Towards a Capability Framework for Systems Architecting and Technology Strategy
Year: 2014
Editor: Marle, F.; Jankovic, M.; Maurer, M.; Schmidt, D. M.; Lindemann, U.
Author: Hein, M., A.; Metsker, Y.; Sturm, J. C.
Series: DSM
Section: System Architecture and Product Modularity
Page(s): 43-54
Abstract
Capabilities and competencies play a vital role in developing technologies and systems. They have been extensively treated in the strategic management literature. Yet, the existing system architecting and product development literature does not seem to have considered them. This paper provides a first step towards aligning system architecting with capability assessment and development. First, the existing literature on capabilities is assessed and approaches for measuring capabilities introduced. Next, design structure matrices and multi domain matrices are used for modeling capabilities and their relationships to strategies and systems planned to be developed. Finally, a capability assessment method is presented and used for an actual liquid rocket engine project, based on additive manufacturing. The results from the case study show the applicability of the framework to an innovative project, oriented towards capability development.
Keywords: technology strategy, strategic management, competency, capability, product architecture, design structure matrix, multi domain matrix