Patent Application
20140365279
The present invention relates to an information management device, an information management method, and a program.
Non-Patent Document 1 discloses an outline of quality function deployment (QFD). The QFD is a methodology which is conceived with the intent of effectively developing a new product. According to the method, first, customers' demands are collected by a method such as a questionnaire survey, and then the collected data is analyzed to extract qualities required for a new commercial product. For example, when the commercial product is a lighter, the required qualities can be expressed through the customers' points of view, such as “reliable ignition” or “ease of use”.
Thereafter, the required qualities are converted to quality elements. Specifically, the quality elements are extracted on the basis of the required qualities, and a two-dimensional matrix table (quality table) summarizing dependence between the required qualities and the quality elements is created. The quality elements can be expressed through the engineer's point of view, such as “durability” or “ignitability”. That is, the required qualities are the world of a market, the quality elements are the world of technology, and the conversion from the required qualities to the quality elements can be considered as the conversion from the world of the market to the world of the technology.
Thereafter, a function deployment table in which functions necessary for a target product are deployed is created, and a mechanism deployment table is created by deploying mechanisms for realizing the functions. Then, the tables are deployed in a unit and part deployment table for connecting the mechanisms to specific parts, and the like.
In addition, Patent Document 1 discloses a quality table summarizing a correspondence relationship between a required quality and a quality characteristic, a correspondence relationship between the required quality and a part, and a correspondence relationship between the quality characteristic and the part.
In a case of a system of the related art, contents of a quality table which are capable of being created by a designer are limited. For example, in a case of the system of the related art, elements to be deployed in the quality table are determined in advance (for example, required qualities are deployed in a vertical direction and quality characteristics are deployed in a horizontal direction in a two-dimensional matrix table), and thus the designer has no choice but to create a quality table in a limited range (for example, a quality table showing only dependence between the required quality and the quality characteristic) in accordance with the format thereof.
However, the inventors have found out that there is dependence between the same elements, and have also found out that dependence between the same elements has to be considered in order to improve the accuracy of a process of converting certain elements to other elements.
Consequently, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique of supporting the creation of a quality table of QFD which is not present in the related art.
According to the present invention, provided is an information management device including: a required quality reception unit that receives inputs of required qualities which are one or a plurality of qualities required for a first commercial product; a required quality storage unit that stores the required qualities received by the required quality reception unit in association with the first commercial product; a specification item reception unit that receives inputs of one or a plurality of specification items associated with the first commercial product; a specification item storage unit that stores the specification items received by the specification item reception unit in association with the first commercial product; a matrix display unit that displays a two-dimensional matrix table, displays some or all of the one or plurality of required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit and the one or plurality of specification items stored in the specification item storage unit, as vertical direction elements, in a vertical column in the two-dimensional matrix table, and displays some or all of the one or plurality of required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit and the one or plurality of specification items stored in the specification item storage unit, as horizontal direction elements, in a horizontal row in the two-dimensional matrix table; a relationship information reception unit that receives an input of relationship information indicating strength of correspondence between the required quality and the specification item, strength of correspondence between the required qualities, or strength of correspondence between the specification items, with respect to a cell at an intersection between a first vertical direction element and a first horizontal direction element in the two-dimensional matrix table, in accordance with contents of the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element; and a relationship information storage unit that stores the relationship information received by the relationship information reception unit in association with the first commercial product.
In addition, according to the present invention, provided is a program causing a computer to function as: a required quality reception unit that receives inputs of required qualities which are one or a plurality of qualities required for a first commercial product; a required quality storage unit that stores the required qualities received by the required quality reception unit in association with the first commercial product; a specification item reception unit that receives inputs of one or a plurality of specification items associated with the first commercial product; a specification item storage unit that stores the specification items received by the specification item reception unit, in association with the first commercial product; a matrix display unit that displays a two-dimensional matrix table, displays some or all of the one or plurality of required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit and the one or plurality of specification items stored in the specification item storage unit, as vertical direction elements, in a vertical column in the two-dimensional matrix table, and displays some or all of the one or plurality of required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit and the one or plurality of specification items stored in the specification item storage unit, as horizontal direction elements, in a horizontal row in the two-dimensional matrix table; a relationship information reception unit that receives an input of relationship information indicating strength of correspondence between the required quality and the specification item, strength of correspondence between the required qualities, or strength of correspondence between the specification items, with respect to a cell at an intersection between a first vertical direction element and a first horizontal direction element in the two-dimensional matrix table, in accordance with contents of the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element; and a relationship information storage unit that stores the relationship information received by the relationship information reception unit in association with the first commercial product.
