in other contexts.

mbse/modelmgt/notations.txt · Last modified: 2015/11/01 10:28 by sfriedenthal