TAF is backed by extensive research on product development. 

Direct Evaluation of TAF in TMS #5

In order to evaluate the efficacy of TAF we rolled it out during the 5th iteration of Think.Make.Start. (TMS) with 69 students in 13 teams.

TAF has been introduced in 3 lectures, on the second day on the general framework, on the fourth day on the feasibility cycle and on the fifth day on the viability cycle.

TAF’s efficacy

Assessing TMS #5 efficacy qualitatively, there was a clear progress in product quality in comparison to previous iterations of TMS.

All the 13 teams where able to present working prototypes on stage, compared to 7 out of 9 teams in TMS #1, #2 and #3 and 8 out of 10 teams in TMS #4.

Furthermore, the complexity of the presented solutions was much higher.

For the first time, we observed teams using deep neural networks in software

For the first time, there were teams using the lathe and welding equipment in the MakerSpace

For the first time, a team integrated research technology (BLDC motor controllers from the www.roboy.org project) into their project.

Additionally, during TMS #5, the teams completed more than 35% more critical functions than in previous iterations of TMS. At the same time, these functions showed similar or higher complexity than in previous iterations. It is to be assumed that this is due to a stronger focus on creating product structures and focusing on building critical functions before starting to build the prototypes, as we have seen teams wasting days on infeasible modules in earlier iterations of TMS.

 

 

Publications

Böhmer, Annette, et al. “Towards Agile Product Development – The role of Prototyping ” Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED17), Vancouver, 2017

Hostettler, Rafael et al, “TAF Agile Framework – Reducing Uncertainty within Minimum Time and Resources” IEEE ICE, Madeira, 2017

Böhmer, Annette, et al. “Use of prototypes within agile product development” IEEE ICE, Madeira, 2017

Böhmer, Annette, et al. “Towards a Framework for Agile Development of Physical Products” IEEE ICE, Madeira, 2017

Becerril, Lucia, et al. “Engineering Change Management Within Agile Product Development—A Case Study.” International Conference on Research into Design. Springer, Singapore, 2017.

Böhmer, Annette I., and Udo Lindemann. “Agile Innovation-Challenges while implementing agile approaches within complex mechatronic processes of large corporations.” ISPIM Innovation Symposium. The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM), 2016.

Böhmer, A., et al. “THINK. MAKE. START.-An Agile Framework.” DS 84: Proceedings of the DESIGN 2016 14th International Design Conference. 2016.

Bruse, Florian, Annette Isabel Böhmer, and Udo Lindemann. “Cooperation between large companies and start-ups: the access to drive disruptive innovation.” DS 85-2: Proceedings of NordDesign 2016, Volume 2, Trondheim, Norway, 10th-12th August 2016 (2016).

Böhmer, Annette I., Andreas Beckmann, and Udo Lindemann. “Open Innovation Ecosystem-Makerspaces within an Agile Innovation Process.” ISPIM Innovation Symposium. The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM), 2015.

Boehmer, Annette Isabel, and Udo Lindemann. “Open Innovation Ecosystem: Towards collaborative innovation.” Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED15). 2015.