Digital Artifacts: A digital form of information content that a digital engineering ecosystem produces and consumes by generally following the systems engineering life cycle's process areas as defined in ISO 15288. Includes all information content shared between stakeholders to execute the total technical and managerial effort required to transform a set of stakeholder needs, expectations, and constraints into a solution and to support that solution throughout its life.
Digital artifacts provide “data for alternative views to visualize, communicate, and deliver data, information, and knowledge to stakeholders. They include model-based representations of “information that originates and terminates in many forms (e.g. audiovisual, textual, graphical, numerical) and mediums (e.g., electronic, printed, magnetic, optical).” Organization constraints, e.g., infrastructure, interorganizational communications, and distributed project workings, are taken into account. Relevant information item standards and conventions are used according to policy, agreements and legislation constraints”. Includes include data sheets (electronics), databases (software), documents (operator role), and exportable data files (mechanics) and more. (ISO 15288 NOTE in Information Management Process)
Digital Engineering Information Exchange (DEIX): The exchange of digital artifacts between system engineering entities (processes, models, and organizational elements).
PURPOSE
Problem Statement: Despite advances in the digital era, there are significant inefficiencies in cost, schedule, and performance when suppliers and acquirers exchange information following a traditional document-based approach. These same inefficiencies exist within organizations when sharing information across organizational boundaries. This practice of document-based systems information exchange complicates shared understanding and increases technical and programmatic risks.
Opportunity: Leverage new digital technologies, forms of media and means of interaction to provide enriched system representations providing alternative views to visualize, communicate and deliver data, information, and knowledge to stakeholders. Define a set of digital artifacts that improve communication and a shared understanding of essential system information. Identify or provide standard/conventional ways to define, request, offer and exchange information between stakeholders across the full systems life cycle.
DEIX WG aspires to ensure Digital Artifact conventions are transferable between complex systemsbased industries such as aerospace and defense, oil & gas, transportation, automotive, medical and utility industries. Finally, the successful fulfillment of this purpose allows the free flow of digital artifacts between buyers and suppliers throughout a global supply chain. Within INCOSE, this DEIX WG supports the strategic objective to accelerate the Transformation of Systems Engineering to a model based discipline.