In addition, according to the present invention, provided is an information management method executed by a computer, the method comprising: a matrix display step of displaying a two-dimensional matrix table, displaying some or all of required qualities which are one or a plurality of qualities required for a first commercial product and one or a plurality of specification items associated with the first commercial product, as vertical direction elements, in a vertical column in the two-dimensional matrix table, and displaying some or all of the one or plurality of required qualities and the one or plurality of specification items, as horizontal direction elements, in a horizontal row in the two-dimensional matrix table; a relationship information reception step of receiving an input of relationship information indicating strength of correspondence between the required quality and the specification item, strength of correspondence between the required qualities, or strength of correspondence between the specification items, with respect to a cell at an intersection between a first vertical direction element and a first horizontal direction element in the two-dimensional matrix table, in accordance with contents of the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element; and a relationship information storage step of storing the relationship information received in the relationship information reception step in association with the first commercial product.
According to the present invention, it is possible to create a quality table of QFD which is not present in the related art.
The above-described objects, other objects, features and advantages will be further apparent from the preferred exemplary embodiments described below, and the accompanying drawings as follows.
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Meanwhile, a system according to this exemplary embodiment is realized by an arbitrary combination of hardware and software on the basis of a CPU, a memory, a program loaded into the memory (including a program previously stored in the memory when shipping out the device and a program downloaded from a storage medium such as a CD, or a server or the like on the Internet) of an arbitrary computer, a storage unit such as a hard disk that stores the program, and an interface for network connection. In addition, one skilled in the art can understand that various modifications can be made to examples for realizing the method and device.
In addition, functional block diagrams used in describing this exemplary embodiment show function-based blocks rather than hardware-based configurations. In the functional block diagrams, although description is given such that each device is realized by one piece of equipment, a realizing unit thereof is not limited thereto. In other words, each device may be configured to be physically or logically separated.
First, an outline of an information management device according to this exemplary embodiment will be described.
The information management device according to this exemplary embodiment has a function of supporting the development of a new commercial product using a technique of QFD and managing information (quality table of QFD, and the like) which is used in the development stage in association with the developed new commercial product. For example, the information which is managed can be used later to develop a similar commercial product (variation commercial product) or to examine the influence of change from component parts of the commercial product to other parts.
The required quality reception unit 11 receives inputs of one or a plurality of qualities (required qualities) which are required for a first commercial product (commercial product which is newly developed). The “required quality” used herein is a term synonymous with the “required quality” disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1. For example, when the first commercial product is a multifunction machine (hereinafter, simply referred to as a “multifunction machine”) which has a plurality of functions such as a copier, a printer, an image scanner, and a facsimile machine, “high-speed printing”, “comfortable scanning”, “smooth operation”, “vivid high image quality” and the like are considered as the required qualities. Such required qualities (hereinafter, referred to as “first required qualities”) which are required for the first commercial product can be extracted using a technique disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1. An operation of extracting the first required qualities is performed by a person. The required quality reception unit 11 receives inputs of the first required qualities using any input device such as a keyboard, a touch panel display, a scanner, or a microphone.
The required quality storage unit 12 stores the first required qualities received by the required quality reception unit 11 in association with the first commercial product. For example, the first commercial product is given identification information such as a commercial product number, and the required quality storage unit 12 stores the first required qualities in association with the identification information.
The specification item reception unit 13 receives inputs of one or a plurality of specification items associated with the first commercial product. The specification items are items to be considered in designing a commercial product, and are items and the like which are described in a so-called commercial product specification sheet. The specification items associated with the first commercial product (hereinafter, referred to as “first specification items”) are specification items to be considered in designing the first commercial product in order to realize the first required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit 12. The first specification items may include general specification items which are considered in designing the first commercial product. For example, the first specification items may be extracted with reference to past design examples in the same type of commercial product as the first commercial product. Alternatively, the first specification items may be extracted from designer's own experience on the basis of the first required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit 12. In addition, the first specification items may be a combination thereof. For example, when the first commercial product is a multifunction machine, “HDD capacity”, “color compatibility”, “reading resolution”, “writing resolution”, and the like are considered as the first specification items. An operation of extracting such first specification items is performed by a person. The specification item reception unit 13 receives inputs of the first specification items using any input device such as a keyboard, a touch panel display, a scanner, or a microphone.
