Assertive Communication in MBSE Teams: Addressing Challenges and Speaking Up Across Disciplines

In the context of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), effective communication is not just helpful—it is essential. MBSE demands close collaboration across disciplines, from systems engineers to software, mechanical, and mission experts. Each team brings specialized knowledge, but also different terminologies, assumptions, and goals. This complexity makes it especially challenging to address misunderstandings, raise concerns, or ask critical questions early—yet these conversations are vital to avoid costly misalignments down the line.

This interactive workshop provides a space to explore the communication challenges that are typical in MBSE environments, especially when dealing with conflicting requirements, design trade-offs, or incomplete models. Participants will reflect on the emotional and organizational barriers that can prevent people from speaking up and learn how to navigate these situations constructively.

The focus is on assertive communication—the ability to express needs and boundaries clearly and respectfully. Assertiveness helps individuals avoid passive silence or aggressive escalation, enabling faster decision-making, better integration of stakeholder input, and more resilient team dynamics.

Participants will:

• Identify typical MBSE scenarios where communication breaks down or becomes uncomfortable

• Understand why speaking up can feel risky in technical and hierarchical contexts

• Learn and apply assertive communication tools tailored to MBSE workflows

• Practice with examples drawn from real aerospace projects and interdisciplinary reviews

This workshop is ideal for engineers, architects, and technical leads who work in MBSE teams and want to contribute to a solution-oriented, transparent, and trust-based team culture. Assertive communication doesn’t just improve personal interactions—it directly supports the quality, agility, and integration power that MBSE is designed to deliver.