The systems engineering of some systems often involves challenging modelling activity (MA). MA presents challenges, which include understanding the context in which it takes place, understanding and managing its impacts on the life cycles of the models it produces. In this paper, we propose a methodology and its underpinning framework for addressing these challenges and for coping with the operation of MA. The first step in our methodology is to characterize MA as a federation of systems. It then consists in iteratively building a system architecture by modelling the models produced by MA and their expected life cycles, modelling the various tasks that constitute MA, and modelling the effects of MA on these life cycles. It then makes it possible to specify expectations over these life cycles and to analyse models of MA in relation to expectations, to check how far expectations are achievable and to synthesize the acceptable behaviours of the system. Finally, a use of the results of this analysis may provide insightful data on how the system is end-to-end operated and how it might behave. On the basis of this information, informed decisions may be made to act on the logistics of MA. The hypotheses, theoretical foundations, the models, the algorithms and perspectives relating to the proposed methodology and its underpinning framework are all presented and discussed.