Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model

Architecture frameworks are tools for managing system complexity by structuring data in a common language and format. By characterizing the form, function, and rules governing systems, architecture frameworks serve as a communication tool to stakeholder communities with different views of the system...

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Main Authors: Richards, Matthew G., Shah, Nirav B., Hastings, Daniel E., Rhodes, Donna H.
Format: Working Paper
Language:en_US
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/102886
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author Richards, Matthew G.
Shah, Nirav B.
Hastings, Daniel E.
Rhodes, Donna H.
author_facet Richards, Matthew G.
Shah, Nirav B.
Hastings, Daniel E.
Rhodes, Donna H.
author_sort Richards, Matthew G.
collection MIT
description Architecture frameworks are tools for managing system complexity by structuring data in a common language and format. By characterizing the form, function, and rules governing systems, architecture frameworks serve as a communication tool to stakeholder communities with different views of the system and facilitate comparative evaluation across architectures. The goal of this research is to explore the applicability of architecture frameworks to the study of emergent properties of satellites. The U.S. Department of Defense Architecture Framework was selected to achieve this goal given its orientation towards technical systems in contrast to the majority of architecture frameworks focused on business enterprises. Although developed by military planners in the 1990’s to support the acquisition of interoperable information systems, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework can be used to connect operational concepts and capabilities to the technical architecture of any system. While the views of the Department of Defense Architecture Framework are well-defined, little guidance is provided on how the views are to be constructed. Vitech Corporation’s software program CORE,® a systems engineering modeling tool with the ability rapidly to produce architecture views from a common data repository, was employed to complete Department of Defense Architecture Frameworks for the Hubble Space Telescope. Upon characterizing Hubble within this common structure, the value of the Department of Defense Architecture Framework for conducting dynamic quantitative analyses of system architectures was explored. A methodology is proposed and tested for evaluating human and robotic architectures for on-orbit servicing—the extension of the useful life of spacecraft through refueling, upgrading, repair, relocation, et al. In particular, a multi-year servicing campaign is modeled for Hubble including behavioral threads that characterize the Orbiting Observatory, servicing architecture, and science customers. Preliminary results indicate that, when coupled with an executable model, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework can be utilized for dynamic quantitative evaluation of space system architectures. The paper concludes with lessons learned from using the Department of Defense Architecture Framework and proposes improvements for the application of its static views to model-based systems engineering.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1028862019-04-10T13:46:54Z Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model Richards, Matthew G. Shah, Nirav B. Hastings, Daniel E. Rhodes, Donna H. Architecture frameworks are tools for managing system complexity by structuring data in a common language and format. By characterizing the form, function, and rules governing systems, architecture frameworks serve as a communication tool to stakeholder communities with different views of the system and facilitate comparative evaluation across architectures. The goal of this research is to explore the applicability of architecture frameworks to the study of emergent properties of satellites. The U.S. Department of Defense Architecture Framework was selected to achieve this goal given its orientation towards technical systems in contrast to the majority of architecture frameworks focused on business enterprises. Although developed by military planners in the 1990’s to support the acquisition of interoperable information systems, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework can be used to connect operational concepts and capabilities to the technical architecture of any system. While the views of the Department of Defense Architecture Framework are well-defined, little guidance is provided on how the views are to be constructed. Vitech Corporation’s software program CORE,® a systems engineering modeling tool with the ability rapidly to produce architecture views from a common data repository, was employed to complete Department of Defense Architecture Frameworks for the Hubble Space Telescope. Upon characterizing Hubble within this common structure, the value of the Department of Defense Architecture Framework for conducting dynamic quantitative analyses of system architectures was explored. A methodology is proposed and tested for evaluating human and robotic architectures for on-orbit servicing—the extension of the useful life of spacecraft through refueling, upgrading, repair, relocation, et al. In particular, a multi-year servicing campaign is modeled for Hubble including behavioral threads that characterize the Orbiting Observatory, servicing architecture, and science customers. Preliminary results indicate that, when coupled with an executable model, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework can be utilized for dynamic quantitative evaluation of space system architectures. The paper concludes with lessons learned from using the Department of Defense Architecture Framework and proposes improvements for the application of its static views to model-based systems engineering. 2016-06-03T00:52:02Z 2016-06-03T00:52:02Z 2007-02 Working Paper http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/102886 en_US ESD Working Papers;ESD-WP-2007-09 application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division
spellingShingle Richards, Matthew G.
Shah, Nirav B.
Hastings, Daniel E.
Rhodes, Donna H.
Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model
title Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model
title_full Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model
title_fullStr Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model
title_full_unstemmed Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model
title_short Managing Complexity with the Department of Defense Architecture Framework: Development of a Dynamic System Architecture Model
title_sort managing complexity with the department of defense architecture framework development of a dynamic system architecture model
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/102886
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