An objective approach for identifying the strategic components of a PDM system

This paper proposes an expert system that incorporates QFD (quality function deployment) methodology for the identification of the strategic components of a company for a PDM (product data management) system. A PDM system helps a company in carrying out its collaborative product development activities by providing a platform, through which information can be shared. It also helps in managing the different activities involved in the product development process. The use of QFD methodology in an expert system rationalises the process of identifying the strategic components of a PDM system for a successful collaborative product development strategy. In the proposed approach the PDM requirements are directly correlated with the PDM functions. This helps in prioritising the PDM components/functions and in providing a transparent way of understanding the correlation between the PDM requirements and the PDM components/functions. The use of expert system overcomes the complexities associated with QFD methodology.