Context. Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are important aspects which directly or indirectly determine whether a product is a success or a failure. It becomes essential to incorporate and understand them, before the software product enters the development phase. Despite the increasing emphasis put into NFR studies (namely; models and frameworks etc.) over the past few years, most industries prefer not use these techniques or to deal with NFRs later, in simpler manners. This could limit the efficiency of the development process. Integration of the existing NFR models/frameworks into the earlier phases of the product life cycle can provide a systematic approach to plan and anticipate NFRs for any software product. Objectives. This study aims to provide a generic meta model which acts as a compilation of the best NFR models/frameworks integrated into the early phases of the software product life cycle. This study also provides a real-world example which applies the conceptual meta model. Lastly, the meta model undergoes some limited validation to determine its relevance to what is being used and the extent of its practical use. Methods. Initially, a systematic literature review (snowballing) was conducted, to identify the different types of NFR models/frameworks. A comparative pro-con analysis was performed on the results of the SLR, which was the basis of the inclusion criteria for the meta model. The conceptual meta model was developed based on the International Software Product Management Association’s (ISPMA) definition of a product life cycle. Each phase of this meta model was imbedded with an NFR model/framework associated to the purpose of that phase and the results from the SLR. The application of the meta model was then demonstrated using a mobile phone example. Finally, the meta model was validated limitedly via an exploratory survey and the results were analyzed. Results. The meta model introduced can be used for the constructive inclusion of NFRs from product inception to product development. All phases required for the fulfillment of an NFR, are included. The overall positive feedback of the meta model is at 67%. Validations and assessments by practitioners helped determine to some extent that some industries are open to using the approach. Keeping in mind most of the available models on NFRs have not been validated, the NFR works used in this research have gone through some preliminary validation in this study. Conclusions. The study promotes the use of NFR models in the early phases of the software product life cycle. Some of the best modeling techniques were included based on results of literature analysis and their capability to fit into each phase. This study also analyzed the various insights of practitioners and researchers, justifying the significance of modeling, and the proposed technique. Possible extensions to this research were also mentioned.

No description available.

Abstract The objective of this thesis is to demonstrate a design to profit procedure and its implementation in industrial case environment. The procedure is demonstrated as a way to improve profits in a global company. The essential elements of the procedure are product business case calculations and profit consciousness of employees. This study utilizes a combination of product life cycle analysis, advanced costing methods and multidimensional data processing for the product business case calculations. The combination is necessary for solving the research task. The need of proactive design is emphasized in the telecommunications industry due to shorter and shorter product life cycles. However, traditional accounting methods do not support proactive design work sufficiently during the life cycle of the products. The design to profit procedure has been created to help business managers to solve following problems: 1. How to proactively ensure the growth of business profits in the future? 2. How to prevent suboptimal decisions from being made in functional units and to promote overall profitability? 3. How to judge the profitability of new product programs within a company? 4. How can we ensure an adequate level of cost consciousness and profitability-driven targets for the company's key employees? This study presents and discusses the construction of the procedure and describes its elements, implementation and use in practice. The argumentation is illustrated by case studies. This method has benefits, especially when the product life cycles are short and the market competition strong. The design to profit procedure is a proactive mind set or thinking pattern. This system makes the employees aware of the importance target profitability and especially target costing. There is no decision support system that could guarantee the profitability of business. Cautious utilization of the system results and common sense are required to achieve continuous growth of business profits.

Aus der Einführung: "Die Informationstechnik ist seit den Anfängen von CAD vor ca. 50 Jahren ein wesentlicher Impulsgeber für die Produktentwicklung und hat maßgeblichen Anteil an Prozessinnovationen wie dem Global Engineering oder der Digitalen Fabrik. Längst geht es aber heute nicht mehr allein um die Geometriebeschreibung zukünftiger Produkte, sondern um die möglichst umfassende Begleitung und Ergänzung des realen Produkts durch das virtuelle Produkt: von der ersten Idee bis zum Recycling. Die umfassende Vision des virtuellen Produkts als Pendant zum realen Produkt (Spur & Krause 1997) ist untrennbar mit dem Fortschritt der Informationstechnologie verbunden."

