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In this paper, we explore the possibility of reconciling and integrating practical affordance- and function-based design representations. We present a classic function-based design method and representation and argue for the benefits of augmenting it with affordance-based approaches. Building on existing function concept ontologies, we present an integrated approach to developing early-stage design representations. This approach combines the use of affordance and function representations to capture user needs across a device's life cycle. We demonstrate how affordances add rigor and expressiveness to the early stages of traditional design processes, and how traditional function-based tools provide affordance-based design (ABD) with structured methods for concept generation. The integrated approach is illustrated with an example, in which a use case is explicitly decomposed to demonstrate the structure of relationships between users, goals, actions, artifacts, functions, and affordances.

Smart environments can be built by connecting smart devices and control systems, which coexist as an integrated system that supports everyday activities. A digital thread gives the necessary support to introduce smartness in sociotechnological systems. Digital threads are not only useful in the development of these systems, but also to facilitate the development of rich digital models or digital twins, bringing even more smartness to these systems. This chapter discusses how Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) can be applied to design a digital thread of a Traffic Monitoring System (TMS) for a smart city. A TMS aims at increasing traffic safety by monitoring vehicles and pedestrians using road infrastructure, with potential impact on the reduction of environmental pollution and foster economic development. Designing a digital thread for a smart TMS is a challenging task that requires a consistent conceptual modelling approach and an appropriate design methodology supported by integrated tools. SysML (Systems Modeling Language) has been designed to support the specification of socio-technological (cyber-physical) systems like a TMS and gives integrated support to apply MBSE. This chapter shows how SysML can be applied to create a digital thread that defines the traceability between requirements, design, analysis, and testing. This digital thread represents both the physical and virtual entities of the system, enabling the development of digital twins for simulating, testing, monitoring, and/or maintaining the system. SysML is currently being redesigned, and the new SysML v2 aims to offer precise and expressive language capabilities to improve support to system specification,