Issues with Current Product Development Life Cycle Processes
Current product development life cycles and system development life cycles (SDLC) have become inefficient as they have been elaborated for products and systems that had a lesser complexity than the products and systems developed for today's markets, such as more federated systems and components with more simple data interfaces, based on point to point connections rather than complex networks, etc.
New standards imposed by certification authorities, such as SAE ARP4754 A mandate a better documentation of the Product Development Life Cycle and System Development Life Cycle activities and their related artefacts. However, key knowledge tends to be little documented and reside with experienced people
PASE provides an overall approach to optimize the Company Product Development Life Cycle, gearing it to ARP4754 A by improving the Company Product Development Life Cycle processes and building a comprehensive training and coaching environment tailored to the Company's needs.
OEMs
Issues with Current Product Development Life Cycle Processes
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In-house Product Development Life Cycle processes are often convoluted and are not followed by the program teams. They are not kept up-to-date with lessons learned gathered on the latest Programs. They do not support concurrent, multiple Programs.
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They periodically go under costly ‘’Quality Improvement’’ initiatives, which yield little or no tangible results
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They are not compatible with main industry standards, such as SAE ARP4754 A
Services Provided to OEMs
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Analyse existing in-house processes : Improvement Process
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Identify strengths and weaknesses
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Put plan in place to address weaknesses yet build on existing knowledge
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Support plan execution to yield results (Project Management; training; coaching + mentoring)
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Set-up ARP4754 A compliance, based on existing Company processes
Engineering Service Firms
Challenges facing Engineering Firms
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Ready-made solutions not easily adaptable to potential Customers
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Potential Customers not at high enough level of system engineering for ready-made solutions to be efficiently deployed
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Lack of expertise on potential Customers trade
Services provided to Engineering Firms
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Assessment studies of ready-made solutions in regards to Industry needs
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Definition of Progression Plans, adapted to potential Customers’ growth capacity and economical reality
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Experience in niche segments (e.g., compliance with SAE ARP4754 A RTCA DO-178B
System Designers and Developers
Issues with Current System Development Life Cycle Processes
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Existing system development life cycle processes are copy-pasted from Software Engineering and are not geared for multiplicity of system-level requirements. They are regimented processes and become very expensive to follow.
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Synergy between the different Company divisions is difficult to build and there is a wide range of in-house developed processes, difficult to harmonize
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Relationships with customers / OEMS are complex and difficult due to lack of overall processes alignment
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Compliance with new regulations such as SAE ARP4754A is demanding and not cost-effective because regarded as a ''necessary evil'' rather than an opportunity to be more efficient
Services to System Designers: Improving in-house System Development Life Cycle Processes
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Improvement Process to be system-centric rather than driven by rules applicable to software
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Build platforms of knowledge that can be shared across divisions
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Build bridging processes with Customers – system centric approach Upgrade processes to be ARP4754 A compliance
Universities
Challenges facing Universities:
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Industry requires new training / courses on “System Engineering”
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No readily available expertise
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Will to provide such education to stud
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Services Provided to Universities
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Develop, tailor courses and training sessions on “System Engineering’’ - Use PASE as an example
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Provide courses to students (see Curriculum)