Capability vs Complexity: Building Smarter Products

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Capability vs Complexity: Building Smarter Products
Thursday, Dec 9, 2010
11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM PT / 4:00 GMT (Duration: 1 hour)

 

Delivering the right products at the right time can provide a powerful boost to a manufacturer’s bottom line. However, this is easier said than done, due to the ever increasing complexity associated with today’s products. Systems of systems, an unprecedented amount of software, and global development are just some of the key characteristics we face today that contribute to the development challenge.

 

In this conversation, Dave West, principle analyst at Forrester Research and Dominic Tavassoli of IBM will discuss the benefits and pitfalls associated with developing smarter products. They will explore the tradeoffs associated with capability (i.e. function, time to market) versus the complexity introduced by additional product features and ecosystem interoperability that actually make a product “smarter”.

The discussion will include:

1. The role of software and systems engineering in product delivery
2. The challenges of understanding and managing a complex interaction of systems
3. The problems associated with software development for products 
4. How to achieve optimal balance between business benefits (e.g. the next “game-changer” product) and their associated risks