NEW FEATURES: New features in Next Design V5

To help anyone get started smoothly with embedded software design, we have developed a new suite of packages designed to be immediately effective in real-world environments.
Next Design significantly reduces the time and cost required for initial setup, allowing you to experience the benefits of implementation in your design environment much sooner.

• 

  Bring process assets to your development environment

  • We have incorporated our own expertise into Automotive-SPICE (*1), a development process established in the automotive industry, using it as a reference. We have systematized the V-model process and its deliverables to create a base package that can be immediately applied in embedded software development across all industries.
  • digital transformation includes a set of metamodels (structural definitions) and view definitions (representation methods) digital transformation. You can either use it as-is to start designing immediately, or tailor it to your company’s processes and target domain to implement it within your organization.
• 

  You can start using standard design techniques right away

  • In addition to UML/SysML and timing charts, our lineup includes a suite of ready-to-use packages featuring standard design methodologies such as flowcharts, DFDs, FMEA, FTA, and USDM.
  • By combining the most appropriate methods for each task—from requirements analysis to detailed design and failure analysis—you can centrally manage all design information using a single tool.
  • You can start using the design methods required in embedded software development right away by adding them to the base package or your own profile.
• 

  Streamline On-Site Work with Extensions

  • The base package also includes extensions that automate routine tasks on-site. You can immediately take advantage of features such as batch model generation from upstream processes, automatic ID numbering, automatic scope extraction, and automatic aggregation of test results.
  • These extensions are published in script format, so you can use them as implementation examples or build upon them to create your own extensions.
  • In addition to C#, the platform also supports Python, which is widely used in development environments. This enables a broad range of digital transformation to leverage the benefits digital transformation and drive on-site improvements.

(*1) Automotive-SPICE is a registered trademark of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V.: VDA). While the provided package uses Automotive-SPICE as a reference, it does not claim compliance with Automotive-SPICE.

Through seamless AI integration with our proprietary "DC Agentiqs" (*2)—an AI agent platform that supports engineers across all engineering phases—we provide powerful support for tasks that previously relied on skilled experts, such as design leveraging on-site insights, design reviews aligned with specific criteria, and the definition of profiles tailored to specific domains. The UI integrated into Next Design enables users to receive AI assistance in various design scenarios, thereby accelerating the entire design process and improving quality.

• 

  Seamless AI Integration Through UI Integration

  • By integrating the DC Agentiqs chat window into the Next Design UI, you can seamlessly leverage AI without having to switch between tools during your daily design work.
  • The model the user is currently editing is automatically recognized as context through the AI integration feature. If there is a specific model you want the AI to reference, simply add it via drag-and-drop to receive more accurate AI design assistance.
• 

  Using AI to support design and review

  • By importing existing design documents and requirements specifications, the AI automatically generates models such as use cases, scenarios, and test cases, enabling you to move swiftly from design exploration to test design.
  • Next Design performs a comprehensive review of design data in accordance with review criteria and mandatory requirements, identifying omissions and inconsistencies to minimize oversights during design reviews and drive quality improvement.
• 

  AI also supports profile definitions

  • By leveraging AI to assist in reviewing design elements within the metamodel and incorporating them into view definitions, we can lower the barrier to profile definition—which previously relied on experts—and enable the efficient definition of domain-specific profiles.

(*2) DC Agentiqs is an AI agent platform designed to enable the practical use of AI in development environments. Our "field-specific agents" seamlessly integrate with the development tools used on-site and create deliverables just like human engineers, drawing on site-specific knowledge and past work products. ( For more details, visit our product website.)

Based on extensive feedback from users of Next Design, we have enhanced its usability and practicality.
We have meticulously refined the user experience—incorporating feedback on frequently performed tasks and integration with external tools—to further improve daily workflow efficiency and comfort.

• 

  Effortlessly import customer requirements from ReqIF

  • "ReqIF" is an international standard format for exchanging requirement information between tools. It allows you to import customer requirements in ReqIF format—exported from other compatible tools—in bulk, reducing the need for manual transcription of requirement specifications and minimizing data entry errors. You can also easily identify changes when requirements are modified.
  • By linking captured customer requirements to design models using traceability information, you can quickly identify the scope of impact when requirements change, thereby minimizing the risk of rework and oversights.
  • Since type definitions included in the import can be easily incorporated into your own profiles, you can effortlessly translate a wide variety of customer requirements in ReqIF format into your design work.
• 

  Bookmark frequently used display modes for quick access

  • By saving frequently used model and view configurations as "bookmarks," you can reproduce the models and views displayed in the main and sub-editors with a single click. For example, if you save a view configuration that displays a list of requirements alongside the design model, you can quickly begin your daily editing tasks or reviews at each stage of the process.
  • Users can freely add bookmarks, and they can share them with team members by exporting and importing them.
• 

  Significantly improved usability of sequence diagrams

  • You can edit complex sequence diagrams intuitively, as you can make changes while preserving the length of the execution specification and move elements within composite fragments as a group.
  • Since you can add messages of the same type consecutively, you can edit the sequence diagram in a natural way that follows the flow of the messages.
• 

  Enhanced document output capabilities

  • Table-based views, such as tree grids and state transition tables, now support document export. This makes sharing information with external parties and creating documentation much smoother.
  • The Markdown editor's view is also compatible with document output. You can leverage its rich and flexible formatting in your documents.
  • Since you can specify which views to include in the document output, you can create documents that exclude unnecessary views even for models with multiple views, such as those intended for review, overview, or external use.
• 

  NDGit's Submodule Support

  • Multiple repositories organized into submodules are displayed side by side, allowing you to perform Git operations from a single screen. This means you can manage even large-scale projects with multiple repositories directly from Next Design.
  • It also supports bulk operations such as pulling from multiple repositories, allowing for smooth operation even in environments consisting of numerous repositories.

• 

  .NET 10 Support

  • We have updated the application framework to .NET 10 to support the latest runtime environment.
• 

  Performance Improvements

  • We have revised the extension loading mechanism and the initial display process for the tree grid when launching Next Design, thereby reducing the wait time before you can start working.