M. Glas, A. Seitz

Conceptual aircraft design is not only a technical but also an organizational challenge. Especially, the integration of unconventional components into novel system architectures requires fast design iterations including the revision of requirements and an efficient propagation of changes across a diversity of disciplines in order to minimize project risk. Current process models in conceptual aircraft design do not fully address these needs. By contrast, Agile Methods, a family of process models successfully applied in software engineering, have consistently demonstrated that iterative product development and frequent delivery of product increments to the customer are effective for keeping project risk low. Furthermore, the process complexity is deliberately avoided in order to enable the developers to quickly react to changes imposed by the customer or the design. In a recent inter-disciplinary design study at Bauhaus Luftfahrt, the so-called "Scrum" methodology was adopted as a process model. Since Scrum is not solely adept to software development, essential concepts of this Agile Method could be transferred to the given aircraft design task without major obstacles. Based on the observations during and after the project it can be generally concluded that Agile Methods are well applicable to conceptual aircraft design. Especially, the Scrum-specific "time boxing" and an efficient meeting culture applied at various project levels was perceived helpful by all project participants to convey situation awareness (transparency) and to cope with fluctuation of personnel. This positive first experience encourages further investigation with respect to the adoption of Agile Methods in aircraft design, especially regarding the transition from a virtual concept to a physical product.

Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2012, Berlin

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt - Lilienthal-Oberth e.V., Bonn, 2012

Conference Paper

englisch

21,0 x 29,7 cm, 11 Seiten

urn:nbn:de:101:1-201211239123

software engineering, agile methods, aircraft design, conceptual design process

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23.11.2012