The descriptions and abstractions of a multidisciplinary system: From goals to structure via coupling framework

Abstract

In engineering design, there is a need for consensus to be developed on full descriptions and abstractions of a multidisciplinary system. The system's descriptions belong to its different abstractions. This paper introduces a structured coupling matrix (CM) framework that aids the practitioners to model and couple the system's descriptions from goals to structure via functions at its abstractions from black-box to white-box. The CM framework is built upon limitations in existing frameworks and is illustrated with an example. It provides structured guidelines for system analysis and design.