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (PhD (Food Science))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Food Science / unrestricted

<p>U okviru predmetne disertacije izvršena je detaljna analiza razvijenih<br />modela za procenu i upravljanje troškovima životnog ciklusa proizvoda<br />i istaknut značaj upravljanja ovim troškovima u fazi razvoja proizvoda.<br />Životni ciklus proizvoda definisan je fazama razvoja, proizvodnje,<br />upotrebe i reciklaže, sa odgovarajućim aktivnostima, kao uzročnicima<br />troškova. Za ovako definisani životni ciklus razvijen je hibridni<br />model upravljanja troškovima životnog ciklusa u fazi razvoja<br />proizvoda. Procena troškova životnog ciklusa novog proizvoda u ovom<br />modelu vrši se primenom fazi neuronskih mreža, dok se upravljanje<br />troškovima vrši razvojem konstrukcije u fazi konceptualnog i<br />preliminarnog razvoja dizajna novog proizvoda i usvajanjem procesa<br />proizvodnje koja obezbeđuje ciljne troškove i konkurentnost proizvoda na<br />tržištu u pogledu troškova upotrebe i pogodnosti za reciklažu.</p> / <p>In the context of this thesis, a detailed analysis of the developed models for<br />assessing and managing the life cycle costs of products and highlighted the<br />importance of managing these costs in the product development phase.<br />The life cycle of a product is defined stages of development, production, use<br />and recycling, with appropriate activities as cost drivers. For such a defined<br />life cycle model developed hybrid life cycle cost management in the product<br />development phase. Assessment of life cycle costs of a new product in this<br />model is made with fuzzy neural network, while managing costs is performed<br />at the stage of construction, development of conceptual and preliminary<br />design development of new products and the adoption of production<br />processes that ensures the target costs and the competitiveness of products<br />in the market in terms of cost and use facilities for recycling.</p>

Orientador: Sandro Donnini Mancini / Coorientador: Bruno Fernando Gianelli / Banca: Diogo Aparecido Lopes Silva / Banca: Gerson Araújo de Medeiros / Banca: Ricardo Gabbay de Souza / Banca: Michel Xocaira Paes / Resumo: Neste trabalho foi realizada a Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV) do processo de logística reversa da destinação de embalagens vazias de agrotóxicos empregado atualmente no Brasil. Esse procedimento apresenta um fluxo que se inicia na entrega das embalagens, após o uso, em postos de recebimento que encaminham a unidade maiores, denominadas centrais que, por sua vez, remetem os invólucros a incineradoras e recicladoras associadas ao órgão que administra o processo. Para avaliar esse procedimento, inicialmente, foi realizada uma ACV da fronteira final do sistema. Para tal foram utilizados dados de quantidade de embalagens destinadas, por tipo, e quantidade de viagens realizadas entre centrais e destinadoras, nos anos de 2014, 2015, 2016 e 2017 de quatro unidades de recebimento, localizadas nas cidades de: Capão do Leão/RS, Ituverava/SP, Piedade/SP e Piracicaba/SP. O método utilizado foi o Midpoint (H)/World ReCiPe H/H (2016). Nesse primeiro momento foram simulados o cenário atual e outros cenários com tratamentos diferentes dispensados às embalagens. Os resultados mostraram que as distâncias percorridas entre centrais e destinadoras prejudicam substancialmente o objetivo inicial do processo de redução de impactos ambientais. Um cenário em que são utilizadas recicladoras e incineradoras mais próximas às centrais foi capaz de reduzir os impactos ambientais em todas as categorias estudadas, para todos os anos e unidades de recebimento, atingindo, por exemplo, na central de Capão do ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In this thesis it was carried out the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the reverse logistics processes for the destination of empty agrochemical containers currently employed in Brazil. This procedure was created to reduce environmental damager and the process flow starts from the delivery of packages, after use, at the receiving stations that send them to larger units, called plants. In turn, they send the casings to the incinerators and recyclers associated to the body that administers the process. In order to evaluate this procedure, initially a LCA of the final frontier of the system was performed. For this purpose, we used data on the number of packages destined, by type and number of trips made between central and destination, in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 of four reception units located in the cities of: Capão do Leão / RS, Ituverava / SP, Piedade / SP and Piracicaba / SP. The method used was Midpoint (H) / World ReCiPe H / H (2016). In this first moment the current scenario and other scenarios with different treatments to the packages were simulated. The results showed that the distances traveled between centrals and destinantions substantially undermine the initial objective of the process of reducing environmental impacts. A scenario with recyclers and incinerators closer to the plants, was able to reduce environmental impacts in all categories studied, considering all the years and receiving units, reaching, for example, the Capão do Leão plant - the farthest one amon... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Industry is facing the challenge of increasing product complexity while at the same time reducing cost and time in a highly competitive global market. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Systems Engineering have the potential to help companies avoid costly product development and launching, as well as failure during use; these two concepts not only share many common characteristics, but also complement each other. PLM provides an information management system that can seamlessly integrate enterprise data, business processes, business systems and, ultimately, people throughout all phases of the product lifecycle. Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary approach to designing, implementing, evaluating, and managing the complex human-made systems over their life cycle. The same underlying methods that improve management of products and services can be used to organize the framework in which PLM systems are implemented, integrated, and evolved. Though several studies have indicated that adopting Systems Engineering with PLM brings many benefits for industries, implementation of PLM based Systems Engineering with PLM has rarely been conducted. Pattern-Based Systems Engineering (PBSE), a form of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) based on the use of Systematic Metamodel (S* Metamodel), represents a family of manufacturing system, and is used in the life cycle processes of ISO 15288, was implemented here using TEAMCENTER® PLM software as the platform. More specifically, we have implemented the key portion of the General Production Pattern based on S* Metamodel, and demonstrated the benefit through the manufacturing of oil filter case study. The above implementation have resulted in a powerful systems engineering model in PLM that leverages the capabilities of Teamcenter, to enable an enhanced systems engineering approach. Benefits brought to systems engineering practice include: the ability to capture and reflect stakeholders' requirements and changes in product design process promptly and accurately; the ability of systems engineers to create models quickly and prevent mistakes during modeling; the ability of systems engineers to do their job much easily by using reusable and reconfigurable models; the ability to re-use of previous designs in a new process.

