Using MBSE to Enhance System Design Decision Making

When developing new systems, developers are challenged with tracing requirements to system design elements and helping decision makers choose between designs options that implement these requirements; options which may have vastly different cost, supportability, and business implications. Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) has emerged as viable method for graphically tracing requirements to design elements, however, additional research is needed on using the resulting views to support decision making. This paper describes a method for using MBSE views to positively map requirements, metrics, and test cases against the design of a notional system with a focus on using the views for effective decision making.