SysML FAQ: Why Use SysML?

Why use the Systems Modeling Language (SysML)?

Question Variant(s): What is SysML used for?

If you are a Systems Engineer and want to improve the precision and efficiency of your communications with fellow Systems Engineers and other system and business stakeholders (e.g. Clients, Software Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers), then you should consider using a system Architecture Modeling Language (a.k.a. Architecture Description Language) standard as a lingua franca (common language) for your projects

The Systems Modeling Language (SysML) has emerged as the de facto standard system architecture modeling language for Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) applications. SysML is a dialect of UML 2, which extends the Unified Modeling Language (UML) standard for software-intensive applications so that it can be successfully applied to Systems Engineering applications.

Here's a list of reasons why Systems Engineers may want to use SysML and a Model-Based Systems Engineering approach for their mission critical work:

• Facilitate communication among various stakeholders across the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including both sides of the System V-Model;
• Capture and manage corporate Intellectual Property related to system architectures, analyses, designs, and processes;
• Facilitate Trade Studies and compare and contrast “As Is” and “To Be” solutions;
• Provide scalable structure for problem solving;
• Furnish rich abstractions to manage size and complexity;
• Explore multiple solutions or ideas concurrently with minimal risk; and
• Detect errors and omissions early in System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Of course, like any technology SysML can be both properly applied and abused. Compare and contrast the difference between "SysML-as-Pretty-Pictures" and "SysML-as-System-Architecture-Blueprint" usage modes in the SysML FAQ: How should SysML be applied to an MBSE project? How is SysML commonly abused?.