Introduction of the ALM tool solution Polarion taking into consideration Automotive SPICE®

Challenge

A market leader (supplier) of components for the commercial vehicle market co-developed, together with a renowned OEM, a new electronic system for trucks. The objective was to bring an existing prototype to series maturity, ready for the intended series production. To support system development (requirements engineering, modeling and test management) with an integrated toolchain, the supplier had already decided in favor of the ALM toolchain Polarion + Enterprise Architect years before. The employees followed isolated documented processes and used a network drive for storing project data. As a result of a change of employer and new appointments, the employees’ responsibilities were frequently altered. The supplier worked as the system manager with three subcontractors, who controlled both the software and the electronics of the end product. Individual Microsoft Word and Excel documents for planning and synchronization were used for exchanging data with the subcontractors.

Duration of the project 

15 months

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Solution

The first step for the Method Park team was to base the toolchain on Doors and Polarion. The team created – originating from requirements engineering – an integrated Polarion project configuration (definition of attributes, workflows and process descriptions). At the same time, the project employees were supported in their daily work by one-on-one coaching sessions by Method Park consultants. After a few weeks, the engineering processes (system requirements, system architecture, hardware/software requirements as well as hardware/software architecture) were converted into Polarion by the Method Park team.
Based on ASPICE® engineering processes, the Method Park team turned their attention to ASPICE® supporting processes (configuration, defect and change management). The team created plans and strategies for all three areas and implemented them simultaneously. At the same time, new employees were trained for the roles of Configuration Manager, Defect Manager and Change Manager in one-on-one coaching sessions by Method Park consultants. 

 

Solution

Configuration Manager

Defect Manager

Change Manager

After seven months the ASPICE® HIS Scope was completely implemented in the customer-defined (pilot) project. The next objective was to roll out the projects defined in the pilot project throughout the entire organization. To do so, the Method Park team created a project template capable of being adapted by tailoring in the areas of project documentation and work. For the purpose of standardization, the Method Park team migrated running projects that did not conform to Automotive SPICE® to the project template, with all the data. The strategies created by the Method Park team for this meant that individual projects were each able to be migrated in only a half a day. Gaps in the documentation and project work were identified by recurring Automotive SPICE® pre-assessments by Method Park ASPICE® assessors and then closed using coordinated measures.
Over the project the Method Park team created over 400 individual solutions (for tasks and problems) and managed them in a transparent way, using a ticket system, for the project managers. After 15 months all tasks related to Automotive SPICE® as well as the administration and configuration of Polarion were handed over to the supplier’s employees by the Method Park Team.

More Information

Stages

Automotive SPICE®

Benefits

At the conclusion of the project after 15 months, Automotive SPICE® Level 1 was achieved throughout all processes in the project. Concepts, interpretations and solutions for Automotive SPICE® best practices were documented transparently by the Method Park team for the project manager and the employees in discussions with Automotive SPICE® assessors during an assessment. Thanks to an integrated training concept and the project documentation, new employees were able to work productively in the project within 14 days.

Benefits

ASPICE® Level 1 for all processes

Consistent process landscape

Process descriptions are easy to understand