Mapping Platform Transformations

Abstract

Technology insertion provides the means to proactively sustain and enhance the functionality and associated performance levels of legacy product platforms. It aims to deliver in-service technological innovations in response to the need for new capabilities that address emerging threats, obsolescence concerns and affordability issues. Platform modernisation via technology insertion is an interaction between the three principal stakeholders of end-user, acquisition authority and product-service system provider. To bring these three groups together for the vision setting and planning activities, a transformation mapping approach has been developed. It requires the participants to populate three visual templates that respectively map the future strategic context, the portfolio/fleet of complex product platforms and the key functional systems that generate utility. The adoption of this approach provides the ability to outline future capability requirements, determine product development options, and align these with the associated technology upgrade paths against the time dimension. To illustrate the implementation of the method, a case study from the defence industry is employed to depict the typical outputs that can be generated.