Validity influenced by scope and limitations

These paragraphs discuss if limitations and the set scope influence the validity of the research results. Limitations are addressed separately based on the set limitations and scope in Chapter 1.4.3: Scope and limitations.

Limitations of the assignment

A full design of a model could be developed – as explained in the first paragraphs of Chapter 1.4.1: Research Directive – for the objective to increase the maturity of PD practices in

companies.

This research contributes to this main aim within the realistic scope of the assignment, by fulfilling a research objective that functions as illustrative starting point contributing to achieving PD maturity optimization. This limitation prevents the research from developing and validating a full model with tangible model results. However, extra value for academy is provided with this limitation since an interesting range of opportunities for future research is identified.

Limitations of the industrial context for application

Industry overall is a very broad scope with many variations and context differences, forming an enormous landscape of possible focus target groups. A PD maturity model design would be applicable on only a very high and abstract level or requires many complex configuration steps

in order to tailor it to specific context variations.

The designed concept models manage to balance required knowledge and specificness of the results while remaining applicable to a big target group. This limitation decreases the size of the target group, which may decrease utilization at first. However, it as well results in the balance between those aspects as unique selling point of the designs, substantiating utilization after further development.

Out-of-scope scenarios include companies that are restricted from choosing PD process structures due to regulations, costs, etc. Furthermore companies that do not develop tangible,

technical products and do not generate value by developing products are excluded in this research. Finally, the company must – in some way – see value in optimizing the maturity of

PD practices.

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This limitation is seen as necessary to accredit and guarantee valuable results for the effort of performing the models. However, not filtering the in-scope and out-of-scope scenarios before performing the models is a major risk and therefore the designs themselves filter the out-of-scope situations with executing the PDMO model and first step of the PDPMA model. As a result – with or without this limitation – the validity of the research is not affected by it and inclusion of the accreditation decision strengthens the concept models compared to existing maturity assessment models.

Fulfilling the highest objective stated in this research can be valuable for any product development project, irrespective of size or industry and especially tailored to e.g. size and industry. The limitation to industrial target groups that create tangible, technical products to create value ensures that effectiveness and efficiency of the PD process has a direct influence

on the value creation of the company and the company success as highest objective. This research focuses on tailoring process structures and identifying effective and efficient optimization targets within the broad target group as stated in Chapter 1.4.3: Scope and limitations. This target group is specified in more detail as first target group of the concept models, but can be enlarged if proven valuable. The designs provide the flexibility to be complemented and expanded as seen fit, resulting in this limitation being a temporary one with little effect on the validity of the research results.

This research scope is limited to only industrial target groups that ensure that the efforts for increasing the maturity of PD practices are worth the benefits. Therefore, industries that

include automotive, one—off or rusted up sectors are not initially included.

However, during the concept design, it proved difficult to limit that target group before performing a maturity assessment. Since some cost-benefit validation is required to select in-scope and out-of-scope target groups, insights for indicating added value in a specific context are required and cannot be achieved before the start of a maturity assessment project. The MTP of the PDPMA model facilitates this function and should filter this selection, although the scope is set. Initially, changeability is shortly mentioned during the scope of this report as important requirement for valuable optimization of PD processes. However, this filter can be included in the design as well. An appropriate location for assessing changeability exists at the start of the second step of the MTP’s stepwise approach (Chapter 4.3.2: MTP Design). Before the stated sequence of ‘2.a’ until ‘2.e’, an extra step can be added stating: “Indicate the changeability of relevant context aspects”. The MTP is designed for filtering on uncertainties, sensitivities and perspectives, but one requirement can be added in the future that includes filtering on changeability. It can be

7.2 Discussion

filtered in the scope – as it initially was – but including changeability in the design enables approaching a larger target group initially – which is beneficial for marketing and utility purposes – and transparent and structured filtering of the target group through the design.

