Measure and Failure Cost Analysis: Selecting Risk Treatment Strategies

in Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Engineering Design (2009)

Project Risk Management is used to prevent projects to fail. Despite its proven use, barriers still exist that hinder implementation and use by inexperienced persons. One barrier is the additional effort ... [more ▼]

Project Risk Management is used to prevent projects to fail. Despite its proven use, barriers still exist that hinder implementation and use by inexperienced persons. One barrier is the additional effort required by the process of Project Risk Management itself. An additional barrier is the lack of systematic support of important steps like the selection of an appropriate risk treatment strategy. The decision which strategy to select is a challenging task due to the uncertain character of the addressed issue. The trade-off of the perceived additional efforts caused by a method must be addressed by an enhancement of the cost-benefit ratio of the applied methods and implemented risk treatment measures. Decision making using the proposed Measure and Failure Cost Analysis (MFCA) method enables the Risk Manager to compare the arising costs of different risk treatment strategies caused by an occurring risk and risk treatment measures. It is based on a de-escalation principle which analyzes the course of the impact of an event. The method compares the reaction rate of different strategies and proposes the favorite one. [less ▲]

Estimation and its Role in Engineering Design - An Introduction

in Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Engineering Design (2009)

Estimation is assumed to be a relevant method for problem solving in product development due to the deficiencies in information availability and certainty, as well because of short resources. Nevertheless ... [more ▼]

Estimation is assumed to be a relevant method for problem solving in product development due to the deficiencies in information availability and certainty, as well because of short resources. Nevertheless estimation as a method is hardly mentioned in literature on product development nor is it part of engineering education. As a consequence good performance in estimation and the development of estimation competence is left to chance, i.e. expected to be built up through experience. We believe that estimation can be supported and taught. Hence estimation competence can be developed purposive and more quickly. The aims of the research introduced in this paper are to understand relevance and functioning of estimation in engineering design, and to develop support for engineering practice and education based on this understanding. This paper focuses on demonstrating the topics’ relevance by addressing the following questions: •Why is estimation important for engineering design? •What is the state of the art in understanding estimation in general? •What is the state of the art of estimation as a method in engineering design? On the basis of this initial investigation we propose our research framework. After goal, approach and scope of our research, the main research questions on estimation in engineering design we wish to answer are formulated, and the research methods we are using. Furthermore first results on characteristics of estimation in engineering design identified by tests, as well as video and protocol analysis are summarized. At least an outlook on the prospect research is given. [less ▲]

Möglichkeiten und Grenzen generischer Ansätze als Beitrag zur Steigerung der Robustheit von Produktentwicklungsprojekten

in Proceedings of 18th Symposium Design for X (2007)

Zur Darstellung des theoretischen Rahmens dieser Arbeit werden ein Modell zur Visualisierung der Vernetzung von Einflussfaktoren auf den Projekterfolg aus den Domänen Projekt-Management, Produkt und ... [more ▼]

Zur Darstellung des theoretischen Rahmens dieser Arbeit werden ein Modell zur Visualisierung der Vernetzung von Einflussfaktoren auf den Projekterfolg aus den Domänen Projekt-Management, Produkt und Stakeholder und ein Verbesserungsprozess zur Steigerung der Robustheit von Produktentwicklungsprojekten vorgestellt. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden die Grenzen aber auch die Möglichkeiten generischer Lösungsansätze diskutiert. Anhand einer Fallstudie wird untersucht welche Barrieren die Durchführung des Verbesserungsprozesses und somit auch die Anwendung der Lösungsansätze in der Praxis erschweren. Die Analysen zeigen, dass die Kenntnis der Ursachen von Problemen, die zu Planungsabweichungen in Produktenwicklungsprojekten führen, und eine entsprechende Anpassung der Handlungsempfehlungen Voraussetzungen zur Implementierung daraus abgeleiteter Maßnahmen sind. Die domänenübergreifende Betrachtung möglicher Einflussfaktoren gemäß dem Konzept der Robustheit führt während der Ursachenanalyse zu einem fundierten Verständnis der Problemlage und ermöglicht eine bessere Anpassung der Lösungsansätze. Aus den theoretischen Vorüberlegungen und den Ergebnissen der Fallstudie werden Anforderungen an die Weiterentwicklung des Ansatzes zur Steigerung der Robustheit von Produktentwicklungsprojekten abgeleitet, der die Anwender unterstützen soll, den Transfer empirischer Erkenntnisse und Handlungsempfehlungen auf individuelle Problemstellungen zu vollziehen. [less ▲]

