Cost Modeling Interoperability and Integration

Cost information can improve projects and project decision making. But the project artifacts that can help determine costs are buried in enterprise systems such as supply chain, ERP, PLM, CAx and others. Although many of these systems rely on common data, differences in internal storage structures and nomenclature and lack of tool integration keeps stakeholders from receiving the decision support information needed to make programs most successful including overall costs, tradeoff capability, optimization ability, risk and uncertainty throughout the product cycle. Users must often reenter data at considerable time and expense. Some point-to-point solutions do exist between specific tools, but as the number of tools grows, this integration solution becomes unmanageable and the benefits of an integrated tool suite go unrealized. The project will integrate cost models with the artifacts using the FIPER framework resulting in better quality and reliability, improved flexibility, shorter cycle times, increased effectiveness and lower cost. This integration will result in more successful projects as managers, engineers and analysts make more informed decisions.