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.