It is possible to integrate the different pre-CAD diagrams and documents into a single, sound and synchronized multi-view system model. KEY BENEFITS are: > Reuse capability at the functional description and requirements level > Consistency of data in between processes and people involved in the design activities. > Fluidity of information > Change management and configuration management in the pre-CAD stages of design. > More generally, synchronization resulting in improved productivity and quality.

1. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
Modeling Complex Systems
to synchronize multidisciplinary teams
IGPSC8, Arcachon, June 10th 2013
Samuel Boutin - Président
Knowledge Inside - 7C rue Jean Mermoz - 78000 Versailles - France
Tel: +33 (0) 1 39 02 70 29
sbo@k-inside.com – www.k-inside.com

2. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
H. Simon: « Systems are hierachical »
2
Body
Systems • Digestive
• Respiratory…
Organs • Liver
• Heart …
Tissues
and Cells
•Muscular
Tissues
•Blood
Book
Chapter
Section
Sentence….
CAR
Systems
• Engine
• Carbody
• Chassis
Organs
• Carter
• Control Unit
• Sensor
Parts
Business
Unit
Division
• General &
Administration
• Sales &
Marketing
Group • Accounting
• Software test
People
Biological
Systems
Formal
Systems
Mechatronic
Systems
Organizations
When not chaotic!
Herbert. A. Simon
The Architecture of Complexity: Hierarchic Systems
(Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 106, Dec 1962, 467-482)

3. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
Example: mecatronic systems are hierarchical
Excerpt: Wüst&Sassen-Robert Bosch (VDI-Baden Baden 2006)
3
vehicle
Engine
Injection System Injector
Physical principle
electronics
control

4. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
H. Simon: « Systems are made of interacting parts »
4
Simon sample: A1,A2,… are rooms
that exchange thermal flows
Interactions have a source and a target
Interactions may have a scope
Herbert. A. Simon
The Architecture of Complexity: Hierarchic Systems
(Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 106, Dec 1962, 467-482)

5. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
First approach to represent system
➛ Diagram trees (for hierarchies) with a treeview
➛ Use types to model system variety (exactly like different type of files:
.xls, .doc,.jpg….)
➛ Use flow graphs to represent interactions between objects with same
parent in the hierarchy
➛ Diagram interactions as (oriented) flows
➛ Propose specific display for each type: shape, color, border,…
➛ Allow navigating into the system
➛ EXAMPLE:
• sample 1: navigate into a diagramming of human body:
> file:///D:/IGSPC8V3/hb/SVG/corpshumain.html

6. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
sample1: human body recursive diagramming
6
Man and his environment
Systems
Organs of
Circulatory system
Tissues
Cells
…Modeled with arKItect by
Knowledge Inside

7. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
Make diagramming accessible
➛ Raw system diagramming may be too complex even if hierarchical decomposition
makes it simple to navigate.
➛ System diagramming may also be used to provide synthesized information
 To answer this, it’s possible to
 Define filters of the system view: show only some types of objects and hide others
 Use graphical aspect of object to provide information about the model.
Examples
• Sample 2: various filters over a laptop system diagrams
file:///D:/IGSPC8V3/SEAweb/LapTop%20%28SEA%205.3.1%29%2012-11-
21%20V1/LapTop%20%28SEA%205.3.1%29%2012-11-21%20V1.html
• Sample 3: business intelligence over a laptop functional architecture
> sur une campagne de tests
file:///D:/IGSPC8V3/Proto%20BI%20MDD%20Laptop/LapTop%20%285.2.1.x%29.html

8. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
Laptop functions allocation
8
(Laptop) functional architecture
Laptop function decomposition
(Laptop) physical architecture
(Laptop) requirements
(Laptop) Variants
Tests (Laptop project)
Indicators
Sample 2: filters over a laptop system diagram
Modeled with arKItect by
Knowledge Inside

9. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
Navigating in the view allow to identify very
clearly where are the subsystems that don’t
pass the tests.
Sample 3: make navigation clever
% Tests OK
%Tests NOK
%Test Non conclusifs
%Tests Non passés
Laptop and
context systems
Laptop subsystems
Zoom
OS &
Power
Modeled with arKItect by
Knowledge Inside

10. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
10
Application to System Engineering diagramming nowadays
Problem at Hand
Change
requests
FUNCTIONAL TEAMS
Reporting
Software
PRODUCE
Project manager
System engineer
COORDINATE
publish
Enterprise
Content
Management
Tool
Requirements mngt
Functional archi
SW archi
HW archi
Safety case
Project Reporting
Systemarchi
Integration testing
+ CAO
Current organization
No global view of the system
Maintenability and traceability in MS Office docs?
Coherence of diagrams and contents?
Various tools and models from functional teams
Versions and diversity?
Problem at hand

11. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
Project manager
System engineer
COORDINATE
11
arKItect
SEA
database• Automated specification
production
• Aided generation and
maintenance of complex
diagrams
• Automated consistency checks
• Requirements and architecture
alignment and traceability
• Automated indicators synthesis
Benefits
FUNCTIONAL TEAMS « METIERS »
PRODUCE
Design System
architecture
Reporting
• Weekly updated
specification and
interfaces
• Changes description
• Efficient access to
project information
Benefits
Synchronization of processes with arKItect SEA
KI Solution Benefits
PLM
PDM
ECM
JIRA
SVN
CAO
• Global project vision
• Reliable indicators on design
• Detailed information available
on demand
Benefits

12. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
Conclusion:
Which system diagramming do you use?
➛ General System theory helps us understanding architectural rules for complex systems.
➛ Knowledge Inside has developped arKItect, a graphical modeling tool that faithfully
captures the structure of systems e.g. as described by Simon in his famous 1962 paper.
➛ It is possible to integrate the different pre-CAD diagrams and documents into a single,
sound and synchronized multi-view system model.
Key benefits are:
• Reuse capability at the functional description and requirements level
• Consistency of data in between processes and people involved in the design activities.
• Fluidity of information
• Change management and configuration management in the pre-CAD stages of design.
• More generally, synchronization resulting in improved productivity and quality.
➛ This approach is validated on large systems in the automotive and railways: it’s now
possible to switch from a document centric to a model centric design.

13. © Knowledge Inside 2006-2013
13
Thanks for your attention Variants
Green flows have been added
Red flows have been skept
DIFF
Samuel BOUTIN
Knowledge Inside – 7C rue Jean Mermoz
78000 Versailles, France
Tel: +33 (0) 1 39 02 70 29
sbo@k-inside.com – www.k-inside.com