The Systems Analysis Workgroup is formed under the SysML Assessment and Roadmap Working Group to research and gather requirements for seamless and integrated analyses of complex systems across their lifecycle. This workgroup focuses on the system analysis challenge stated in INCOSE Insight article (Vol 18, Issue 2, Aug 2015) Evolving SysML and the System Modeling Environment to Support MBSE that states:

The next-generation modeling language must include precise semantics that avoid ambiguity and enable a concise representation of the concepts. SysML currently leverages the UML metamodel for much of its semantic foundations. The language must derive from a well-specifed logical formalism that can leverage the model for a broad range of analysis and model checking. This includes the ability to validate that the model is logically consistent, and the ability to answer questions such as the impact of a requirement or design change, or assess how a failure could propagate through a system. The language and tools must also integrate with a diverse range of equation solvers and execution environments that enable the capture of quantitative data.

The System Analysis Workgroup is pursuing the following goals for SysML 2.0:

1. Analysis must be seamless integrated with system development and operation
2. Support various types of system analyses and execution tools
3. Manage analysis models and relate results to decisions
4. Improved user interaction to define/generate, execute, archive analysis models (analysis lifecycle)

System Analysis is the systematic investigation of a real or planned system to (a) compare and select candidate system architectures, or (b) determine causes & resolutions of failures / exceptions [SEBoK - http://goo.gl/RCtAKt, NASA SE Handbook (2007) - http://goo.gl/iVBVES]. Some common examples of system analysis are as follows:

1. Compute and compare the mileage/cost for a set of car designs
2. What is the design impact of a requirement change?
3. Optimize manufacturing process to max yield/cost
4. Trace parts or functions that caused the failure of a system

The current generation of SysML (1.x) has the following challenges related to formulating, representing, and executing system analyses.

1. Analysis is a missing concept in SysML
2. Lack of formal represenation of analysis objectives, subject system, analysis models, results, and decisions
3. Lack of formal representation of design ↔ analysis model transformations
4. Incomplete definitions of types and units
5. Lack of formal representation of complex data structures, such as vectors, tensors, and matrices
6. Lack of formal representation of mathematical operators, such as needed for differentials and integrals
7. Lack of formal representation of primitive geometry concepts, as needed for precise representation and verification of requirements
8. Lack of formal representation of visualization concepts, such as mathematical graphs as needed for representing analysis results
9. Lack of a unique identifier system for model elements
10. Lack of element-level version and configuration management

1. SysML 2 Analysis Requirements presentation (zip) at SysML 2 RFP WG mtg at OMG Technical Meeting, Reston (Mar 20-24, 2017)
2. SysML 2 Analysis Requirements presentation at SysML 2 RFP webcon (Feb 8, 2017)
3. System Analysis presentation at SysML 2 RFP webcon (Nov 16, 2016)
4. System Analysis presentation at Chicago (Sep 2016)
5. System Analysis presentation at Reston (Mar 2016)
6. System Analysis presentation at La Jolla (Dec 2015)

Last updated Apr 19, 2016