Limitations in included higher organizational influences

The focus of this research is exclusively on the company level in which the PD process is executed. Due to research time restrictions and avoidance of generality of solutions this

limitation was necessary.

The designs deal with this limitation by including higher organizational decisions and perspectives only in the theoretical backbone of the designs, mainly reflected in the components of the PDMO model. Resulting concept models include and leave space for decisions and perspectives from higher objectives but do not address them in detail. Flexibility of including them in more detail in further design iterations is ensured, making the limitation not affect the validity of the research results.

Limitations in the solution domains

For the concept models being utilized, the PDPMA model must include a wide range of existing models and methods for PD process optimization as solution domain and the PDMO model for guiding and structuring maturity optimization projects. For providing a starting point and illustration of the solution domain, only examples and illustrations of (parts of) models and

methods are given, limited to prescriptive engineering models and methods.

This limitation however, does not influence the validity of the research results due to the included and ensured flexibility of the content of the concept models. The used information structuring and visualization methods support complementing and adjusting information, counteracting the limitation of the included solution domains. A focus on prescriptive models remains valid since the unstructured characteristic of descriptive models restricts them from being useful in the context of this research. Since product development practices is mainly seen as an engineering practice, the focus on engineering models seems valid. However – as PD becomes more and more a multidisciplinary team effort – (parts of) models and methods from other disciplines can be implemented easily forming a valuable addition to the solution domain.

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Limitations due to use of existing literature

Literature sources take their limitations with them in this research, causing a risk of subjectivity or imbalances in results. Included company context aspects, limited and focused objectives of maturity assessments and included maturity dimensions and factors can be limited compared

to reality.

Initially, the context aspects as identified by Nieberding (2009) are used to illustrate possibilities for content of this ontology in the PDPMA model. However, the concept model takes into account and requires complementation of information and content. If aspects as identified by Nieberding prove to be insufficient or overdetermined, adjustments can be made easily. During development, process maturity is kept as focus of the solution domain since the concept models aim for process optimization. The models exclusively focus on optimizing the process maturity, but – since context aspects such as people capability and product maturity are included as well as context aspects – increase in people maturity and object maturity can be expected as well. The focus on optimizing process maturity must be predominating, as the names of the concept models indicate. Not much knowledge exists on identifying and structuring maturity dimensions, flexibility of the PDMO model allows and requires revision of that content as well. Sensitivity of the validity of results requires continuous evaluation and validation of content. Transparency, openness and flexibility in content of the designs counteract wrong interpretation of solutions and contributes to objectively discussing and evaluating if limitations affect the validity of the designs. It must be ensured that validation and evaluation of the content is performed regularly for sustainability and reliability of results. As a result, validity of the research results are not affected by these limitations.

Summarizing validity influenced by scope and limitations

Based on previous discussion of the scope and limitations and their influence on the research results, the abstract strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of the research results are stated. Further opportunities for future research and development are discussed in the next chapter (Chapter 7.3: Recommendations).

7.2 Discussion

Strengths:

- The concept models encourage and enable flexible adjustment and complementation of content as seen fit for increased value to the stakeholders. Therefore, the limited target group and solution domains are only temporarily and do not influence validity of the research results.

- The models take into account higher organizational context aspects and higher objectives of the company, counteracting the set limitation of excluding higher organizational influences.

- The risk of invalid results was present concerning out-of-scope filtering based on expected added value before the concept models are performed. Therefore, the designs include this selection and filtering for an accreditation decision of model execution.

Opportunities:

- The research does not present fully developed results, but identifies and contextualizes interesting opportunities for future research.

- It does not include a solution for a complete target group, but balances depth and required knowledge to deliver valuable results to a first limited target group, enabling future developments for enlarging the target group.

Weaknesses:

- Validity of the research results are not affected by limitations of used literature, provided that regular evaluation and validation of content is executed for sustainability and reliability of results. If this is not performed, limitations of used literature might influence validity of the models’ results.