Model Based System Engineering

Chapter 6System Architecting Principles

6.1 Fundamental Principles

System architecture is important for the design and development of complex systems. It provides a blueprint for system structure, behavior, and properties. This framework helps in making decisions throughout the system’s lifecycle, ensuring that the final outcome is fit for its purpose and provides value to those involved (Maier 1998). This section examines the main concepts underlying good system architecture design, highlighting key elements such as separation of concerns, modularity, abstraction, and scalability.

6.1.1 Managing Complexity

Basically, system architecture is about managing complexity. Modern systems are complex, containing many connected parts with dynamic interactions, which can be quite challenging for engineers and designers. System architecture helps address this complexity by breaking the system into smaller, more manageable parts and defining how they relate and interact with each other (Baldwin and Clark 2000).

6.1.2 Separation of Concerns

The separation of concerns is a key principle in effective system architecture design. It suggests breaking the system into different parts, each focusing on a specific issue or area, such as functionality, performance, or security. This facilitates the development, testing, and maintenance of individual parts, which reduces the risk of unintended problems and allows for easier adjustments to changing needs.

6.1.3 Modularity and Encapsulation ...