Mission Engineering Modelling & Reporting: Lessons from Model Based Capability Design

Matthew Wylie presented at the Systems Engineering Test & Evaluation (SETE) 2024 in Melbourne today. He presented a paper titled ‘Mission Engineering Modelling & Reporting: Lessons from Model Based Capability Design’, co-authored by Tommie Liddy and Kristen Coles.

The paper examines the reporting principles employed on Whole of Systems Analytical Framework (WSAF), how these can be applied in the Mission Engineering context and demonstrate the adaption of these principles in reporting Unified Architectural Framework (UAF) – based Mission Engineering architectures and analyses.

Mission Engineering is the application of formal approaches to plan, analyse, organise, and integrate current and emerging system / operational capabilities to achieve desired effects. It is used to examine missions for several purposes, including identification of capability gaps, needs and solutions. Practitioners will define missions, timeframes and capability states to examine, then model functional and physical architectures to provide structural and behavioural representations to facilitate mission analyses.

The Unified Architectural Framework (UAF) provides a standardised enterprise architecture framework, is being adopted by the United States Department of Defense, and has been demonstrated as an effective, consistent, and standardised means for the digital engineering implementation of Mission Engineering.

The Whole of Systems Analytical Framework (WSAF) provides a digital engineering approach to Capability Design within the Australian Defence context. There is significant cross-over between the application of WSAF and the Mission Engineering process, and the lessons learnt from its application can be applied to the adoption of Mission Engineering.

With the emergence of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approaches to support digital mission engineering, it is essential that modelling and model reporting practices are employed to maximise stakeholder engagement with the modelled information. Adherence to four key principles allows for modelled information to be consistently reported and readily absorbed by decision makers.

1. Establishing and maintaining the model as a single source of truth, allows for increased utility of the model across the capability lifecycle, improved utility of model validation to assure completeness, and rapid iteration of a report set.
2. Reports that are built with reference to inherent model structure, while more challenging to develop, provides clarity of association between the report and model structures. This approach encourages consistent adherence to metamodels, improved modeller understanding of report generation, and allows feedback on reports to be readily addressed in the model.
3. Consideration the report consumers will often not be systems engineers or others familiar with SysML, UAFML or other technical representations. Use commonly understood formats, such as tables and matrices. When technical representations are used ensure that they are consistently represented.
4. Report information in forms that are easily understood by a broad audience, and that the audience can readily review and edit. The systems engineer should aim to use the model to capture complex, report simple.

Download the paper: Wylie, Liddy & Coles – ME Modelling and Reporting – Lessons from MBCD

Download the presentation: Wylie, Liddy & Coles – ME Modelling and Reporting – Lessons from MBCD

SETE 2024 is the premier conference for the systems engineering profession in Australia, run by the Systems Engineering Society of Australia (SESA), the Southern Cross Chapter of the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) and, collaborative partner, Simulation Australasia (SimAust).

The Shoal Group team presented six papers at SETE 2024. The papers addressed topics aligning with Model-based Systems Engineering and its relationship to research and development, engineering workforce management, mission engineering, business strategy and digital engineering. They covered a mix of systems engineering applications across domains, with above and below the line papers relating to Defence, and Energy sectors.