A multi-perspective approach for the design of Product Configuration Systems - an evaluation of industry applications

This article presents a suggested procedure for modelling and implementation of product configuration systems. The procedure has been applied in several industrial companies. The procedure comprises: • Analysis of the business processes to be supported by a product configuration system. Furthermore, a de-marcation and definition of the configuration system to be designed. • Analysis and modelling of the part of the company’s product assortment which is to be included in the con-figuration system. • Selection of configuration software and programming of the configuration system. • Implementation of the configuration system. • Operations, maintenance and further development of the configuration system. The procedure has been developed on the basis of the general methods for modelling IT-systems (UML) as well as on the theory for modelling technical systems and theory for the development of business processes. The procedure or certain parts of the procedure have currently been tested and further developed in cooperation with a number of industrial companies including F.L.Smidth, American Power Conversion (APC), Aalborg industries, NEG-Micon, GEA-Niro and IBM-SMS. This paper presents the experiences gained from 4 of these industrial companies which have applied the procedure. Based upon this experience the utility of the method is evaluated, and sugges-tions/ideas as to a further development of the method, e.g. as regards the integration of organisational and economical problems are collected.