Create the SysDesc ADF (One Time)

To create the System Description Architecture Description Framework, the system-of-interest is the System (Abstract System) Conceptual Model as an agreed named Thing. The stakeholders will be the members of the early processes in ISO 15288:2015 including System Engineers, System Architects, Team leaders (System Elements), System Dynamics modellers, etc. The concerns relate to seeing a whole system-of-interest from a number of viewpoints / views. This whole system view establishes the following:

  • Consistent naming of aspects of the system (ontology elements).

  • Consistent understanding of the system name / class and purpose.

  • Consistent understanding of the environment and boundaries of the System (Abstract)

  • Consistent understanding of the system properties, system structure (pattern of organization) and system behavior (structural changes).

The steps to create an Architecture Description Framework for a system-of-interest are as follows:

  • Identify the system-of-interest

  • Create the work product Architecture Viewpoint Definition (AVPD) for the system-of-interest to define the viewpoints.

    • Identify the context: Stakeholders and Purpose

    • Create the Ontology Definition View using one of the following:

      • The Conceptual Model of the system-of-interest created for the system-of-interest (See Abstract System CM)

      • or use elements from or reference the System Description for the System-of-interest as the basis for the Ontology Definition View.

    • The Viewpoint Relationships View: All of the Viewpoints

    • Each Viewpoint definition

    • Correspondences

    • Rationale

  • Create all of the other AD elements for the Architecture Description Framework

  • Create an Architecture Description to test the SoI ADF

System-of-Interest

The system-of-interest for the System ADF is an Abstract System.

Architecture Viewpoint Definition (AVPD)

The steps are clear in the CAFF to create the System (Abstract) AVPD work product. The work product is available within the SysDesc ADF.

Link to the System (Abstract) Architecture Viewpoint Definition

See guidance is available to use the CAFF to create the System (Abstract) AVPD.

Link to System (Abstract) AVPD PDF

The conceptual model for the abstract system is shown below is a key part of the Ontology Definition View (ODV) for the SysDesc ADF:

Abstract System Conceptual Model used as the basis for the System Architecture Description Framework

The actual ODV uses 3 Conceptual Models (Abstract System, System Properties, System-of-Interest).

The resulting viewpoints are derived from the various conceptual models. For example, the following identifies the key viewpoints in the Viewpoint Relationship View:

Sys ADF Viewpoint Relationships

The viewpoints and model kinds were then developed to create the SysDesc ADF according to ISO 42010:2022.

The final step is to produce a system [architecture] description for the Abstract System using the SysDesc ADF. The following are links to the work products that have been created.

Please see the following Links for the System Description: System (Abstract).

The System Description includes the following sections representing views of the system-of-interest:

  • System Name and Class
  • System Purpose
  • System Properties
  • System Stakeholders and their concerns
  • System Environment (Context)
  • System Structure (Pattern of Organization)
  • System Behavior (Structural Changes)
  • Correspondences
  • Decisions and Rationale
  • References

The following links help create a System Description

The following are links to the COMPASS Project and the CAFF:

Correspondences

The SysDesc ADF is the primary Architecture Description Framework applicable to the System Description. This SysDesc ADF includes a set of correspondence methods that are available to use when creating a System Description. The latest set of correspondence methods can be seen at the link below:

Link to the SysDesc ADF Correspondences