尽管这令人激动，但它也进一步提高了复杂性，使产品开发比以往更具挑战性。由机械组件、电子元件和软件组成的复杂系统必须无缝协同工作。要成功管理这种复杂性，公司需要进行特殊系统工程设计实践。不重视改善系统工程设计流程的公司面临业务受到负面影响的风险。在我们通过 Tech-Clarity 进行的调查“开发软件密集型产品：解决创新复杂性难题”中，我们询问了一些公司使用嵌入式软件开发产品的体验。图 1 显示了他们受到的负面业务影响。
Tech-Clarity 的调查发现，42% 的制造商报告表明设计的重复使用是其重要系统工程设计更改之一。重复使用很重要，因为它能节省设计、开发和测试时间。此外，重复使用经过验证的组件、子系统和数字资产将减少出错的风险。难题在于，系统复杂性和相互依赖性使您很难确定可重复使用的项。MBSE 支持开发系统的模块化方法。当使用模块化系统时，系统将被分为几个较小的“部分”。这些较小的部分会更容易在其他系统中重复使用。随着设计的进展，也更容易隔离小部分，从而可以单独验证它们以更快地捕获问题。Michelle Boucher is the Vice President of Research for Engineering Practices for research firm Tech-Clarity. Ms. Boucher has spent over 20 years in various roles in engineering, marketing, management, and as an analyst. She has broad experience with topics such as product design, simulation, systems engineering, mechatronics, embedded systems, PCB design, additive manufacturing, improving product performance, process improvement, and mass customization. She graduated magna cum laude with an MBA from Babson College and earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering, with distinction, from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Ms. Boucher began her career holding various roles as a mechanical engineer at Pratt & Whitney and KONA (now Synventive Molding Solutions). She then spent over 10 years at PTC, a leading MCAD and PLM solution provider. While at PTC, she developed a deep understanding of end user needs through roles in technical support, management, and product marketing. She worked in technical marketing at Moldflow Corporation (acquired by Autodesk), the market leader in injection molding simulation. Here she was instrumental in developing product positioning and go-to-market messages. Ms. Boucher then joined Aberdeen Group and covered product innovation, product development, and engineering processes, eventually running the Product Innovation and Engineering practice.
Ms. Boucher is an experienced researcher and author. She has benchmarked over 7000 product development professionals and published over 90 reports on product development best practices. She focuses on helping companies manage the complexity of today’s products, markets, design environments, and value chains to achieve higher profitability.