Getting Started with MBSE in Product Development

Whether it is a small company hoping to start using systems engineering with a Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach, or a larger, established company interested in converting existing document-based practices to MBSE, the challenges can be daunting. These can include unfamiliarity with the MBSE tool, complex default schemas, and understanding what is worth tracking in MBSE (or not). This paper will address the practical aspects for building and using a simplified MBSE schema. The schema details a selection of diagrams and items to be used for each phase of the product development process. The practical aspects for what information to include, how to trace items to each other, and what to include in each output document are described and demonstrated with examples.