Learning from the lifecycle: The current capabilities and limitations of product lifecycle practice and systems

Design teams within the High Value Low Volume (HVLV) industry are facing ever-increasing challenges in developing new products. This has been largely due to the paradigm shift towards Product Service Systems, the growing importance of demonstrating Corporate Social Responsibility and stricter environmental legislation. With the variant nature of the design process within the HVLV industry and the longevity of the product life-cycles, it is recognised that learning from previous products is essential for new product innovation and development. The ability to do this depends upon the company’s product lifecycle practice and systems, and its inherent capability/limitations. To explore these issues, this paper maps typical data and information flow and the Information Systems involved, onto a generalised product lifecycle for HVLV. The map is generated from an extensive literature review and is used to critically appraise and reflect upon current product data lifecycle practice. In particular, its capability to provide design teams in the HVLV industries with sufficient data and information throughout the lifecycle phases of existing products to inform variant product design is considered.