BLACKSBURG, Va., Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zuken Vitech, a leading provider of model-based systems engineering (MBSE) solutions, today announced the release of Sidekick v1.1, a major advancement to its collaborative review and task execution platform. Sidekick v1.1 builds on the product’s mission to break down communication barriers across engineering teams by making MBSE more accessible, actionable, and collaborative for both modelers and non-modelers alike.
Sidekick v1.1 introduces a set of powerful enhancements designed to streamline shared task ownership, deepen contextual understanding of models, and improve participation across distributed teams. These improvements help organizations accelerate reviews, improve decision quality, and keep complex engineering efforts aligned.
“Engineering challenges today are rarely technical alone - they’re collaborative,” said Brian Selvy, President and CEO of Zuken Vitech. “With Sidekick v1.1, we’re making it easier for teams to work together around the system model, regardless of role or background. This release reinforces our commitment to breaking down silos and enabling clear, effective communication across the entire engineering lifecycle.”
What’s New in Sidekick v1.1
Sidekick v1.1 introduces a series of usability and collaboration improvements designed to reflect how real engineering teams work. Teams can now share task ownership across multiple users, streamlining review setup and enabling joint execution of review activities. Enhancements to diagram interaction provide greater visibility into model details and alternate views directly within the review workflow, improving understanding without disrupting focus.
The release also strengthens collaboration through more active participation in conversations and a more intuitive landing page experience that immediately connects users, especially non-modelers, to their assigned work. Together, these updates reduce friction, improve clarity, and help keep reviews moving forward.
“Sidekick v1.1 is about further removing barriers, whether they exist between people, roles, or tools,” said Daniel Nguyen, Principal Product Manager for Sidekick. “By making collaboration more natural and context more accessible, we’re helping teams engage earlier, stay aligned, and get more value from MBSE.”
Empowering Broader Participation in MBSE
By lowering the barrier to entry for stakeholders outside of systems engineering roles, Sidekick v1.1 helps organizations fully realize the promise of MBSE. Teams can engage earlier, collaborate more effectively, and make decisions with greater confidence, all while staying connected to the authoritative system model.
Sidekick v1.1 is available immediately for existing customers.
To learn more or request a demonstration, visit www.vitechcorp.com/sidekick.
About Zuken Vitech
Headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, Zuken Vitech delivers advanced MBSE solutions that help organizations model, analyze, and manage complex systems from concept through realization. With its GENESYS MBSE platform, Sidekick collaboration and review platform, and expert services, Zuken Vitech serves customers across aerospace, defense, automotive, healthcare, and many other high-tech industries.
Media Contact:
Courtland Erickson
Director of Marketing
Zuken Vitech
media@vitechcorp.com
