A Bibliometric Review of the INCOSE's Model-Based Systems Engineering Roadmap

Abstract

Over the past decade, model-based systems engineering (MBSE) has gained attention as an approach for managing system complexity, offering a shift from a document-based to a model-based approach. The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) sparked increasing interest when it introduced MBSE and its roadmap as part of its systems engineering vision for 2020. The MBSE roadmap spans 15 years and is the principal stimulus behind this study. This paper's main objective is to assess the current progress in the MBSE literature from 2007 to 2025 compared to the INCOSE MBSE roadmap and to identify areas needing further research attention. The paper uses bibliometric analysis techniques to identify past, present, and emerging themes within the MBSE research domain. The findings are compared to the INCOSE roadmap. The comparison shows that MBSE is increasingly applied for systems architecting. However, INCOSE's envisioned state has not been achieved. Key areas requiring further research attention are MBSE theories, standardized MBSE methodologies, MBSE standards, MBSE metrics, integration with hardware and software models, and tool interoperability. In addition, future research should focus on advancing and formalizing MBSE's role in digitalization, expanding model-based safety analysis (MBSA) methods, exploring how MBSE can support sustainable system design, and formulating adoption strategies. Continued research efforts are essential for MBSE to achieve INCOSE's vision for widespread adoption and application.