A methodology for developing new product line requirements through gap analysis

The key to a successful product line is a sound strategy backed up by a product line roadmap identifying the tactical level execution plan. Integral to these plans is the development of requirements for adding new features and product offerings. To accomplish this, marketing must team with systems engineering to identify product line gaps and determine whether a business case exists for filling those voids. This paper will provide a framework for combining proven technology assessment and strategic management tools to measure the health of a product line and identifying what gaps may exist. If these gaps can be tied to customer needs, market potential exists and suitable new features and/or products should be woven into the product line roadmap. The gap analysis process starts by defining the marketplace and identifying key customer interfaces in a contact plan. The current state of each product in the product line is then assessed for maturity, growth potential and competitive advantage. This is accomplished with technology assessment tools such as NASA Technology Readiness Levels and strategic management tools such as the Boston Consulting Group Growth/Share Matrix. These analyses are then augmented and validated by customer surveys, which are designed to be simple and easy to complete to ensure a maximum level of response. The results of these efforts feed into a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The SWOT analysis integrates each of these separate efforts into a single view of the existing state of the product line as well as the trajectories required to achieve the desired future state. Requirements can then be derived from the desired future state. The context of the discussion in this paper will focus on a typical avionics product line. However, the techniques presented are appli