Towards a Unified Architecture Methodology for Product Service Systems

Abstract

AbstractThere is ongoing digital transformation in many industrial contexts including non‐digital hardware‐intensive domains such as heavy construction equipment machinery. This transformation is augmented by the latest technologies, increasing sustainability regulations, as well as integrated customer needs. This paradigm shift is causing transformation of current product‐centric business models towards complex business models enabled by so‐called Product Service Systems (PSS) offering advanced “capabilities” and “services”. However, the development of PSSs requires a holistic approach to unify underlying solution domains such as mechatronic systems, embedded software control as well as information systems. In this paper, we describe a holistic “unified” architecture description methodology towards aligning the underlying domain‐specific design and development contexts. The framework, developed in construction domain, consists of two main parts: a minimalistic reference model as the “common language” for cross‐functional stakeholder communication; a modeling methodology based on existing standard modeling frameworks. We illustrate the methodology using examples from the construction equipment domain.