Methodology for the analysis and design of an algorithm for a more robust traceability and improved confidence of action in the organizational structures of the value chain of companies, using customer complaints from use phase [AlGeWert]

• Applicant: Privatdozentin Dr.-Ing. Nadine Schlüter
• Subject Area: Production Systems, Operations Management, Quality Management and Factory Planning
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 465978024

The robust design of traceability and the confidence of action in the organizational structures of the company's production chain is an enormous challenge when customer complaints arise from the use phase. On the one hand, this can be explained by the recognizable increasing complexity in liability matters (e.g. product liability cases). On the other hand, it can be stated, that the linking of requirements of complex products to the system elements of the complex organizational system of companies over the entire value chain are unknown or intransparent. Consequently, the degree of fulfillment of requirements for certain products across the entire value chain in the organization of a company is not verifiable. Moreover, it cannot be immediately traced which processes, roles, information systems, quality assurance documentation, and measuring and testing equipment are affected with regard to a liability issue. This means, it exists insufficient traceability, which has a massive impact on the reliability of companies' actions and reduces the effective handling of liability matters. To counteract this problem, we aim a methodical analysis and design of an algorithm [AlGeW-ert], which can increase traceability and confidence action in the organizational structures of the value chain of companies by using liability-relevant complaints of the customer from the usage phase. Therefore, we use already gained knowledge from the DFG projects "KAUSAL", "ReMaiN" and "FusLa". The fact that such a methodological approach or algorithm is not cur-rently available is proven by an analysis of 731 national and international funded research projects from 2004 to 2019.The research work starts with an unambiguous declaration of customer complaints from the use phase as a liability matter. To implement this, various European laws, norms, and standards will be analyzed concerning liability-relevant requirements and error definitions. Furthermore, the complex organizational structures in the value chain will be made transparent with an organizational system model. The next step is to link liability issues with the organizational system model to increase traceability and action confidence. For this purpose, identified liability issues regarding complaints from the usage phase are assigned to the system elements of the organizational system. The findings and rules generated in the individual steps are combined into an algorithm and methodically tested and validated with a testing tool. The research project is intended to make the handling of liability matters more effective for companies, to create certainty of action, and thus to avert high penalties.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants