In complex engineering projects, system architecture must become the central reference for all stakeholders: customers, requirements engineers, software and hardware teams, verification and validation specialists, cybersecurity and safety experts, among others. However, each of these actors has different perspectives, needs, and expectations. As a result, the architecture often becomes too complex to be fully understood or effectively used by everyone involved.
One key challenge is integrating the system architecture smoothly into the project lifecycle. Teams must manage change requests, milestones, and various workflows, but architecture models are too often treated as peripheral artifacts, poorly aligned with project governance. With Capella in particular, it remains difficult to embed architecture work in a seamless, project-wide process.
Key Challenges
Several important challenges must be addressed to place architecture at the heart of systems engineering:
Smooth Toolchain Integration: Capella models need to connect easily with the broader systems engineering toolchain, including ALM platforms.
Traceability: It must be easy to trace change requests to specific architectural elements.
Wider Accessibility: While system architects are familiar with Capella, other stakeholders are not. Architecture models must therefore become more accessible to non-experts.
Data Consistency and Trust: If architecture data is outdated or inconsistent, stakeholders will lose trust and revert to working in silos. Breaking down these silos is essential to foster a truly model-based approach to systems engineering.
Proposed Solution
The solution leverages Publication for Capella and OSLC connectors, enabling Capella models to be published on a web server. This makes architecture elements accessible via a simple web interface, with no need for specific Capella installations.
The web interface includes a hierarchical view, detailed semantic information, and OSLC links for easy navigation. These links connect Capella to ALM tools like requirements management systems, issue trackers, and change request platforms. They ensure bidirectional traceability and integration across Capella, the web publication, and external tools.
Key integrations include:
Confluence: Using the Sodius/Willert add-on, Capella diagrams and elements can be embedded in Confluence pages. This approach avoids the need for scripts or manual file sharing, while ensuring that information stays synchronized and up to date thanks to OSLC.
Jira: Capella and Jira are fully interconnected, enabling traceability between model elements and Jira issues. Teams can navigate between the tools and generate traceability reports, supporting rigorous processes, especially in safety-critical systems.
Live Demonstration
The webinar featured a demonstration of how to model a new "Welcome Music" function in the In-Flight Entertainment System using Capella, and manage the associated change process across tools:
An Epic and related tasks were created in Jira.
Requirements, system architecture updates, and documentation were managed collaboratively using Jira and Confluence.
Capella elements and diagrams were embedded into Confluence via the OSLC Connect macro, enabling live previews and direct access to model content.
The new function was modeled in Capella (including codec definitions such as WMA and AAC) and linked back to the Jira issue.
Additional changes, such as codec updates, were captured via new Jira tasks created directly from Capella.
The updated model was published online, with all changes automatically reflected in Confluence, with no manual refresh required.
This demonstration showcased real-time synchronization, seamless navigation, and full traceability between tools using OSLC.
Roadmap
Future development priorities for Publication for Capella include:
Enhanced version control: Support for branches, baselines, and historical comparisons directly within the web interface.
Global configuration: Improved compatibility with IBM’s global configuration to manage model variants.
Model reviews: Online model discussions, reviews, and approval workflows.
The roadmap is customer-driven and subject to change depending on funding and priorities. Similar improvements are planned for Jira and Confluence integrations, including drag-and-drop support and automation flows across tools using OSLC.
Q&A Highlights
Q: Are both cloud and data center versions of Jira and Confluence supported?
A: Currently, Jira Data Center is supported. Jira Cloud has a different architecture and is not yet supported, but this is a high priority on the roadmap.
Q: Is Publication for Capella required to publish information into Jira and Confluence?
A: Yes. Without it, only manual, static copy-pasting is possible. Dynamic publishing and synchronization require Publication for Capella.
Q: Are there limitations on the number or types of Capella elements that can be linked to Jira or Confluence?
A: No. All Capella element types can be associated, and there are no limitations on volume. Performance is optimized to load only visible elements.
Q: Is integration possible between Capella and Jama?
A: Not currently. Jama does not yet support OSLC, but discussions are ongoing. Interested users are encouraged to contact Jama to express demand.
Q: Is OSLC Connect available for Polarion?
A: Yes. Polarion has native OSLC support, unlike Jira and Confluence. No additional plug-ins are needed.
Q: Does the integration support versioning?
A: Yes, versioning is supported. OSLC links point to specific configurations or versions. While Capella currently displays the latest version by default, improvements are underway to support full version navigation and comparison.