Propagating product architecture decisions onto the project organisation: a comparison between two methods

Concepts like product architecture and modularity have been introduced in order to limit the effects of technological change on complex product design. Researchers have highlighted that product architectures and design organisations (projects, teams?) are strongly interrelated. However, little research has analysed this relationship. System architects and design managers need a method that helps them to simulate the mapping of the product architecture onto the project organisation by propagating choices and then assessing alternatives. In this paper, two propagation methods are presented and compared. The first one is based on a fuzzy process, which is proposed by the authors. The second one is based on a matrix approach. Both are applied to define new robotised gearbox architectures. A sensitivity analysis is conducted. It is concluded that in new product development situations or in reengineering projects, system architects could use these methods in the early design stages to forecast the more appropriate design project organisation.

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