A SysML v2 Implementation of a Traceability and Verification Metamodel for “-Ilities”

Multidisciplinary knowledge and exchange of information are two of the most important aspects of complex system design within the Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) domain. The next generation of systems modeling language, SysML v2, is being developed to improve the precision, expressiveness, interoperability, consistency, integration of the language concepts relative to SysML v1, and the implementation and maturation of MBSE approaches. This research focuses on using SysML v2 to model structured notations for -ilities, referred to as non-functional requirements (NFRs), to address how they can be treated with the same rigor as functional requirements and mapped directly and explicitly from the requirements engineering phase within MBSE environments. The selected set of -ilities are safety, human system integration, and cybersecurity. The rationale for this selection is based on past studies that have documented the need to evaluate safety risks that involve humans in the loop and cybersecurity considerations. These gaps, if left unaddressed, will lead to the same requirements modeling mistakes observed in SysML v1, delay verification activities of the overall system with functional and non-functional requirements, and counteract the anticipated and desired benefits of moving forward Systems Engineering activities with SysML v2. This research follows the iterative and incremental approach outlined in the Design Science Research Methodology to compile general characteristics for -ilities, writing them with SysML v2 syntax, and then applying the resulting metamodel to two complex system architectures. The resulting SysML v2 metamodel for -ilities is a generalizable initial library composed of textual and graphical notations for stakeholders and concerns, parameterized requirements templates, and notations for analysis and verification. Implementation steps support the specification for traceable SysML v2 NFRs and align with ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148, the standard for systems and software engineering, life cycle processes, and requirements engineering. These contributions lower the barrier of adoption for SysML v2 by supporting the creation of -ility requirements that are semantically enriched with inclusions of concerns, risk control measures, analytical, and verification aspects within the architecture specification. Research outcomes are aligned with the identified Systems Engineering challenges in the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) 2035 vision focused on improvements in MBSE and multidisciplinary analysis.