EXPLORING INTEGRATIVE MECHANISMS WITH A VIEW TOWARDS DESIGN FOR INTEGRATION

The integrated product development (IPD) paradigm has gained recognition as a preferred approach to product development. In complex system development programs, the concurrent engineering aspect of IPD is often approached through the use of integrated product teams (IPTs), each assigned to develop various components of the overall system. Many have struggled to determine the characteristics of highly effective IPTs and the circumstances in which particular perspectives should be incorporated within an IPT. However, much less research has addressed the nature and management of the relationships between IPTs—the integration of IPTs within a program. While many have lamented that coordination problems have played a large part in diminishing the performance of their overall programs, a systematic approach for considering these issues a priori in program design is lacking. This paper presupposes a familiarity with interteam integration issues and (1) describes a framework for thinking about organization integration within a program, (2) presents integrative mechanisms (IMs) useful for managing IPT interfaces, and (3) begins to develop a systematic approach for designing programs that explicitly considers integration needs, design for integration (DFI).

[1]  Ilan Kroo,et al.  A Genetic Algorithm for Scheduling and Decomposition of Multidisciplinary Design Problems , 1996 .

[2]  Tyson R. Browning,et al.  Systematic IPT integration in lean development programs , 1996 .

[3]  Steven D. Eppinger,et al.  Predicting technical communication in product development organizations , 1995 .

[4]  Andrew Kusiak,et al.  Decomposition of the Design Process , 1993 .

[5]  F Kockler,et al.  Systems Engineering Management Guide , 1990 .

[6]  Steven D. Eppinger,et al.  Integration analysis of product decompositions , 1994 .

[7]  Panos Y. Papalambros,et al.  Optimal model-based decomposition of powertrain system design , 1995 .

[8]  James F. Peters.  3.5.4 THE TRANSITION OF FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO INTEGRATED PRODUCT TEAMS ON THE SPACE STATION PROGRAM , 1995 .

[9]  Jon R. Katzenbach,et al.  The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High-Performance Organization , 1992 .

[10]  Tyson R. Browning.  Mechanisms for Interteam Integration: Findings from Five Case Studies , 1997 .

[11]  Willie E. Cole.  COOKING UP A BATCH OF TEAM SYNERGY Ingredients for Setting Up Successful Teams , 1995 .

[12]  Christopher Alexander.  Notes on the Synthesis of Form , 1964 .

[13]  Tyson R. Browning,et al.  MULTI-TEAM INTEGRATION: INTERDEPENDENCE AND INTEGRATIVE MECHANISMS , 1996 .

[14]  M. Graham.  Integrating Design and Manufacturing for Competitive Advantage , 1994 .

[15]  Sarah A. Sheard,et al.  4.1.1 TEAM STRUCTURES FOR SYSTEMS ENGINEERING IN AN IPT ENVIRONMENT , 1995 .

[16]  Daniel E. Whitney,et al.  Designing the design process , 1990 .

[17]  Steven D. Eppinger,et al.  Managing the integration problem in concurrent engineering , 1993 .

[18]  Wolter J. Fabrycky,et al.  Systems engineering and analysis , 1981 .

[19]  Robert P. Smith,et al.  A model-based method for organizing tasks in product development , 1994 .