Extending the system model

Abstract

This chapter briefly reviews the state of the art in existing system modelling practice in support of project activities that span a product's lifecycle in different industry types (e.g., large series, small series, one-of-a-kind). Issues of collaboration, gaps in supporting the entire lifecycle and the advantages of defining (and sharing) semantics are discussed. The benefits achieved through the use of models to maintain control of system consistency are described, along with examples of the requirements for using this approach in practice and the potential impacts on company workflow. The maturity and expected advantages of known solutions and proposed extensions to current practices are also described.