The specification item storage unit 14 stores the first specification items received by the specification item reception unit 13 in association with the first commercial product. For example, the first commercial product is given identification information such as a commercial product number, and the specification item storage unit 14 stores the first specification items in association with the identification information.
The matrix display unit 15 displays a two-dimensional matrix table on a display. Some or all of the one or plurality of first required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit 12 and the one or plurality of first specification items stored in the specification item storage unit 14 are displayed as vertical direction elements in a vertical column in the two-dimensional matrix table. In addition, some or all of the one or plurality of first required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit 12 and the one or plurality of first specification items stored in the specification item storage unit 14 are displayed as horizontal direction elements in a horizontal row in the two-dimensional matrix table.
Meanwhile, the matrix display unit 15 can determine the vertical direction elements and the horizontal direction elements which are displayed in the two-dimensional matrix tables, in accordance with contents received by the vertical element selection reception unit 18 and the horizontal element selection reception unit 19 which are shown in
Herein, in a case of the example shown in
In the region A, the words of “required quality” are set to a superordinate concept, and a plurality of detailed contents of the required quality are displayed in the form of a tree. In the region B, the wording of “specification item” is set to a superordinate concept, and a plurality of detailed contents of the specification item are displayed in the form of a tree.
The vertical element selection reception unit 18 and the horizontal element selection reception unit 19 may receive selection inputs of the vertical direction elements and selection inputs of the horizontal direction elements by receiving inputs for “displaying” or “not displaying” the elements displayed in the form of a tree in the regions A and B (in
Meanwhile, the required quality reception unit 11 and the specification item reception unit 13 which are shown in
With such a configuration, the regions A and B of
Meanwhile, as another configuration, it is also possible to cause the regions A and B of
Here,
In this case, it is possible to cause the regions A and B to function as interfaces by which the required quality reception unit 11 and the specification item reception unit 13 receive inputs of the first required qualities and the first specification items and to function as interfaces by which the vertical element selection reception unit 18 and the horizontal element selection reception unit 19 receive selection inputs of the vertical direction elements and the horizontal direction elements.
In addition, it is also possible to cause the regions A and B to function only as interface by which the vertical element selection reception unit 18 and the horizontal element selection reception unit 19 receive selection inputs of the vertical direction elements and the horizontal direction elements. In this case, all the first required qualities and first specification items which are received in advance by the required quality reception unit 11 and the specification item reception unit 13 are displayed in the region A in the form of a tree so as to make it possible to individually select “display” and “non-display”. In addition, similarly, all the first required qualities and first specification items which are received in advance by the required quality reception unit 11 and the specification item reception unit 13 are displayed in the region B in the form of a tree so as to make it possible to individually select “display” and “non-display”. The vertical element selection reception unit 18 and the horizontal element selection reception unit 19 receive selection inputs of the vertical direction elements and selection inputs of the horizontal direction elements by receiving inputs for “displaying” or “not displaying” the first required qualities and the first specification items which are displayed in the form of a tree. As described above, the elements displayed in the regions A and B are selected as the vertical direction elements and the horizontal direction elements, respectively.
Meanwhile, the display in the form of a tree in the regions A and B is just an example, and it is also possible to perform display in an aspect different from a tree shape.
Referring back to
The relationship information is a concept which is determined in accordance with the contents of the first vertical direction element which is an arbitrary element in the one or plurality of vertical direction elements and the first horizontal direction element which is an arbitrary element in the one or plurality of horizontal direction elements. For example, when a combination of the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element is a set of the first required quality and the first specification item, relationship information is the strength of correspondence between the first required quality and the first specification item. In addition, when a combination of the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element is a set of the first required quality and the first required quality, relationship information is the strength of correspondence between the first required quality and the first required quality. Further when a combination of the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element is a set of the first specification item and the first specification item, relationship information is the strength of correspondence between the first specification item and the first specification item. The relationship information may be, for example, six-stage evaluation of 0 to 5 (0 has no correspondence and 5 has the strongest correspondence), and may be other aspects.
