Implementing Configuration Management Research Articles

Supporting Vehicle Option Change Management Through a Graph-Based Visualization Tool

When implementing configuration management methods, the amount of data required can be problematic when validating changes to the database. This is especially true for rule-based configuration management techniques. This paper presents a graph visualization tool to assist in validating changes to the rule database. The development and implementation of the tool is presented, along with the execution and results of two user studies designed to test specific aspects of the support tool. The paper then presents how the visualization tool was implemented for four ongoing configuration changes at the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to prove the effectiveness of the tool in assisting in validating configurations changes.

A Critical Examination of Change Control Processes

This paper reviews studies on change control processes in construction to inform future research. It starts by defining and distinguishing change, variations, change orders, change management processes and control. The review then identifies two streams in the existing literature: the first empirically describes change order causes and effects on projects, and the second seeks to develop new models for managing change processes. The review is timely as major construction projects, such as Crossrail, are implementing configuration management principles to manage change. While the extant model-building work by researchers provides a useful starting point for further research, this paper argues that there is important work to do, that is less high-level and more empirically grounded, to examine, test and extend established principles of configuration management.

6.6.3 Lessons Learned from Implementing Configuration Management within Electrical/Electronic Development of an Automotive OEM

AbstractIn the past decade the automotive domain has encountered significant changes within its competitive environment. Automotive OEMs are forced to offer an increased number of variant models, to satisfy individual customer needs as well as constantly introduce innovative features within their products. Electrical/electronic systems play a major role enabling OEMs to address these needs. Development processes for electrical/electronic systems are moving into the focus of automotive companies. However current development approaches for these type of systems within automotive industry are only partially able to cope with the mentioned challenges and yield the necessary, high‐quality systems. Thus automotive OEMs started to restructure their development approaches for electrical/electronic systems and introduce Systems Engineering.This paper is illustrating lessons learned from implementing configuration management within electrical/electronic development as part of an major initiative at a German OEM to introduce Systems Engineering. The initiative is still on its way, therefore the lessons learned are only part of the truth. The paper will start by highlighting the current situation of the automotive industry and point out the future role of electrical/electronic systems for achieving competitive advantage. Based on this background the need for Systems Engineering, especially within electrical/electronic development will be discussed. Configuration management as a part of Systems Engineering processes will be described in general and in its application in an automotive environment. The specifics of configuration management within Electrical/electronic development of an automotive OEM will be highlighted and discussed. Afterwards the paper discusses lessons learned during conception and implementation of the configuration management building blocks into the OEMs organization. Key success factors for introducing configuration management as part of a Systems Engineering initiative into an existing process and organizational landscape are then derived from the lessons learned.

Successfully implementing configuration management

To increase product quality, development efficiency, and enterprise profitability, many organizations are striving to achieve repeatable, engineered software development processes. Effective configuration management is essential to reaching this goal. CM can organize project components and streamline and control software development processes. A fully deployed and integrated CM solution consists of several tools. By carefully designing how CM components fit your processes and how your processes will change as a result of using CM, you can significantly enhance your software quality. We suggest an approach and provide planning and implementation guidelines for a pilot client-server software development project.

Case experience of implementing configuration management in a UK shipbuilding organization

Based on qualitative research and featuring a case-study setting, this paper portrays practical aspects of configuration management (CM) within a project management context. An implementation model is developed, based on TQM concepts, derived from views expressed by a group of senior managers in a UK shipbuilding organization during the design of their own CM system. The concepts of CM and its associated implementation issues are thereby presented in a context which is informative to other managers facing the problems of evolving change in complex projects.

Implementing configuration management policies for distributed applications

The central purpose of this paper is to present a novel framework supporting the specification and the implementation of configuration management policies for distributed applications. The introduced approach is part of a system called PRISMA (A platform for integrated construction and management of distributed applications). It provides an integrated application development environment comprising of a distributed application model, a specification language and several design, implementation and management tools. To reduce management complexity, we introduce a technique which permits the definition of configuration management policies as an integral part of an application specification. A configuration management policy is composed of one or more instantiation rules and termination rules for component creation and termination, and event-driven reconfiguration rules.