A Systematic Approach to Model Objectives in Predevelopment Projects

This contribution presents a systematic for the elicitation of objectives and the utilization of objectives to identify reference products. The systematic is based on existing meta models. The model of objectives as proposed in this research eases decision-making and outlines the next validation activities. A key success factor is the project transferability between teams, which is often necessary in predevelopment. This is ensured through comprehensibility of objectives which benefits from the linkage between the model of objectives and the knowledge base. The proposed systematic is applied to a predevelopment project which is used as case study. In the case study it has been shown that objectives can be used to identify reference products. The approach is validated in a live-lab setting with seven engineering teams with six graduate students, two engineers of an industrial partner and a research associate. Several workshops were used to train all members of the teams in the systematic. The effects of the systematic are assessed in dedicated interviews, a survey as well as with observation of the engineering teams during milestones and engineering activities between milestones

The Reference System in the Model of PGE: Proposing a Generalized Description of Reference Products and their Interrelations

Samsung recently introduced a new smartphone display with increased breaking resistance, which will probably be relevant for future cars as well. This example shows that subsystems, in general artefacts from former development processes can be relevant for subsequent projects. Their integration has to be planned, i.a. even before the original product is in the market and across branches. The research on supporting methods requires a suitable description model for this phenomenon. Research in design reuse and PGE – product generation engineering addresses this only partially yet. Design reuse focuses on the informational aspect, PGE refers primarily to reference products. This contribution aims at closing this gap as a basis for future research. Two case studies from industry projects by the authors and an example from foresight and product planning show the role of artefacts from former development processes in running projects. It is described which artefacts are used as a reference, why they are used and when. Based on these findings the authors propose the term “reference system” to depict the whole set of artefacts, which serves as a basis for every product development project

Eine Systematik zur situationsadäquaten Mechatroniksystementwicklung durch ASD - Agile Systems Design

Der Prozess der Produktentstehung ist ein Problemlösungsprozess, der durch den kontinuierlichen Umgang von Entwicklerteams mit Unsicherheiten gekennzeichnet ist. Aus diesem Grund implementieren Unternehmen im Bereich der Mechatroniksystementwicklung agile Ansätze in ihre Entwicklungsprozesse, um mit diesen Unsicherheiten adäquat umzugehen, die jedoch aufgrund unterschiedlicher Charakteristika von physischen Produkten in einzelnen Bereichen an ihre Grenzen stoßen. Zudem existieren innerhalb der Entwicklungsprozesse Problemstellungen, die von komplizierter oder einfacher Natur sind und demnach ausreichend planbar sind und durch plangesteuerte Vorgehensweisen lösbar sind. Aus diesem Grund werden im Vorliegenden Beitrag Prinzipien aus der Literatur hergeleitet, die Entwickler in ihrem Handeln in der Mechatroniksystementwicklung unterstützen. Zudem wird ein Modell vorgestellt, das es Entwicklern erlaubt, die Planungsstabilität einzelner Prozesselemente auf unterschiedlichen Prozessebenen einzuschätzen und hierdurch ein situations- und bedarfsgerechtes Maß an agilen Prozesselementen in den Entwicklungsprozess zu implementieren