As Digital Engineering employs a digital thread with a broad range of interconnected models, it can be difficult to govern linked models across disciplines and contractual boundaries. After an introduction to model governance in this context, the importance of governance is discussed and the relationship to solution debt described. Contributing standards are reviewed, and characteristics of a solution provided. As an example, the ManTech Elastic Model Governance Guide for the digital thread is shown. Key features include: (1) model-based guidance with in-model work instructions; (2) integration of the overall Model Governance System, Digital Engineering Environment infrastructure, individual models, and composite models; (3) scoping of model purpose and resolution of solution debt; (4) automated validation for insight on compliance; (5) customization for flexibility and tailoring. Excerpts from this governance guide are provided and discussed, and next steps are given. Potential model governance research topics are suggested. Integrating model governance practices with additional mechanisms for flexibility, scalability, and automated validation provides robust control over the Digital Engineering ecosystem to enhance the value delivered to customers.

Dr. Heidi Davidz is an Engineering Fellow in the Intelligent Systems Engineering team at ManTech International Corporation where she works to modernize SE practice using model-based, computational technologies. Current emphasis is on process, methods, and governance to span agile to waterfall system development. She serves on the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) Board of Directors as the Deputy Services Director. Previously at Dynetics, she was a Senior Principal Aerospace Engineer for the Human Landing System. At Aerojet Rocketdyne, roles included the Digital Engineering and Model-Based Systems Engineering Lead, SE Discipline Lead, Chief Process SE, and other positions in SE and Test. She earned a Ph.D. in Engineering Systems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University. Current certifications include OCSMP, CSEP, and SAFe 6 SPC, RTE, ARCH.