Systems ThinkingSystems thinkingA way of thinking that looks at a problem not as a single element but from the perspective of the whole, interconnected system.See all terms
the foundation of everything we do
foundationTo everyone who works to make the world better,we bring the power of AI-based concept design.
Through SELab.AI, an AI-powered concept designConcept designThe stage before a system is built in which its goals, functions and overall structure are decided — the big picture of what to build and how.See all terms automation platform, Systems Engineering Inc. makes Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)MBSEA method that represents a system’s structure, functions and relationships as a digital model and designs and verifies around that model.See all terms easy to practice — and builds a world where anyone, in any field, can put AI to work in their own job.
What is concept design?
What is concept design?
Making something broadly involves two stages: “design” and “implementation.” Design is deciding in advance what to make and how; implementation is actually making it according to those decisions. When building a house, drawing the plans is design, and laying the bricks according to those plans is implementation.
Design itself splits into concept design and detailed designDetailed designThe stage in which the agreed concept and structure are worked out into the concrete functions and components needed for implementation.See all terms. Concept design (blueprint design) decides what to build and why, how to divide the whole into parts, and how those parts connect. Detailed design then decides, on top of that blueprint, the exact specifications and dimensions for actually manufacturing each part. If the direction goes wrong at the concept stage, no amount of good detailed design or implementation can easily undo it — concept design is the stage that decides whether the whole undertaking succeeds.
By field of application, concept design looks like this.
Architecture
The master plan — how many floors, what the spaces are for and how they are arranged — is concept design. Sizing the rebar and routing the plumbing is detailed design.
Automotive
Deciding an electric vehicle’s target range and charging method, and how the battery, motor and controller are configured, is concept design. Finalizing part drawings and materials is detailed design.
Defense & Space
The mission concept for how manned tanks and unmanned aircraft divide and carry out a counter-drone mission is concept design. Fixing sensor specifications and communication protocols is detailed design.
Software
The structural design — which users use which functions, and how the system is divided into services — is concept design. Screen and database design and coding are detailed design.
Policy & Public
Structuring the cause-and-effect between goals, stakeholders and instruments — as in responding to a falling birth rate — is concept design. Setting the budget and rules for each individual program is detailed design.
Global challenges
Tackling humanity’s shared challenges — war, global warming, waste, the widening AI access gap, and how to respond to the emergence of AGI and ASI. Defining the scope of the problem and its stakeholders, and modeling the structure of cause and effect to decide which instruments act where, is concept design. The detailed design of individual policies and institutions is detailed design.
Greater sustainability for the planet and humanityWorldwide consensus built on concept design models of global issues
These global challenges are the most abstract problems of all. Their boundaries are blurry and their stakeholders are many, so they easily end in slogans and declarations. Concept design is the means of turning such a vague problem into a visible model, so that people with different positions can reach workable solutions through concrete, analytical deliberation.
Systems Engineering Inc. automates exactly this concept design stage with AI.
SELab.AI — one platform,
two promises
When AI automates concept designConcept designThe stage before a system is built in which its goals, functions and overall structure are decided — the big picture of what to build and how.See all terms, experts design faster — and everyone can design.
- Systems Thinking
- Foundation technologies — SE technology · AI technology · existing industry technology
- SELab.AI platform — Promise 1: AI-powered MBSE concept design automation; Promise 2: Citizen AI Platform; reference models by industry domain and by service type
- Leading industrial innovation with concept design models for each industry — strengthening high-abstraction concept design capability, and spreading the development and use of concept design models in each specialist field
- Worldwide consensus built on concept design models of global issues — generalizing very-high-abstraction concept design capability, and spreading the modeling and discussion of global issues among middle and high school students, university students, and the general public
- Greater sustainability for the planet and humanity
Through these two promises, SELab.AI drives industrial innovation and global consensus,
building a sustainable future for the planet and humanity.
How it works
Follow the procedure and fill in the templates: the model takes shape and the deliverables are generated automatically.
AI drafts, you review and approve — the final decision is always made by a person.
Process
Follow the concept design procedure
A proven concept design procedure is provided step by step. Advanced users can develop and apply their own concept design process tailored to their organization.
Fill in the template for each step
Each step comes with a template that tells you what to write. Template content is integrated into the metamodel, so filling in the template is equivalent to developing the model. There is no separate modeling tool to learn.
Deliverables are generated automatically
Fill in the templates and the concept design deliverables — concept of operations, stakeholder requirements document, system specification document, architecture artifacts and more — are generated automatically.
AI drafts, you approve
AI assists as you fill in the templates, generating content automatically. Only what you review and approve goes into the model.
Operational scenarios generated → user refines and approves → requirements generated from scenarios → user refines and approves → architecture model generated from scenarios → user refines and approves → analysis results derived and shown on the dashboard → user refines and approves → requirements, specification and architecture deliverables generated → user refines and approves
Analyze the model
Built-in simulation analysis (timeline analysis, resource analysis) is provided, along with integrated analysis linked to external analysis tools.
Review the whole picture on the dashboard
A dashboard that brings the analysis results together lets you judge the validity of the design as a whole.
Five ways to work with us
From consulting and development to training, subscription and on-premise deployment —
services that fit a wide range of industries and business environments.
Concept design
consulting by industry
From space and defense to policy systems
Concept design model
development services
Requirements, architecture and reference model development and delivery
Concept design training
Systems thinking, concept design, Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), applied AI
Platform
subscription
SELab.AI, ready to use on the web
On-premise
platform sales
Deployed inside your infrastructure for secure environments
25 years of expertise, designing a new future
Systems engineering capability built since our founding in 2000 through architecture design across industries
and national core R&D programs.
Adding AI and systems thinkingSystems thinkingA way of thinking that looks at a problem not as a single element but from the perspective of the whole, interconnected system.See all terms, we create sustainable technology and new industrial innovation.
R&D Results
The research and development behind SELab.AI, and its key results.
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