A meta-model-based approach for configuring customized Product-Service Systems (PSS) design processes

Abstract

Product-Service Systems (PSS) are integrated systems of tangible and intangible elements (i.e., products, services, stakeholders, among others), and they should be designed as such. The complexity of PSS solutions, mainly due to the combination of several elements of different natures, requires teams to handle a meaningful variety and amount of information. Using process models as a reference to structure development projects is a good practice to deal with higher complexity and significant amounts of information. Therefore, the literature proposes several PSS design process models and methodologies. However, rigid process models may hinder creativity and flexibility in the early phases of design, where uncertainty and unpredictability are high. Furthermore, PSS design process models usually lack flexibility and adaptability, not proposing enough guidelines for executing the processes in the companies or for adapting the processes to the context of specific companies and projects. This project aims to propose an approach for configuring customized PSS design processes, focusing on the early design phases. This approach should ensure enough flexibility in configuring the procedural dimension of the PSS design process while supporting practitioners in verifying whether the configured process is complete in the informational aspect (i.e., artifacts and concepts). This requires appropriately establishing the relationships among procedural and informational entities. Therefore, this approach is based on the interconnection of procedural building blocks (i.e., the combination of activities and methods) and the elements of a meta-model (i.e., the combination of artifacts and concepts). This project encompasses proposing the approach mentioned above and developing a prototype computational tool to support it, tested within a case study for efficacy and usability. This approach uses repositories of activities, methods and tools, artifacts, and concepts, which were systematically interconnected within procedural building blocks and a holistic meta-model based on a concept map. (AU)