Computer Support for Requirements Management in an International Product Development Project
Paper in proceeding, 2004

Requirements management is a challenging task. For complex products, many thousands of requirements need to be managed, i.e. initially set, allocated, changed, verified etc. An approach to solving this problem is to use IT-based requirements management tools. The paper presents an empirical study of the application of such a tool in an international defense material development project through participation in the project team as well as through interviews, with the aim to observe and explain the use and utility of the tool. The requirements management process in the product development project has been mapped out through the adoption of a qualitative system approach, and by using multiple information sources, such as project documentation, interviews and project participation. More specifically, we have identified different actors' needs for tools and information, and the process of introduction, training and utilization of a requirements management tool. The findings are presented, analyzed and discussed with respect to the factors that underlie the observed phenomena. Finally, guidelines are presented for how to introduce requirements management tools in product development projects.

Author

Krister Sutinen

Chalmers, Product and Production Development, Engineering and Industrial Design

Göran Gustafsson

Chalmers, Product and Production Development, Engineering and Industrial Design

Johan Malmqvist

Chalmers, Product and Production Development, Engineering and Industrial Design

2004 ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference; Salt Lake City, UT; United States; 28 September 2004 through 2 October 2004

Vol. 3 189-200
0-7918-4697-0 (ISBN)

Subject Categories

Mechanical Engineering

DOI

10.1115/detc2004-57329

ISBN

0-7918-4697-0

More information

Latest update

7/12/2024