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The main assumption is that complicated systems, such as cyber-physical systems (CPSs), can be modelled by specific compositions of system manifestation features (SMFs). SMFs are regarded as architectural domains of a system having significance from an operational viewpoint. As system modelling entities, SMFs represent both physical and computing transformations of domains. Based on mereo-operandi theory (MOT), a computational framework for using SMFs in pre-embodiment design of CPSs is proposed. MOT offers a theoretical platform for concurrent modelling of architectural elements and their operations. The traditional ‘application feature technology’ has been generalised in order to provide a methodological basis. The computational formalisation captures state transitions and input/output streams, in addition to spatiotemporal, physical and/or computational attributes of domains. Domain transformations are represented by flows of operation (FoOs) that consist of time-sequenced and logically constrained sets of units of operations (UoOs), and processed by various computational methods as procedures. The domains of SMFs are aggregated into a feasible architecture, and their UoOs are combined into FoOs. An application case is used to explain the concepts and to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed approach. Further research will focus on implementation of an SMFs-based pre-embodiment design system and testing its feasibility and usability with designers of CPSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]