Prof. Reijo Sulonen
Ma prof. Casper Lassenius (Software
product development path)
Ma prof. Timo Soininen (Product
data technology path)
Computer programs are the oldest form of digital products. The programs themselves, as well as their related documentation mainly exist in digital form in computer memories during their entire life-cycle. Media products, like newspapers and movies, are increasingly produced and distributed in digital form. The information representing other kinds of products has also largely become digital due to the wide-spread use of computers. These pieces of information can also be considered digital products. The basic concepts and processes used to model and manage all these types of digital products are in many ways similar, even though they differ in some respects depending on the domain.
Digital products have become an economically significant factor. Their development and management present a central challenge to many companies. The products are typically complex, and their development projects time-critical and hard to control. In the major “Development of Digital Products”, students familiarize themselves with the development and management of digital products from the point of view of a company developing them.
The major has two threads: software product development and product data technology.
The software product development thread aims at giving the students a broad understanding of software and software product development, and how they are organized in industrial settings. Successful completion of this thread requires that the student has a good working knowledge of software development. The thread contains courses related to methods that can be applied at various stages of the software process, as well as software project management and software process improvement. The students also familiarize themselves with legal and contractual issues, which have proven to be extremely challenging in the software industry. Majors of software engineering typically fill industrial positions related to software design and development, project management, quality management, or process and method development.
In the product data technology thread, the focus is on the management and use of products and product related data. The thread gives an overview of the information technology methods that companies need for supporting product development, customer delivery, and other product related processes. Information systems supporting these processes (e.g. configuration management, ERP, e-business, and product data management systems) and their integration into a working whole have become central issues. Due to the increased use of computer networks, the integration also needs to span networks of companies. The thread familiarizes the student with methods for modeling, constructing and managing software and other kinds of products and product families. Majors of product data technology typically work in positions related to research and development of support systems for product related processes in the companies.
Students
majoring in Digital product development are encouraged to pursue post-graduate
studies
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