As shown in
Here, according to a two-dimensional matrix table, shown in
First, a designer's operation of inputting relationship information is performed, for example, according to the following flow. For example, the designer focuses on “high-speed printing” in the first required qualities listed as the horizontal direction elements. Then, the designer inputs predetermined values while determining, in order, the strength of correspondence between the “high-speed printing” (horizontal direction element) and each the first specification items listed as the vertical direction elements. When the determination of the strength of the correspondence between the “high-speed printing” (horizontal direction element) and each of all the first specification items (vertical direction elements) and the input of the relationship information are terminated, the designer then inputs relationship information while determining, in order, the strength of correspondence between the “high-speed printing” (horizontal direction element) and each of the first required qualities listed as the vertical direction elements. When the determination of the strength of the correspondence between the “high-speed printing” (horizontal direction element) and each of all the first required qualities (vertical direction elements) and the input of the relationship information are terminated, the designer focuses on “comfortable scanning” which is another horizontal direction element. Then, the same operation is advanced.
Here, as shown on
In this manner, according to this exemplary embodiment, the designer can determine the correspondence relationship between the first required quality and the first specification item while considering a correspondence relationship between the first required qualities and a correspondence relationship between the first specification items, and can input predetermined relationship information.
Referring back to
As described above, according to the information management device of this exemplary embodiment, it is also possible to input, to a two-dimensional matrix table, the strength of correspondence between the first required qualities and the strength of correspondence between the first specification items in addition to inputting the strength of correspondence between the first required quality and the first specification item. In this case, the designer can determine the strength of correspondence between the first required quality and the first specification item while also considering the strength of correspondence between the first required qualities and the strength of correspondence between the first specification items. As a result, it is possible to improve the accuracy of a process of converting the first required qualities to the first specification items.
According to the above description, the following information management method of this exemplary embodiment is also described.
The information management method causes a computer to execute a matrix display step of displaying a two-dimensional matrix table, displaying some or all of required qualities which are one or a plurality of qualities required for a first commercial product and one or a plurality of specification items associated with the first commercial product, as vertical direction elements, in a vertical column in the two-dimensional matrix table, and displaying some or all of the one or plurality of required qualities and the one or plurality of specification items, as horizontal direction elements, in a horizontal row in the two-dimensional matrix table, a relationship information reception step of receiving an input of relationship information indicating the strength of correspondence between the required quality and the specification item, the strength of correspondence between the required qualities, or the strength of correspondence between the specification items, with respect to a cell at an intersection between the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element in the two-dimensional matrix table, in accordance with the contents of the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element, and a relationship information storage step of storing the relationship information received in the relationship information reception step in association with the first commercial product.
In addition, for example, the information management device of this exemplary embodiment can be realized by installing the following program in a computer.
The program causes a computer to function as a required quality reception unit that receives inputs of required qualities which are one or a plurality of qualities required for a first commercial product, a required quality storage unit that stores the required qualities received by the required quality reception unit in association with the first commercial product, a specification item reception unit that receives inputs of one or a plurality of specification items associated with the first commercial product, a specification item storage unit that stores the specification items received by the specification item reception unit in association with the first commercial product, a matrix display unit that displays a two-dimensional matrix table, displays some or all of the one or plurality of required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit and the one or plurality of specification items stored in the specification item storage unit, as vertical direction elements, in a vertical column in the two-dimensional matrix table, and displays some or all of the one or plurality of required qualities stored in the required quality storage unit and the one or plurality of specification items stored in the specification item storage unit, as horizontal direction elements, in a horizontal row in the two-dimensional matrix table, a relationship information reception unit that receives an input of relationship information indicating the strength of correspondence between the required quality and the specification item, the strength of correspondence between the required qualities, or the strength of correspondence between the specification items, with respect to a cell at an intersection between a first vertical direction element and a first horizontal direction element in the two-dimensional matrix table, in accordance with the contents of the first vertical direction element and the first horizontal direction element, and a relationship information storage unit that stores the relationship information received by the relationship information reception unit in association with the first commercial product.
Hereinafter, the matrix display unit 15, the relationship information reception unit 16, the relationship information storage unit 17, the vertical element selection reception unit 18, the horizontal element selection reception unit 19, the additional item reception unit 20, and the additional item storage unit 21 will be described. Meanwhile, the description of the same parts as those in the first exemplary embodiment will be omitted. In addition, the configurations of the required quality reception unit 11, the required quality storage unit 12, the specification item reception unit 13, and the specification item storage unit 14 are similar to those in the first exemplary embodiment, and thus the description thereof will be omitted here.