No description available.

The worldwide technological explosion has dramatically changed the basis of international competition. The accelerated rate of change in product engineering and process technology has led to decreasing product life cycles and made equipment obsolescence a primary concern to U.S. manufacturers. Researchers in academia, industry, and the government have unanimously agreed on the primary role that the investment in advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT, eg., Flexible Manufacturing Systems) can play in meeting the challenges of the new global business environment. However, U.S. manufacturing technology is still lagging far behind U.S. innovation , and many U.S. firms are practically unable to justify the needed modernization. Many authors have written about the necessity to account for strategic, long-term benefits associated with acquiring new AMT’s in order for U.S. manufacturers to justify more easily, and more realistically, their investment decisions. However, most of these authors have overlooked the fact that the decision to acquire a new AMT is most likely to displace existing resources, and that unless manufacturers are offered a tool to evaluate the impact of abandoning obsolete or less-than-profitable products and/or processes and justify such a decision, the needed modernization process will continue to be hindered. The objective of this research is bifold. First, the product/process abandonment problem is reformulated from a new perspective which is congruent with the requirements of the new global business environment. And second, a global decision model (GDM) incorporating the product abandonment option into the company’s overall strategic planning and control system is developed which seeks to help U.S. manufacturers make world-class capital expenditure decisions. To this end, an extensive taxonomic analysis was first conducted to investigate the product abandonment analysis topic as treated in the literature of engineering economy, financial management, management accounting, marketing, strategic management, and corporate organizational and behavioral sciences. The product abandonment problem is then reformulated in view of both the strengths and shortcomings of traditional models and the requirements of the new business environment. Finally, the developed solution methodology is described, implemented as a computer program, and illustrated through an actual case-study. The GDM is governed by an abandonment algorithm and a multi-attribute decision module (MADM) which are interfaced in a highly interactive mode. The proposed abandonment algorithm uses a recursive dynamic programming search method to determine at each decision point in the project life cycle whether it is more profitable to abandon a product or to continue its operations for one more time period. The MADM translates various strategic objectives of the company, financial and non-financial, into quantifiable performance measures and ranks alternative improvement portfolios. Production simulation techniques and activity-based costing (ABC) are suggested to collect the needed input data for the model. Preference ordering theory is used to account for management’s attitude toward risk and make trade-offs between project profitability and riskiness. Once a course of action is selected, its performance must be continuously monitored and controlled in view of pre-specified strategic performance targets. The results obtained from the analysis of the case study confirmed the economic validity of the philosophy underlying the developed solution methodology as well as the ease of application of such a methodology to a wide range of real-life problems. They also demonstrated the benefits that a company can forgo by ignoring the abandonment option throughout the product life cycle. In conclusion, the developed model is believed to be a sophisticated, yet practical, tool which can help engineering managers reach more informed, and therefore more competitive, decisions about their firms’ portfolio of products. Furthermore, pertinent recommendations were made to direct future research regarding this subject matter. / Ph. D.