VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland has announced a new product development technology for the software industry, which it claims can save up to 70 per cent in the development of new software products. The method developed by the research centre is an agile method called Mobile-D,™ which is being introduced in several Finnish and European companies.
Agile methods, which can make the product development of embedded software and the features of the products more efficient, are developed under VTT’s leadership in a European project of nine countries and 22 organisations. In addition to VTT, Nokia Oyj, F-Secure Oyj and Hantro Products Oy are involved in Finland. Applications of embedded systems include technology from telecommunications, automotive and avionics industries as well as applications for households, which combine several technologies, such as electronics, software and computer technology.
The most important factor in the new method is the original way of thinking that cuts through the whole organisation, and where agile values, principles and practice meet seamlessly. Enabling and supporting innovation throughout the organisation is one agile principle, in support of which a number of agile methods can be found. Profitability and controllability also occupy a central role. The new methods enable a significantly more flexible and efficient product development process, because methods allow making changes to the software at each stage of the process.