Decomposing Complexity: A Systems Engineering View of Modern Software — Aligning the V-Model with a Slicing-Based Decomposition Strategy

Abstract

Modern software-intensive systems–particularly in regulated domains such as medical devices -have reached a level of complexity that challenges traditional approaches to system decomposition. While the V-model has long served as a foundational systems engineering framework for ensuring traceability and verification rigor, its practical application in large-scale software programs often reveals a disconnect between how systems are decomposed and how they are ultimately built, integrated, and verified.

A growing need has emerged for a decomposition approach that preserves the intent of the V-model while adapting to the realities of iterative development, cross-functional dependencies, and continuous integration. One such approach is slicing, a systems-oriented decomposition strategy that reframes how complexity is structured shifting from component-centric thinking to behavior-driven, end-to-end system realization.

This article explores the parallel between the V-model and slicing, arguing that slicing does not replace the V-model, but rather operationalizes it in a way that is more aligned with modern software development.