A Methodology for Model-Based Certification

A need for a single source of knowledge for design decisions has led to the development of a new field of systems engineering, model-based systems engineering (MBSE) (Delligati, 2014). System certification is defined as affirming that regulatory requirements for a system have been met (Goodwin & Juzaitis, 2006). System certification is a specific application of system validation. System verification can be defined as ensuring that the system of interest (SOI), as designed, is in accordance with the design inputs/requirements. System validation can be defined as ensuring that the SOI, as designed, meets the defined system needs (Wolfgand, Katz, & Wheatcraft, 2022). Additionally, industry efforts are underway to incorporate systems verification into the MBSE process but have not yet encompassed systems validation (Huldt T., 2019). Incorporating test and evaluation efforts into the MBSE domain offers advantages in efficiency, as well a more complete digital thread (Kossiakoff, Sweet, Seymour, & Biemer, 2011). As such, system certification is a logical use for MBSE. However, no current MBSE methodologies encompass system certification (Chang, Perng, & Juang, 2008). A thorough literature review of existing MBSE methodologies was completed. The methodologies investigated included the most used, as well as some more obscure methodologies. In this literature review, no framework for Model-Based Certification (MBC) was found. This is a significant gap in the systems engineering body of knowledge. To address this lack of a standard methodology within MBSE, an MBC process was developed, tested, and refined using the Design Science research Methodology. The SysML based, tool and application agnostic MBC methodology addresses the gap in the systems engineering body of knowledge.