Integration of self assessment with a change management process for deploying concurrent engineering : executive summary

The main research theme of this engineering doctorate was as follows: 'How can UK industry effectively leverage concurrent engineering practices within the organisation?' To address this problem, a review of implementation tools was undertaken, where a number of 'do it yourself' methodologies were identified within the literature for implementing Concurrent Engineering (CE). These were 'change management workbooks' and 'self-assessment tools'. Change management workbooks provide a means for managing an implementation program, and self-assessment measures and benchmarks the deployment of practices and identifying areas for improvement. However, both were found to operate independently from one another. Therefore, it has been proposed that the deployment of CE practice can be further enhanced through an integrated approach. This approach combines both disciplines, because as a system it could measure the deployment of practices, identify future improvements, and enable an organisation to manage the transition to better CE. To solve this problem a self-assessment tool, which encapsulated practice from the automobile, power generation, aerospace, pneumatics and mechatronics industry sectors was developed. The tool consisted of both a practice and performance dimension to ensure that practices deployed impacted the bottom line. The selfassessment tool allows for a company to assess its current state, and decide where it wants to go. Furthermore, a change management process was developed, which integrated with the self-assessment tool, and a series of additional tools developed specifically for the task such as the generic planning tool, a decision tool for deciding an implementation strategy, and additional tools, which have been selected from the literature. The application of the system at an UK based organisation demonstrated that a self-assessment tool integrated with a change management process can assist a facilitator to direct a change program toward implementing CE practice. Furthermore, the preliminary results of this application illustrate that the practices deployed as a result of the system were impacting key project performance measures.