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Steps

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1. Navigate to the System Elements Space

From the Polarion sidebar, click Design space dashboard, then locate the System Elements section. Click Create System Element or navigate to any existing system element document.

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2. Create a New System Element

Click the ➕ New Work Item button in the toolbar and select System Element from the work item type dropdown.

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3. Define Basic Properties

Fill in the required fields:
  • Title: Use descriptive names following your naming convention (e.g., “AEB System”, “Sensor Housing Assembly”, “Camera Module”)
  • Description: Provide a clear explanation of the element’s purpose, scope, and boundaries
  • Element Type: Select from the hierarchy dropdown:
    • System: Top-level complete automotive system (e.g., “AEB System”)
    • Subsystem: Major functional subsystem (e.g., “Sensor & Housing Subsystem”, “ECU & Processing Subsystem”)
    • Assembly: Physical assembly grouping multiple subassemblies
    • Subassembly: Lower-level assembly within an assembly
    • Component: Individual part or module (e.g., “Camera Module”, “Radar Module”, “System-on-Chip”)
    • Equipment: Manufacturing equipment (for PFMEA contexts only)
Choose the element type carefully—it determines where this element appears in DFMEA hierarchies and which FMEA templates are available. Component-level elements are typically where detailed failure mode analysis occurs.

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4. Assign Hierarchical Relationships

Establish parent-child relationships to build the system decomposition tree:
  1. In the Parent field, select the higher-level system element (e.g., a Component’s parent is a Subsystem)
  2. Use outline numbering to reflect hierarchy (e.g., 1.0 for System, 1.1 for Subsystem, 1.1.1 for Component)
  3. Verify the hierarchy matches your V-model decomposition structure
diagram If system requirements have already been allocated to specific system elements:
  1. Open the Linked Work Items section
  2. Click Add Link → Satisfies
  3. Search for and select the relevant System Requirements
  4. Save the link
This establishes traceability from requirements to architectural elements, supporting ISO 26262 Part 4-5 decomposition workflows.

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6. Set Status and Classification Fields

  • Status: Set to draft, in-review, or approved based on your workflow
  • Classification: If using SC/CC (Special/Critical Characteristics), mark elements that carry safety-critical functions

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7. Save the System Element

Click Save in the toolbar. The system element is now available for:
  • FMEA document creation (as the scope target)
  • Function allocation via PowerSheet
  • Requirements allocation
  • System Structure Navigator visualization

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Common Pitfalls

Don’t assign a Component as parent to a Subsystem—the hierarchy must flow top-down (System → Subsystem → Assembly → Subassembly → Component). Reverse hierarchies break FMEA coverage tracking and RTM expansion logic.
Orphaned system elements (no parent link) won’t appear in the System Structure Navigator hierarchy tree or DFMEA summary reports. Always link elements to their architectural parent unless they are top-level systems.
Avoid reusing the same title at different hierarchy levels (e.g., “ECU” as both a Subsystem and Component). This causes confusion in FMEA scope selection and traceability queries. Use distinct, unambiguous names.

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Verification

You should now see your system element:
  • Listed in the System Elements work item query on the Design space dashboard
  • Available in the System Element dropdown when creating FMEA documents
  • Appearing in the System Structure Navigator report with correct hierarchy level and parent relationships
  • Counted in the Home dashboard statistics under “System Elements”

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See Also