Product development cost estimation through ontological models – a literature review

The early stages of product development are characterized by uncertainties. Designers must deal with challenges that arise unexpectedly in an agile and responsive manner. Expert information systems based on ontological models are a promising approach to capture knowledge and rationale of domain specialists, either for decision making or knowledge reuse. The present study presents a bibliometric analysis on the use of ontologies in product development for cost estimation. It identifies trends and research opportunities that can orient future works. From a general search in scientific databases, 31 articles were found and selected based on criteria established using the Proknow-C method. Results indicate that there are several possibilities for solutions using ontological and hybrid, transdisciplinary approaches. Using intelligent systems is not only promising but is also challenging as a new and real transdisciplinary research area of interest.