The additional item reception unit 20 receives inputs of one or a plurality of additional items which are items classified into a category different from required qualities and specification items and which are associated with a first commercial product. For example, the additional item reception unit 20 may receive inputs of the additional items from the interfaces of the regions A and B shown in
Here, an example of a two-dimensional matrix table displayed by the matrix display unit 15 of this exemplary embodiment is shown in
Here, an “importance of required quality” displayed as the horizontal direction element indicates how important a client (customer) thinks each required quality of a first commercial product (developed commercial product) is. Herein, as an example, evaluation is performed in five stages of 1 to 5. Regarding the importance, for example, questionnaires are conducted with respect to customers, and a designer can input the results thereof. In addition, a “comparative analysis” displayed as the horizontal direction element indicates results of customers' evaluation between one's own product (product concerned) and competing products of other competing companies. For example, one's own product can be an arbitrary product of one's own which is the same type as the developed commercial product. Herein, as an example, evaluation is performed in five stages of 1 to 5. Regarding the evaluation results, for example, questionnaires are conducted with respect to customers, and a designer can input the results thereof. In addition, a “planning quality” displayed as the horizontal direction element is a value which is set as a target value of the first commercial product (the present developed commercial product) and input by a designer on the basis of values of the importance of required quality and the comparative analysis.
Next, an “importance of quality characteristic” displayed as the vertical direction element indicates the respective importance of the plurality of first specification items. The importance indicates how strong the correspondence is between each of the first specification items and a first required quality group required for the first commercial product (the present developed commercial product). In other words, the importance indicates how important of the examination of each of the first specification items is in designing the first commercial product satisfying the first required quality group.
A score of the importance of quality characteristic may be input by making a designer input the strength of correspondence between the first specification item and the first required quality in the two-dimensional matrix table and then determining and inputting the importance of each first specification item with reference to the input result. Alternatively, when the designer inputs the strength of the correspondence between the first specification item and the first required quality in the two-dimensional matrix table, the importance of required characteristic of each of the plurality of first specification items may be automatically calculated in accordance with the input content. The matrix display unit 15 may display the values automatically calculated in the cells of the two-dimensional matrix table. For example, the sum of the input values is calculated for each first specification item, and the calculated value may be set as a required characteristic importance of each of the first specification items. In the example shown in FIG. 5, a correspondence relationship between the “color compatibility” which is the first specification item and the “high image quality” which is the first required quality is set to “5”. For this reason, “5” is added to a required characteristic importance of the “color compatibility” which is the first specification item. The importance of required characteristic of each of the first specification items may be calculated in accordance with the appropriate rule.
Meanwhile, means using the importance of required quality as a weighted value is also considered. For example, in the example shown in
In addition, the “comparative analysis” displayed as the vertical direction element indicates relative merits of performance between one's own product (product concerned) and the competing products of other competing companies. For example, one's own product can be an arbitrary product of one's own which is the same type as the developed commercial product. Meanwhile, regarding an evaluation method, a designer may perform evaluation on the basis of a maximum scale of 100 points, a maximum scale of 50 points, or the like and may input the evaluation results (see
In addition, a “design quality” displayed as the vertical direction element is a value which is set as a target value of the first commercial product (the present developed commercial product) and input by a designer on the basis of the importance of required quality and the comparative analysis.
Meanwhile, how the value of the “planning quality” as the horizontal direction element and the value of the “design quality” as the vertical direction element are to be set is a design matter, and all values do not necessarily exceed other competing companies. A designer can determine the value of the “planning quality” as the horizontal direction element and the value of the “design quality” as the vertical direction element in consideration of the importance of the items of the first commercial product (the present developed commercial product).
The relationship information storage unit 17 also stores information indicating the relation between the first required quality and the additional item and the relation between the first specification item and the additional item, which are described above, as the relationship information.
As described above, according to the information management device of this exemplary embodiment, a designer can easily ascertain the importance of the plurality of first specification items. As a result, it is possible to easily ascertain the priority of the plurality of first specification items in designing the first commercial product. In addition, it is possible to easily ascertain results for comparison and evaluation with respect to competing products for each first required quality and for each first specification item.
Hereinafter, the limit information storage unit 22, the relationship information reception unit 16, and the matrix display unit 15 will be described. Meanwhile, the description of portions similar to those in the first exemplary embodiment and the second exemplary embodiment will be omitted. In addition, configurations of other units are similar to those in the first exemplary embodiment and the second exemplary embodiment, and thus the description thereof will be omitted here.
