Valtech designs and implements processes, methods and techniques for the integrated management of requirements in the entire product lifecycle. Product Lifecycle Requirements Management (PLRM) reduces errors and misunderstandings, ensures consistent maturity level protection, and supports the continuous optimization of development and production processes.
There is a series of different starting points for the successful implementation of PLRM:
- A consistent requirements backbone for the entire product lifecycle
- Integration of requirements and change management over the entire product lifecycle
- Linking of requirements with product and process structures
- Controlling of the degree of coverage and fulfillment of requirements
In different processes, requirements are drafted by different departments and at different levels. As a rule, the development of products and components is shared by a large number of internal and external developers working in parallel. In practice, this leads to coordination and version problems. An integrated and consistent requirements backbone avoids these problems, minimizes cost and effort of coordination, and prevents potential errors.
Figure 1: Universal requirements backbone Every change also formulates a new requirement. Requirement and change management must therefore be understood as an integrative unit. Otherwise, there is a risk that different versions of the requirements catalog – often the contractual basis between the customer and the supplier in the form of a requirements specification – will be used. Changes must be coordinated with the requirements documentation in all development phases and documented there.
Figure 2: Requirements and changes in the product lifecycle
Integrated requirements management offers numerous options: previously isolated product and process structure information can be linked by means of requirements components.
- PLRM thus creates the basis of a more intensive integration of production-relevant requirements in the early phases of development ("frontloading").
- Increased standardization of development solutions reduces development time and costs as well as the time-to-market. The reuse of components or modules is simplified and transparency in the cooperation between development and production is improved.
Defined milestones for the individual project phases form the basis of integrated project controlling in PLRM, such as:
- Concept phase: Is every requirement included in the requirements specification?
- Development: Was the requirement recorded in the supplier’s technical specification?
- Sample: Is the degree of fulfillment of a requirement met?
- Startup: Is the requirements implemented in the production startup?
- ...
PLRM permits the mapping of a closed-loop PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) to control development activity (Figure 3). Development dimensions, configuration/simulation results and test results are balanced against requirements, thus allowing maximum maturation level transparency of product and process.
Figure 3: PDCA for implementing standards in product development
An integrated PLRM concept permits:
- Systematic checks for ensuring transparency and consistency of requirements as a basis of a functioning specification requirements process
- Reuse of requirements, components and modules, "lessons learned" and generation of "best practices"
- Matching of configurations or versions becomes transparent
- Optimization of coordination of development and production processes
- Increased process security thanks to higher quality and traceability of requirements documentation
- Reduction of redundant processes/process loops
Valtech designs efficient processes of requirements and change management and implements effective IT support. Contact us to find out more about the potentials of Product Lifecycle Requirements Management.
Contact us:
automotive@valtech.de