Failure Analysis: Insights from Model-Based Systems Engineering

Processes for system failure analysis (for example, FMEA) are structured, well-documented, and supported by tools. Nevertheless, we hear complaints that FMEA work feels (1) too labor intensive to encourage engagement, (2) somewhat arbitrary in identifying issues, (3) overly sensitive to the skills and background of the performing team, and (4) not building enough confidence of fully identifying the risks of system failure. In fairness to experts in the process, perhaps such complaints come from those less experienced — but even so, we should care how to describe this process to encourage better technical and experience outcomes. This paper shows how model-based systems engineering (MBSE) answers these challenges by deeper and novel integration with requirements and design. Just as MBSE powered the requirements discovery process past its earlier, more subjective performance, so also can MBSE accelerate understanding and performance of failure risk analysis — as a discipline deeply connected within the systems engineering process.