Capture the requirements, structure and capitalize the Functional Analysis of Needs
Value Management, EN 1325-1 and French NF X 50-151, APTE® method
A formalized and standardized approach for Functional Analysis of Needs
TDC Need software helps you express your right questioning as of the beginning of a project, not taking yet into account the solutions, thanks to a functional and comprehensive expression of needs .
The Functional Analysis approach used is based on European and French standards EN 1325-1, NF X50-151, and on the APTE (©) method.
TDC Need is used as a support to the design process, the value analysis or supplier consulting, along with ready to dispatch documentation, automatically generated. Standardizing and ordering the capitalized data into Functional Specifications also pertain to its features.
Evolution of needs management
Traceability is handled for every individual data: use phase, function, performance criteria, etc. Thanks to the access to all the dates, authors and contents of the changes, you can, for instance, filter all data not being changed since the latest project review or list up the successive evolutions of a particular task.
Improve your responsiveness in Project Management
Used in video projection, TDC Need facilitates the reflection of the Working Group, through the various tools: Octopus, matrix of completeness, crossover sort. Direct functional tree can save a lot of time, and thus improve the effectiveness of the meetings. More than genuine documentation publishing, characterization charts and ‘to do actions’ can also be shared, thus improving efficiency between sessions.
Maintaining data consistency during the Design Process
The methodological data consistency is ensured by the sharing of data between the various tools throughout the design process, :
- TDC Need captures the voice of the customer and structures the “actual” need using functional analysis.
- TDC Structure (software for Functional Block Diagram and SADT) crosses needs and technical breakdown structure or optimizes the (re-) design
– TDC FMEA deals with the Design and/or Process FMEA studies, monitoring plans, manufacturing synoptic overview, job description… TDC FTA handles Fault Tree Analysis. - Interfaces if needed with other software of your information system : requirements management, statistical control of processes (SPC), action plans, Tolerancing, Manufacturing Process Management(MPM) or any specific development.
Features
- Several deliveries can be automatically generated upon the end of the worksession: Functional specifications as design input data, FPS, purchase specifications, machine specifications, value analysis, validation / qualification plans, etc.
- Approach and terminology customizing: validity control, environment diagram, discovery matrix, tree, characterization type, crossed sort out
- Graphic filter: all changes in the study since or at a given date, etc
- MS Word direct paper printouts (style sheets) and XML reports.
- Special Copy/paste (tree branch and its characterization..)
- Value analysis: compares cost dispatching with importance weight given by the user and so identify satisfaction improvement ways based on various product scenarii (options, versioning).
- Link to requirement management
- Function, performance criteria, … library management.
- Multilingual management of the study data. Interfaces available in: French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese.
- Spellcheck
- Facilitator annotations: comments on the workgroup life, ‘to do’ tasks or links to files or URL.
- Tasks input and function characterization done by workgroup members, off meeting.
“Pieuvre” outil graphique de la méthode APTE ®
This Functional Analysis software will help you in implementing the following norms and recommendations :
– NF X 50-151 – NF X 50-152
– EN 1325-1 (was turned into EN 1325-2 on 12/31/04)
– EN 12973 (value management)
– FD S99-130 (for hospitals)
– French APTE® Method
TDC Need is a software belonging to Robust Engineering Suite or Medical Device Suite.
Licences provided by and available from Knowllence
Don’t hesitate to contact us !
What is Need software for functional requirement analysis ?
Need is a software solution designed to structure and formalize functional requirement analysis from the early stages of a project. It helps teams clearly and exhaustively express their needs in natural language, rather than jumping too quickly to a technical solution.
Instead of working with Excel or scattered diagrams, Need Software centralizes all information within a robust, collaborative methodological framework that follows best practices. For R&D, engineering, marketing, or purchasing teams, the tool provides better clarity of requirements, reduces ambiguities, and establishes a common foundation for the rest of the design or innovation cycle.
Who is Knowllence's Need software intended for ?
Need is designed for organizations that need to effectively manage their requirement specifications : marketing teams, engineering departments, R&D teams, multi-disciplinary project teams, quality managers, and purchasing departments.
Its methodical approach professionalizes the upstream phase, helps avoid misunderstandings with internal or external clients, and optimizes the entire design process, opening the door to innovation. Both small and medium-sized enterprises and large industrial groups can save time and increase efficiency by being guided through the process, thanks to its graphical tools and information traceability features.
How does Need, a Functional Analysis software, facilitate the creation of a truly Functionnal Specification Document (FSD) ?
Need guides users in identifying and characterizing functions and constraints, making it easier to follow the functional requirement analysis process. This structured framework allows the creation of a coherent, traceable, and well-justified Functional Specification Document (FSD).
The software also provides tree views, diagrams, tables, and automatic export of the FSD in a clear and professional format. The result is fewer omissions, greater completeness, and a consistent final document that can be easily shared with internal teams, partners, or the end client.
Does Need allow managing changes in the Functional Specification Document (FSD) ?
Need includes version traceability features for each piece of data, allowing teams to track the evolution of requirements across iterations. Users can log modifications, compare previous states, and maintain a useful history for audits or reviews. This traceability is especially valuable in regulated sectors or long-cycle projects, ensuring that the FSD remains consistent despite changes in context or requirements.
A library of functional analyses and generic specifications can also be easily created and expanded, allowing organizations to leverage previous knowledge instead of starting from scratch for each new project.
What is the difference between Need and a standard office tool for functional analysis ?
Standard office tools (spreadsheets, Word documents) do not guarantee consistency, traceability, or reliable updates. Need offers the opposite: a structured database, integrated methodological logic, and the ability to automatically manage the links between functions, constraints, and requirements.
This prevents multiple versions, copy-paste errors, and loss of information. Need secures the strategic phase of the project where every word matters. It serves as the starting point for the rest of the project, whether it’s the purchasing process, design process, internal functional analysis, or FMEA studies.