Feature Decomposition

Once the base functional model version structure is defined, System Engineers can further refine the marketing and logical feature structures. The structures and rules defined during feature decomposition are used to validate possible model version configurations.

This page discusses:

See Also
Product Line Management
Model Version Structures
Features
Product Configuration
Bill of Materials Generation
Working with Design Variants
Generating a General Bill of Materials
Working with Variability Rules
Working with Variants and Options

Variants and Option Group

Variants or option groups drive the part selection within the logical feature structure. They are the marketing options in a model version and define the configuration choices available. Logical features can have one or many parts associated with them. These parts represent configurability.

Design Variants (Marketing Options)

Design variants are variability features (variants and option groups) managed and owned by marketing at the product line level or model version level. Design variants represent market variability and organize the possible design conditions for a logical feature. They are used to define effectivity expressions for parts in logical features.

GBOM Part Table

Once the logical feature structure and design variants are determined, System Engineers can create a General Bill of Materials (GBOM) for the model version. The GBOM lists all the parts that could be used to build the model version. From the GBOM part table, System Engineers can add and remove design variants which modify part effectivity expressions.

Feature-specific Rules

Upon reviewing the GBOM part table, additional feature-specific rules may need to be applied to define which parts are required for a valid configuration of the model version. Rules can be owned and used by across multiple product lines or model versions. Rules can be copied to other model versions and serve as starting points for new rules. Additionally, marketing preferences can be defined that limit the marketing choices or variability feature options in a product configuration. Marketing preferences can be defined for a product line, model, or model version. Marketing preferences override any default feature options selected for a variability feature.

Mandatory Variants, Option Groups, and Rules

Mandatory variants, option groups, and rules are maintained at the product line level and promote consistency. Variants, option groups, and rules can be defined as mandatory or non-mandatory. A variant, option group, or rule that is mandatory is inherited by all lower level models and model versions. They form the basis of model version definitions.

Model Version Release

When a System Engineer is satisfied with the feature definitions for a model version, they can assign an effective date for the configuration of that model version. The change management process takes over, so the system automatically releases all implemented items at the specified dates. It promotes all related items to their Release state.