This post summarizes Wärtsilä’s presentation by Mattias Beijar at Siemens Realize LIVE.
Abstract: Project leaders juggle complex processes, scattered data, and shifting requirements. Wärtsilä solved this by standardizing on Siemens Polarion ALM and extending it with Nextedy’s tools. Their 13-year journey shows how a connected digital thread boosts traceability, planning, and risk management.
From Disconnected Files to One Source of Truth
At the start, Wärtsilä stored requirements and project data in Word and Excel. As a result, nobody had a full overview. Traceability was hard.
So, in 2013 they moved to Polarion, first for requirements. Then they expanded step by step: task management, project planning, release management, issue tracking, and risk management.
Today, roughly 1,000 users rely on Polarion as the single source of truth. This shift increased transparency and made handovers smoother across teams.
Nextedy’s Role: Purpose-Built Tools That Scale Planning and Risk Work
Wärtsilä’s success is not just about the platform. It is also about the right add-ons. Mattias Beijar, Senior Planning Expert and Polarion Tool Owner, highlighted three Nextedy tools in particular.
1. Nextedy SCHEDULER – Clear Capacity and Workload Views
“Each user has his own swim lane… You can drag and drop tasks, see estimates, and capacity with colors… Is the plan sustainable? Are we overbooked?”
Because of this view, project leaders see overloads early and reallocate work fast.
2. Nextedy GANTT – Reliable Test Slot Planning
For booking shared factory and lab resources, Wärtsilä uses Nextedy GANTT. It visualizes test reservations and syncs with production data. Consequently, plans stay realistic and aligned with actual availability.
3. Nextedy RISKSHEET – Intuitive, Traceable FMEAs
Wärtsilä moved FMEAs from Excel into Polarion using RISKSHEET.
“It’s very intuitive… It automatically creates traceability. You don’t have to manually link this.”
The Power of a Connected Digital Thread
Because business goals, requirements, features, work packages, and tasks are linked, Wärtsilä can answer two vital questions: What are we building? and Why are we building it?
This end-to-end traceability cuts waste, supports better decisions, and speeds collaboration—from engineering teams to executives.
Moreover, the company is now exploring model-based systems engineering. Polarion and Nextedy give them confidence that the platform can grow with their process changes.
Watch the Recording
Watch Mattias Beijar’s presentation on the Siemens website. You’ll see how they built their digital thread and how the tools work in practice.