Kristin Paetzold

Approaches for Process Attendant Property Validation of Products

Continuous validation of product functionality must be ensured throughout the development process. In terms of virtual product development, this should be done without physical prototypes, or at least their use should be reduced to a minimum. Simulation methodology is an appropriate device to gain knowledge about real systems through models. A multitude of highly efficient simulation tools for different disciplines is available today. It is still an open question which simulations can be executed at what point in time to really support product development processes in terms of concurrent engineering to reduce the development risk by purposeful and early validation of product functionality.

Network based discrete event analysis for coordination processes in crisis response operations

In this paper we introduce a novel approach to study emerging organizational relations and coordination structures in crisis response operations. We use dynamic modeling methods to analyze operations in conjunction with network analysis to study relationships among coordinating teams. The goal of the research is to produce a model describing evolution of crisis response operation as network based dynamic system. Ultimately, the model should help create different scenarios of cross-organizational collaboration in crisis events to gage effectiveness of crisis response systems. The envisioned research outcome will impact the future design of response plans in crisis management and hopefully contribute to the shift towards decentralized network based response plans.

Challenges of Agile Development: A Cause-and-Effect Analysis

Agile development as an alternative to traditional plan-driven approaches gains rising popularity in both software and non-software industries due to its advantages in dynamic and uncertain environments. Although its implementation challenges are widely explored, interdependencies between them are mostly neglected in recent papers. Practice and academia, therefore, often try to find local optimizations without (a) considering the interdependencies and (b) differentiating between causes and effects. By using the network theory this investigation sets up a directed network containing 241 challenges (nodes) and 360 dependencies (edges) and executes a cause-and-effect analysis. To identify challenges that are most crucial and, thus, of highest importance for future research, the analysis takes each challenges’ (i) degree of being a cause, (ii) impact and (iii) range of influence into account. ‘Granting freedom of action and decision’, ‘integrating agile methods in traditional organizations’ and ‘composing agile teams’ turn out to be the top three challenges.

General purpose modeling and domain specific simulation: A framework for space mechanisms design

The process of writing requirements specifications, designing, developing, and verifying high precision pointing space mechanisms currently relies on a domain specific simulation-centric approach extensively applied since the very early stages of a project. Space mechanisms requirements specifications often are driven by domain specific features, with many significant uncertainties, and requirements conflicts due to the lack of a holistic perspective. Specific domain simulations are run repeatedly under the given conditions. Such a process is highly inefficient for a company that either writes a requirements specification (manages subcontractors) or designs space mechanisms itself. A general purpose modeling method is proposed to accompany domain specific simulation methods. The resulting framework is proposed to be applied to high precision mechanisms of scientific space missions. Survey of the stakeholders and comparison of methodologies during the conceptual identification of the framework foster an object oriented model-based system engineering methodology and the general purpose SysML modeling languages as the basis for the general purpose modeling part of the framework. The domain specific simulation part is based on the implementation of existing tools under the overall supervision of the general purpose models.

Consideration of market-oriented business strategies within the knowledge system of Design for X (DfX)

In modern companies which aim to stay competitive the in-house strategic management plays a big role in directing the daily operations and the decision making. The specifications of the chosen corporate strategy have an affect up to the level of decision finding in the product development process (PDP). Here it is necessary that the development team is conscious about the effects of their decisions in terms of achieving defined and transparent development goals as soon as possible in the PDP. The use of adequate aides that are offered by knowledge systems like “Design for X (DfX)” are very helpful for the developer to accomplish the complex development contexts. In this contribution it is questioned how the specifications of a fixed corporate strategy affect the developers decision finding. Moreover, an approach to derive a DfX-strategy with reference to the prevailing corporate strategy and a new way of data processing is introduced.

Investigating Ergonomics in the Context of Human-Robot Collaboration as a Sociotechnical System

In this publication, we investigate how the term ergonomics could be defined for human-robot collaboration (HRC) as a sociotechnical system (STS). Thus, we compare different definitions of ergonomics and human factors and conclude on a definition suggested for adoption. Moreover, we compile a list of human factors relevant to that context. We conducted this investigation, because HRC is mainly viewed from a technical viewpoint, although the implications of human involvement should not be underestimated. However, ergonomic evaluation of HRC is based on old methods. The main purpose of this publication is therefore to contribute to a foundation for new ergonomic evaluation methods.

CONTINUOUS INTEGRATION OF MODEL VALIDATION INTO PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

The validation of product properties is a necessary part of the product development process. Consequently, methods and models used therefor have to be validated itself in order to produce reliable results. This paper describes and exemplarily implements a process model that integrates model validation into product development. The CPM/PDD approach according to Weber (2005) provides the basic process model and the modeling procedure is based on VDI 2006 (2004) and ASME V&V 10 (2006). The focus of the introduced process model is on continuous integration, consistency of data and knowledge storage.

ASSESSING USER NEEDS BY EXPLORING DAILY ACTIONS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN THEIR HOME ENVIRONMENT IN CHILE

Despite their increasing need for assistance, technical assistance systems for the elderly often fail. The aim of this study is to investigate the human-technology interaction in the everyday life of older Chileans. It focuses on household technology, which subsumes technical devices that are used to simplify and manage daily routine. The aim of the investigation is to identify the technology used and the usage practices. By conducting interviews with observational parts, some special characteristics of the target group are revealed and general implications for product development are derived.

Trade-Off for Space Mechanisms Actuator Technology via a General Purpose Language and Domain Specific Simulations Framework

A trade-off to choose actuator technologies for a mechatronics system like a space mechanism should reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the problem. Budget limits shrink the level of effort affordable by a proposal team. A general purpose (SysML) and domain specific (Matlab/Simulink) modelling framework applied to the case of a compensation mechanism for a space mission, brings the system engineer to embrace multidisciplinary requirements within the assessment of the space of solutions, within an amount of time comparable to the time spent for a trade-off based on monodisciplinary considerations and/or engineering judgement only.

Integration of Systems Engineering Approach in Product-Lifecycle-Management by Means of a Mechatronic System

To achieve the full potential of PLM in Systems Engineering tools especially in view of the system’s complexity in industries such as the consumer industry a clear understanding of how best to use such systems is important to product development activities. Systems Engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how to design and manage complex engineering systems over their life cycles. Issues such as reliability, logistics, coordination of different teams (requirements management), evaluation measurements, and other disciplines become more difficult when dealing with large or complex projects. Systems Engineering deals with work-processes, optimization methods and tools in such projects. It overlaps technical and human-centered disciplines such as control engineering, industrial engineering, organizational studies, and project management. Systems Engineering ensures that all likely aspects of a project or system are considered, and integrated into a whole. After a short introduction, this paper, which is based on the results of the accomplished descriptive study and literature survey of the Design Research Methodology according to Blessing and Chakrabarti, presents a generic integrated approach of System Driven Product Development (SDPD) and demonstrates the general requirements of a generic integrated approach during the Engineering Design of Systems. The second section presents a new approach of Systems Engineering, which is based on SDPD and will explain the different phases and sub-phases of the developed approach. By means of designing an electric skateboard the different phases of the developed generic integrated approach will be demonstrated and presented. Section three will discuss the results of the Prescriptive Study and address the most important issues. In general, this paper presents the Prescriptive Phase of the Design Research Methodology.