Innovative development of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) - evaluation model for effective change management

The development of new high-tech systems requires more than just one (specialist) discipline: we can only develop tomorrow's systems if mechanical, electrical and software engineers work together. This is also true for cyber-physical systems (CPS), which combine the digital and physical worlds. Want to help shape the future of CPS development?

What we want to do:

KonsConsistency is a basic requirement for collaborative work - we have all experienced this when working with many people on a single document (e.g. in Google Docs). In CPS development, however, consistency must not only apply to individual documents, but also to complex technical models that change dynamically. For example, software architecture models, FEM analyses, and even CAD models. Inconsistencies are often the result of manual changes to technical models and are particularly problematic in cross-domain and cross-generational development. Our goal is to detect these inconsistencies early on, to inform development engineers about the potential impact of their planned changes, and to enable (semi-)automated consistency maintenance.

Your task:

In order to record, evaluate and propagate changes to technical models, a suitable model is required. The focus of this thesis is to investigate existing metrics in change management and, if possible, to extend them for the described use case. The tasks in this thesis include the systematic research of relevant metrics, their categorization, the development of a suitable model and the validation of this model. This work lays the foundation for the successful maintenance of consistency in the cross-generational development of complex systems.

Am I a good fit?

If you have a technical background (e.g. mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics, computer science, industrial engineering, etc.) and are interested in the development process of complex cyber-physical systems, you fit the profile perfectly! You should enjoy researching new and interesting topics and be willing to delve into the theory of product development.  

How you benefit:

• Work on an interdisciplinary topic between mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software and industrial engineering
• Learning how to work scientifically
• Intensive 1:1 coaching with a research assistant
• Regular networking and exchange with students working on theses at Convide
• Aiming for scientific publication of the work results

Are you interested? Write an e-mail to lars.gesmann∂kit.edu!