Entering the World of Millimeter Wave Radar: Insights from Hawkeye Technology on R&D Project Management in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry

Company Overview

Nanjing Hawkeye Technology Co., Ltd. was founded in April 2015, specializing in the research and application of millimeter wave radar technology. The company focuses on meeting the all-weather perception demands across various domains, including smart transportation, smart cities, autonomous driving, and rail transit. Hawkeye Technology remains committed to its identity as an innovative tech enterprise, dedicated to providing advanced, safe, and reliable radar technologies and products tailored for industry clients. The aim is to create precise perception capabilities essential for smart transportation and autonomous driving, thereby empowering "smart cars and smart roads."

Hawkeye's product lineup primarily includes rear corner radars, front corner radars, forward radars, and 4D imaging radars for automotive applications. These products enable 360° all-around and all-weather perception, effectively supporting the realization of high-level autonomous driving. In the smart transportation sector, products like ultra-long-range high-performance radars, tunnel radars, and urban intersection visual perception units facilitate all-weather monitoring across various scenarios, such as highways, urban intersections, tunnels, and railways. They also support the detection of numerous traffic events—including congestion, slow-moving vehicles, pedestrians, emergency stops, and debris—providing essential perceptual information for smart traffic decision-making.

Introduction

As we witness a new wave of transformation in the information industry and the rise of the industrial internet, the electronics manufacturing sector faces significant challenges in upgrading and transforming its business models. There is a growing consensus among enterprises on the need to leverage information technology and digital tools for comprehensive upgrades of traditional practices.

To facilitate digital transformation and meet internal R&D management requirements, various departments in Hawkeye have actively introduced information management tools. These tools aim to enhance collaboration among team members and improve work efficiency. However, from the company’s perspective, the adoption of multiple tools has led to issues such as data silos, fragmented workflows, and integration challenges.

Establishing an integrated R&D project management platform with standardized project management processes, alongside achieving data interoperability, has emerged as a crucial solution.

Challenges Faced by Hawkeye Technology in R&D Project Management & ZenTao Solutions

Challenge 1

To address internal R&D project management needs, Hawkeye Technology utilized several tools for managing requirements, tasks, and defects. However, this approach introduced several challenges: isolated tools hindered collaboration across projects and functions, while dispersed data prevented the creation of a dynamic high-level management overview, complicating senior managers' understanding of dependencies, resource allocation, and usage across projects.

Solution

ZenTao Software serves as an integrated R&D project management platform that structures project management into multiple levels, including programs, products, projects, and execution. It comprehensively covers the entire software development lifecycle, consolidating requirements, tasks, bugs, and feedback onto a single platform.

Team members can easily grasp their task requirements and priorities, providing timely updates on their work progress.

ZenTao - My tasks

ZenTao - Log effort

Managers can view project members’ workloads from an organizational perspective, facilitating rational resource allocation.

ZenTao - Group by assigned to

ZenTao - Resource Calendar add-on

Senior leaders can make data-driven decisions, effectively allocate resources, and ensure smooth project progress.

ZenTao - Project Gantt Chart

Challenge 2

As one of the leading suppliers of automotive millimeter wave radars, Hawkeye Technology must comply with ASPICE (Automotive Software Process Improvement and Capacity Determination) traceability requirements under the V-model. Previously, the separate management of requirements, tasks, and testing did not provide adequate support for these needs.

Solution

ZenTao project management software establishes a comprehensive data link through the interrelationships among requirements, tasks, use cases, and bugs. This framework enables effective change impact analysis and notifications, along with support for version management post-changes.

When a project requires acceptance and the closure of requirements, we can intuitively assess the completion status of requirements through use case testing results. This visualization of project progress and outcomes aids in timely assessments and confirmations of project completion.

This interconnectedness and visualization enhance our ability to grasp the overall project situation, significantly improving management and decision-making efficiency.

ZenTao - Product metrics

Challenge 3

Hawkeye Technology has unique review processes that previously lacked suitable online tools for support, complicating unified management and traceability. There was an urgent need to manage these personalized review processes online.

Solution

ZenTao's workflow functionality supports the extension of built-in processes, allowing for the addition of new fields, actions, and even processes beyond the standard offerings. The ZenTao workflow module effectively supports Hawkeye Technology’s testing plans, project risk assessments, and unique process changes, enabling the online management and traceability of personalized processes while significantly enhancing review efficiency.

ZenTao - Workflow

ZenTao - Approval flow

Customer Feedback

In product development, the visualization and transparency of task progress, requirements, issues, and risks are vital. ZenTao’s collaborative management platform helps project members gain a clearer understanding of the current project status, reducing the time needed for information synchronization and lowering communication costs. Additionally, the introduction of review, change, and project traceability matrices contributes to improving R&D quality.

— Sun Weiwei, R&D Quality Manager at Hawkeye Technology