Title: Ontology-grounded validation methodology for innovative automobile development projects

Authors: Mohanad El-Haji; Thomas Freudenmann; Frank Gauterin; Albert Albers

Addresses: Institute of Vehicle System Technology (FAST), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Rintheimer Querallee 2, Building 70.04, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany ' IPEK – Institute of Product Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstrasse 10, Building 10.23, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany ' Institute of Vehicle System Technology (FAST), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Rintheimer Querallee 2, Building 70.04, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany ' IPEK – Institute of Product Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstrasse 10, Building 10.23, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany

Abstract: The development of innovative products is characterised by considerable uncertainty regarding the optimal future product properties. Reducing this uncertainty, providing the basis for purposeful decision-making and consequently increasing the chances of market success, are the objectives of validation. This article introduces a methodology that aims to support product developers in sourcing, handling and exchanging the large amount of information needed for anticipating the usage of the future product by its customers. Furthermore, all information used during validation is integrated into the respective context of validation activities. This increases the quality of decisions by supporting the development of a common understanding in the project team; moreover, decision processes are made comprehensible and reconstructible which enables the generation of an organisational knowledge base. This article is written from a perspective of automobile development. However, the methodology is applicable to any other complex product for which validation has to be conducted.

Keywords: product development; automobile industry; automotive development; product innovation; vehicle design; methodical validation; context specific engineering; engineering metaprocesses; metamodelling; validation formalisation; information management; uncertainty; knowledge management; ontology; decision making; complex products.

DOI: 10.1504/IJITM.2014.060311

International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2014 Vol.13 No.2/3, pp.108 - 133

Received: 13 Nov 2012
Accepted: 18 Sep 2013

Published online: 10 May 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article