The EasyMOD project, funded with 2 million euros over 3.5 years, aims to transform systems engineering through the development of innovative tools tailored to the needs of engineers and systems architects. Currently, systems engineering tools based on modeling (MBSE) suffer from numerous limitations, including outdated and difficult-to-use human-machine interfaces (HMIs). These issues directly impact productivity, efficiency, and user adoption of the tools.

Context and initial challenges

Current MBSE tools primarily focus on content and emphasize the types of information to be processed. While these tools are suitable for expert modelers, they are inefficient for non-specialized users, leading to excessive workload and lack of motivation to use them. Some of the main challenges include:

• Cumbersome and outdated HMIs: This detracts from the user experience and makes task completion difficult.
• Lack of guidance: Users often feel lost, not knowing where to start or how to perform various tasks.
• Absence of automation: Repetitive tasks take up significant time, reducing productivity.
• Information overload: Too much information makes it difficult to find relevant data.

The EasyMOD project seeks to address these challenges by rethinking the user interface and integrating new technologies to optimize the systems engineering modeling process.

Objectives of the EasyMOD Project

The objectives of the project are multiple, aiming to redefine MBSE tools to make them more accessible and efficient:

1. Define relevant human-machine interfaces: The goal is to make MBSE tools more acceptable and effective for systems engineers and architects.
2. Improve ergonomics and large-scale deployment: Facilitate the adoption of model-based systems engineering.
3. Increase engineers’ productivity: Optimize processes for significant efficiency gains.

Technical barriers and challenges to overcome

The EasyMOD project faces several technical barriers that must be resolved to achieve its objectives:

1. Adapted graphical representations: This involves designing appropriate visualizations for model creation, revision, and analysis that are tailored to each use case.
2. Bidirectional links with formal modeling languages: Integrate these graphical representations with existing modeling languages.
3. Innovative interfaces: Develop new interfaces that are compatible with design tools, regardless of their modeling language.
4. Intelligent assistants for designers: Provide decision-support tools for systems designers to aid in their design choices.
5. Improve readability for users: Make tools more accessible and legible to a wide variety of users, including those who are not specialists in systems engineering.
6. Collaborative features: Develop tools that allow non-expert users to review models, promoting collaboration and responsiveness.

Deliverables of the project

The EasyMOD project aims to produce several innovative modules, each designed to meet the specific needs of systems engineers:

1. Model editing: A tool for functional allocation to components.
2. Model review: A software with detailed analysis views (e.g., flow diagrams, mass, power, etc.).
3. Scenario analysis: A tool for visualizing properties of architectural elements.
4. Assistance in identifying engineering tasks: Using a language model (LLM), this software helps users identify and complete tasks needed to achieve a given objective.

Publications and industrial validation

The EasyMOD project has already resulted in several publications at prestigious conferences such as ESA MBSE2022 and MODELS 23. These publications focus on key themes such as extracting views to facilitate concurrent review of systems engineering models and using artificial intelligence to recognize action plans in informal models.

Tool validation is carried out in collaboration with industry experts. For example, the review software was validated with the European Space Agency (ESA), and evaluation sessions with systems engineers have been organized to test the effectiveness of the editing software.

Partners and collaborations in the EasyMOD project

The project is led by several major players in the industry, including Airbus Commercial Aircraft, Airbus Defense and Space, Human Design Group, and the European Space Agency (ESA). It also benefits from the academic expertise of the University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA) and the Research Institute in Computer Science and Random Systems (IRISA), along with collaborations with Samares Engineering and Obeo.

Next steps and future perspectives

After this initial development phase, the project enters an industrialization phase with a software publisher, aiming to expand the functional scope of the tools and improve their robustness. Deployment within industrial sectors is being considered, with adaptations for proof-of-concept trials. Future explorations include topics such as automatic model layout and the explainability of LLMs under the FOR program.

Summary of the EasyMOD project

The EasyMOD project represents a significant advancement for systems engineering by offering more intuitive, collaborative, and efficient MBSE tools. By facilitating the adoption of modeling in industry, it paves the way for a new era of innovation where systems engineering becomes more accessible, faster, and more productive. Thanks to its innovative approach, EasyMOD could profoundly transform how complex systems are designed, analyzed, and revised.