The restriction information storage unit 22 stores input value restriction information specifying values capable of being input to cells at intersections between first required qualities and first specification items in a two-dimensional matrix table displayed by the matrix display unit 15, cells at intersections between the first required qualities, and cells at intersections between the first specification items. For example, when the strength of correspondence between the first required quality and the first specification item is evaluated in six stages of 0 to 5, only values of 0 to 5 can be input to the cells at the intersections between the first required qualities and the first specification items. Similarly, when the strength of correspondence between the first required qualities is evaluated in six stages of 0 to 5, only values of 0 to 5 can be input to the cells at the intersections between the first required qualities and the first required qualities. Similarly, when the strength of correspondence between the first specification items is evaluated in six stages of 0 to 5, only values of 0 to 5 can be input to the cells at the intersections between the first specification items and the first specification items. The input value restriction information specifies such values capable of being input to the cells. For reference, an example of the input value restriction information is shown in
Meanwhile, the input value restriction information may further include information specifying values capable of being input to cells at intersections between the first required qualities and additional items and cells at intersections between the first specification items and the additional items.
When the relationship information reception unit 16 receives an input of relationship information for a first cell in the two-dimensional matrix table displayed by the matrix display unit 15, the unit first specifies the contents of a vertical direction element and a horizontal direction element. Thereafter, values capable of being input to the first cell are specified with reference to the input value restriction information stored in the restriction information storage unit 22, and only the specified values are permitted to be input.
For example, a case is considered in which an input for a cell where a cursor D is positioned is received in the two-dimensional matrix table displayed in the region C of
According to this exemplary embodiment, it is possible to prevent a disadvantage in which a designer erroneously inputs a value, which is not specified, to the two-dimensional matrix table. As a result, it is possible to improve the accuracy of a process of converting the first required qualities to the first specification items.
Hereinafter, configurations of a part determination unit 23, a part specification relationship information storage unit 24, a part information storage unit 25, an influenced specification specifying unit 26, and an influenced required quality specifying unit 27 will be described. Meanwhile, configurations of other units are similar to those in the first exemplary embodiment, the second exemplary embodiment, and the third exemplary embodiment, and thus the description thereof will be omitted here.
The part determination unit 23 determines parts of a first commercial product on the basis of relationship information stored in the relationship information storage unit 17. The parts can be determined using a technique disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1. Hereinafter, an example of a process of determining parts of a developing device included in a multifunction machine will be described.
When the part determination unit 23 receives inputs of a plurality of specifications of the developing device from a designer, the unit displays a two-dimensional matrix table of specifications of the multifunction machine and specifications of the developing device, as shown by “system specification→developing device specification” in
Meanwhile, although not shown in the drawing, after the designer inputs the above-described correspondence relationship in each two-dimensional matrix table, the designer may be able to determine and input an importance, a target value, and the like of each item as described in the second exemplary embodiment. For example, after the designer inputs information indicating a correspondence relationship between each specification of the multifunction machine and each specification of the developing device in the “system specification→developing device specification” shown in
The part information storage unit 25 stores part information indicating the component parts of the first commercial product which are determined by the part determination unit 23 on the basis of the relationship information stored in the relationship information storage unit 17. An example of the part information is shown in
The part specification relationship information storage unit 24 stores part specification relationship information for specifying a correspondence relationship between each first specification item and each component part. Specifically, the part specification relationship information storage unit 24 stores a plurality of pieces of data (for example, “system specification→developing device specification”, “developing device (specification→function)”, “developing device (specification→specification)”, and “developing device (function→component)” shown in
When some of the component parts of the first commercial product are changed to other parts, the influenced specification specifying unit 26 specifies the first specification item affected by the change. Specifically, first, the influenced specification specifying unit 26 acquires information (part number) for specifying the component part to be changed. Thereafter, the unit specifies a unit including the part with reference to the part information (see
The influenced required quality specifying unit 27 specifies the first required quality affected by the change in the component part, using the relationship information (see
As described above, according to this exemplary embodiment, a designer can easily ascertain the first required quality affected by the change in the component part.
Meanwhile, the information management device 10 of this exemplary embodiment may create and store information indicating a correspondence relationship between units as shown in
When the information management device 10 of this exemplary embodiment stores the above-described information indicating the correspondence relationship between the units, the following process can be realized. For example, when some of the component parts of the first commercial product are changed to other parts, the influenced specification specifying unit 26 specifies a unit including the parts with reference to the part information (see
The application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-008499 filed on Jan. 18, 2012, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-008499 | Jan 2012 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2013/000212 | 1/17/2013 | WO | 00 | 7/17/2014 |
