What is Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)?
INCOSE defines MBSE as “Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is the formalized application of modelling to support system requirements, design, analysis, verification and validation activities beginning in the conceptual design phase and continuing throughout development and later life cycle phases.”
What are the benefits of MBSE?
- A better understanding of the mission, scenarios, and stakeholder needs.
- Helps to define a consistent and complete system specification for the product designers through behavioral and structural analysis.
- Specify with accuracy not only the static description of the interfaces, usually described in requirements but also the dynamic exchange of the interfaces that is inherent to complex systems.
- Prevent costly late rework by understanding system behavior upfront, before prototypes are available.
- Support cross-disciplinary collaboration around a system model based on dedicated views per engineering concern.
RESOURCES
Getting Started with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
WHITEPAPER: Introduction to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
This white paper will introduce you to MBSE, explain the benefits of implementation, and what organizations need to consider before embarking on their journey.
WEBINAR: How to get started with Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
This webinar explores how to get started with MBSE, including the key success factors, aspects of change mechanisms, tools, methods & technologies and how to break silos.

WEBINAR: Requirements Engineering in context of MBSE with 3DEXPERIENCE
This webinar explores how 3DEXPERIENCE enables Requirements Engineering by bringing together the activities of Requirements Development and Requirements Management.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does MBSE differ from traditional systems engineering?
In its simplest form, MBSE replaces document-centric engineering with a model-based approach while implementing a single source of truth.
MBSE allows design and engineering teams to develop a comprehensive set of models that define, design, and document a system or collection of connected systems while under development. Traditionally, this would have been done through document-centric exercises before testing with physical implementation. MBSE replaces this traditional approach and drives a model-based approach, bringing together a complete view of all connected systems.
These models are then used to test, validate, iterate, and review systems both individually and in the context of each other.
What's the difference between No Magic, Cameo, and CATIA Magic?
In 2018, Dassault Systèmes completed the acquisition of No Magic (the leader in model-based systems engineering, and modeling solutions for software architecture and business processes) to strengthen its foothold in Systems Engineering and in order to facilitate new connected experiences.
The No Magic solutions are integrated into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to develop a best-in-class Model-based System Engineering and System of Systems Engineering solution and offering called CATIA Magic. The CATIA Magic solutions are the most robust and standards-compliant MBSE solutions in the market.
A Complete MBSE Solution
Discover the CATIA Magic Portfolio

Magic System of Systems Architect
The Magic System of Systems Architect package fully supports all the architectural framework, while leading the integration of systems of systems engineering, ensuring that you achieve net-centric success.
Magic Model Analyst
The Magic Model Analyst package is the first industry extendable model execution framework based on OMG fUML and W3C SCXML standards.
This package allows users to virtually predict system behavior and analyze the system for completeness, consistency, traceability, and contradiction checking.
Magic Cyber-Systems Engineer
The Magic Cyber-Systems Engineer package provides smart, robust, and intuitive tools to define, track, and visualize all aspects of systems.
This package enables systems engineers to run engineering analysis for design decisions evaluation and requirements verification.
Magic ALF Analyst
Magic ALF Analyst allows users to create fully executable code using Alf (the Action Language for Foundation UML).
This plug-in provides both a syntax-aware editor for entering and updating Alf code, and a compiler for translating Alf code into fUML activity models.

Magic Software Architect
The Magic Software Architect package facilitates analysis and design of Object Oriented (OO) systems and database and provides the industry's best code engineering mechanism, as well as database schema modeling, DDL generation and reverse engineering facilities.
Magic Real-Time Communication Designer
Our Magic Real-Time Communication Designer is a powerful digital continuity and integration tool for MBSE projects. This package enables engineers to be provided with a common view of the system ensuring a single source of (data) truth across the project.