Eine adaptive Produktentwicklungsmethodik als Beitrag zur Prozessgestaltung in der Produktentwicklung

in Proceedings of 16th Symposium Design for X (2005)

In den letzen Jahrzehnten ist eine Vielzahl von Modellen zur methodischen Unterstützung des Produktentwicklungsprozesses (PEP) entstanden. Diese präskriptiven Modelle beinhalten oft den impliziten ... [more ▼]

In den letzen Jahrzehnten ist eine Vielzahl von Modellen zur methodischen Unterstützung des Produktentwicklungsprozesses (PEP) entstanden. Diese präskriptiven Modelle beinhalten oft den impliziten Anspruch, in jeder Branche und auf die Entwicklung jeder Art von Produkten anwendbar zu sein. Um dem gerecht zu werden, beschreiben die Modelle den PEP auf einem relativ abstrakten Niveau. Eine Anpassung an den Kontext der Produktentwicklung erfolgt in der Regel nicht. Existierende Ansätze ermöglichen eine Analyse des Kontexts aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln, bieten jedoch keine konkreten Vorschläge, wie diese Analyse in den Prozess der Produktentwicklung einfließen kann. Welche Auswirkungen ausgewählte Kontextfaktoren auf tatsächliche PEP haben, geht aus einer schriftlichen Befragung von 1000 deutschen Unternehmen des produzierenden Gewerbes hervor. Es werden die Grundlagen einer Vorgehensweise beschrieben, welche basierend auf dem Kontext der Produktentwicklung die Gestaltung effektiver, effizienter, transparenter und methodisch unterstützter Produktentwicklungsprozesse ermöglichen soll. [less ▲]

Re-Interpretation of Conceptualisation - A Contribution to the Advance of Design Theory

in Lindemann, Udo (Ed.) Human Behaviour in Design. Individuals, Teams, Tools (2003)

Understanding the differences between how novice and experienced designers approach design tasks

in Research in Engineering Design (2003), 14(1), 1-11

Research was undertaken to understand how to provide the most appropriate support for novice designers in engineering design. However, how designers apply their experience and knowledge is not understood ... [more ▼]

Research was undertaken to understand how to provide the most appropriate support for novice designers in engineering design. However, how designers apply their experience and knowledge is not understood and further research in this area is required. This paper describes an observational study to understand how novice and experienced designers approach design tasks. [less ▲]

Supporting the Knowledge Life Cycle

in Kluwer Academic Publishers (Ed.) Knowledge Intensive CAD (1999)

Design process ingredients: a comparison between group and individual work

in Cross, N.; Christiaans, H.; Dorst, K. (Eds.) Analysing Design Activity (1994)

In this paper a comparison is made between the design processes of an individually working designer and of a group of designers based on protocol analysis. The analysis focused on the differences and ... [more ▼]

In this paper a comparison is made between the design processes of an individually working designer and of a group of designers based on protocol analysis. The analysis focused on the differences and similarities in the ingredients of the two processes. The basic ingredients used for the analysis were: Issues, Arguments, Alternatives, Criteria, Decisions, External information, and Others. Comparisons have been made between: the group as a whole and the individual designer; the individual group members; the individual group members and the individual designer. The results provide a first step towards a better understanding of the differences between group and individual work. The paper also discusses some of the limitations of this type of study. [less ▲]

Knowledge Based Systems

in CAD/CAM Handbook (1990)