Architect's Playbook — The 15 Must-Have Artifacts
A serious MBSE program is not a pile of diagrams. It is an eco-system: standards, reusable libraries, traceability, governance, review readiness, and disciplined architecture decision-making. This is what the architect owns.
Build order — phased approach
Build the eco-system in dependency order. Foundation first (you cannot govern what you have not defined), reusable assets next, then discipline, then evidence.
- MBSE Style Guide
- Model Package Structure
- Profile Library
- Model Governance Plan
Lock conventions and authority before anyone models. Cheap to change now, expensive later.
- Model Library
- Interface Library
- Viewpoint Library
- Reference Architecture
- Project Usage Structure
Stand up the reusable assets and the target architecture every project will trace to.
- Configuration Management Plan
- Model Review Checklist
- Architecture Decision Records
Wrap the eco-system in change control, review gates, and decision provenance.
- Requirements Traceability Matrix
- Verification Matrix
- Model Report Templates
Make the model auditable and shippable — every requirement traced, every claim verifiable, every report regenerable.
Architecture Decision Records
Immutable log of every significant architecture decision: context, options weighed, decision, consequences. Prevents re-litigation.
- ADR template
- Decision log
- Status lifecycle (proposed/accepted/superseded)
New ADR per significant decision; never deleted, only superseded.
ADR-LOG-MPE
Reference Architecture
Authoritative target architecture (logical + physical) all designs trace to. The benchmark for every trade study.
- Logical decomposition
- Physical allocation
- Layer/segment definitions
Baselined at SRR; updated at every major review.
ARCH-REF-MPE-BASELINE
Project Usage / Used Projects Structure
Defines which projects consume which libraries and reference models, and the load order that guarantees deterministic builds.
- Project dependency graph
- Read-only vs editable scope
- Version pinning
Updated on every library version bump.
CFG-USEDPROJ-MAP
Model Review Checklist
Standardized gate criteria run before any SPER/SCCB submission so reviews focus on engineering, not hygiene.
- Lint pass/fail rules
- Orphan checks
- Trace completeness
- Diagram budgets
Automated nightly; manual sign-off per package pre-review.
CHK-MODEL-REVIEW
Interface Library
Reusable interface blocks, signals, and item-flows shared across ICDs to keep interfaces consistent and machine-checkable.
- Interface blocks
- Signal definitions
- Item flow catalog
Owned by ICD lead; changes go through ICWG.
LIB-IFACE-MPE
Model Library
Curated reusable model elements (blocks, activities, signals, value types) shared across projects to prevent duplication and drift.
- Reusable blocks
- Common signals
- Standard value types
- Unit definitions
Additions via librarian PR; quarterly cull of unused elements.
LIB-MODEL-CORE
Profile Library
Domain-specific SysML profiles (stereotypes, tagged values, constraints) that customize the language for the program.
- «hwci» «csci» «external»
- Tagged value schemas
- OCL constraints
Versioned; breaking changes require SCCB approval.
LIB-PROFILE-MPE
Viewpoint Library
Stakeholder-driven viewpoints (operational, logical, physical, safety, security) and the views they require.
- Viewpoint definitions
- View templates
- Stakeholder mapping
Updated when stakeholder set changes.
LIB-VIEWPOINT-MPE
Configuration Management Plan
How the model is baselined, branched, merged, tagged, and released. Defines the SCCB process for model changes.
- Branching strategy
- Baseline tags
- Merge/lock policy
- SCCB workflow
Reviewed annually; baselines at every milestone.
PLN-CM-MPE-MODEL
Model Governance Plan
Roles, responsibilities, and authorities. Who can edit what, who approves, who audits. The constitution of the modeling program.
- RACI matrix
- Librarian/architect/modeler roles
- Audit cadence
- Waiver process
Reviewed annually; role assignments updated as the org changes.
PLN-GOV-MPE-MODEL
Requirements Traceability Matrix
End-to-end trace from L0 capability need to L6 verification evidence. The contract with the customer.
- Parent/child links
- Allocation to blocks
- Verify links to test cases
Live artifact; reviewed at every SCCB and every milestone.
RTM-MPE-LIVE
MBSE Style Guide
Single source of truth for naming, stereotypes, diagram budgets, and modeling conventions enforced by lint in CI.
- Naming patterns
- Stereotype catalog
- Diagram rules
- Review checklist hooks
Reviewed every major release; lint runs on every commit.
STD-MBSE-STYLE-001
Model Package Structure
Canonical folder/package hierarchy inside the model so any modeler can locate any element in under 10 seconds.
- Top-level packages
- Domain partitioning rules
- View vs viewpoint separation
Locked at program start; deviations require waiver.
STD-PKG-STRUCT-001
Model Report Templates
Standardized auto-generated reports (RTM export, ICD doc, architecture description) produced directly from the model.
- RTM export
- ICD document
- Architecture description doc
- Health/metrics report
Templates versioned with the model; reports regenerated per baseline.
TMPL-REPORT-MPE
Verification Matrix
Maps each requirement to verification method (Test/Analysis/Inspection/Demonstration), procedure, and evidence record.
- Method assignment
- Procedure refs
- Evidence links
- Pass/fail status
Live; closed-out incrementally through qualification.
VCRM-MPE
Architect's principle
A good architect does not just create diagrams. The architect establishes the modeling eco-system: standards, reusable libraries, traceability, governance, review readiness, and disciplined architecture decision-making.