Use case of providing decision support for product developers in product improvement processes

Abstract

Industrial goods like pumps, engines, and gears are subject of cyclical improvements. An important input for such product updates is information from the use phase, especially information about failures that occurred during the use of current products. In a current research project the authors have developed a concept and a prototype for a Feedback Assistant System. The first realized modules of this assistant provide filtered and condensed product use information to the product developer. The paper in hands presents an extended concept and use case to assist the product developer in choosing the most suitable alternative in product improvement processes. The decisions are based on hard facts using diverse criteria.