Modeling is an important contribution to dealing with complexity in development and engineering processes. A model is a generalized representation of a piece of reality, with only those real‐world properties included which are relevant to the purpose of modelling. Models don’t remove the complexity of the real world but help to understand it and to design and develop solutions. All articles in this issue are in some respect concerned with models or modelling. The articles in this issue also reflect recent trends in industry and society, such as digitization and industry 4.0, and show that these trends will not necessarily reduce complexity in systems but rather require the combination of proven approaches, such as modelling, and new methods for managing this complexity.