Design Process Improvement

vi The process is important! I learned this lesson the hard way during my previous existence working as a design engineer with PA Consulting Group's Cambridge Technology Centre. One of my earliest assignments involved the development of a piece of labo- tory automation equipment for a major European pharmaceutical manufacturer.Two things stick in my mind from those early days – first, that the equipment was always to be ready for delivery in three weeks and,second,that being able to write well structured Pascal was not sufficient to deliver reliable software performance. Delivery was ultimately six months late,the project ran some sixty percent over budget and I gained my first promotion to Senior Engineer. At the time it puzzled me that I had been unable to predict the John Clarkson real effort required to complete the automation project – I had Reader in Engineering Design, genuinely believed that the project would be finished in three Director, Cambridge Engineering weeks.It was some years later that I discovered Kenneth Cooper's Design Centre papers describing the Rework Cycle and realised that I had been the victim of “undiscovered rework”.I quickly learned that project plans were not just inaccurate,as most project managers would attest,but often grossly misleading,bearing little resemblance to actual development practice.

Enables you to improve quality, productivity, and competitiveness the business process improvement way. This workbook shows you how to: understand and set process improvement goals; eliminate bureaucracies, duplication, and obsolescence; evaluate information management; research cycle time; analyze functions and tasks in administration; and more.

Today's rapidly changing marketplace can seem like a jungle for many professionals. Engineering & Management Press offers the books needed to navigate through the wilderness of business techniques and acronyms. EMP's titles provide practical information and proven business methods for most corporate and industrial environments. Our titles cover crucial, timely topics of importance to businesses and managers today -- management, productivity improvement, quality, and related issues.Quality -- the word is everywhere in the workplace. Companies have learned that quality products and services sell better, last longer, and bring greater customer satisfaction.Design of experiments and analysis of variance may be used to detect problems and defects in manufacturing and other production processes. Statistical methods may also be used to build quality directly into products and services. This book shows how several key statistical equations and graphs, such as probability plots and histograms, can identify and control problems without disrupting operations. This lowers costs and brings an organization ever closer to its quality ideal.

Today, technology has become too much a part of overall corporate success for its effectiveness to be left to chance. The stakes are too high. Fortunately, the idea of 'quality management' is being reinvigorated. In the last decade process programs have become more and more prevalent. And, out of all the available options, three have moved to the top of the chain. These three are: The 9001:2000 Quality Management Standard from the International Standards Organization; The Capability Maturity Model Integration from the Software Engineering Institute; and Six Sigma, a methodology for improvement shaped by companies such as Motorola, Honeywell, and General Electric. These recognized and proven quality programs are rising in popularity as more technology managers are looking for ways to help remove degrees of risk and uncertainty from their business equations, and to introduce methods of predictability that better ensure success. Process Improvement Essentials combines the foundation needed to understand process improvement theory with the best practices to help individuals implement process improvement initiatives in their organization. The three leading programs: ISO 9001:2000, CMMI, and Six Sigma--amidst the buzz and hype--tend to get lumped together under a common label. This book delivers a combined guide to all three programs, compares their applicability, and then sets the foundation for further exploration. It's a one-stop-shop designed to give you a working orientation to what the field is all about.

Increasing intensity surrounding globalization of manufacturing and its competitive environment force a much higher 'expectation' of design as falling within the 'optimum range of parameters.' This new book explains how the CE Design process provides a stable, repeatable process through which increased accuracy is achieved. Section I: The Business Environment Surrounding Concurrent Engineering Design includes an introduction, asks 'Why' CE Design, explains how CE Design can create a competitive advantage, and addresses CE Design as a world class manufacturing enabler. Section II: Concurrent Engineering Design Business Process Framework looks at CE DesignAs relationship to process management, the design process, and manufacturability process. Section III: Concurrent Engineering Design Architectural and Implementation Framework focuses on CE DesignAs automated infrastructure, and implementation planning for engineering design.

"The first half of the book presents an overall business process improvement model, with the ensuing chapters dealing with topics of understanding and modeling your current business processes, using performance measurement in improvement work, creating a business process improvement road map, and organizing for improvement work. The second half of the book presents the overall toolbox, followed by one chapter for each phase of the overall improvement model. For each of these phases, a selection of suitable tools is presented with background, steps for how to use them, and an example of their use. The final two chapters contain two more extensive case studies illustrating the use of the full methodology.

Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is an innovative continuous improvement methodology for designing new products, processes, and services by integrating Lean and Six Sigma principles. This book will explain how the DFSS methodology is used to design robust products, processes, or services right the first time by using the voice of the customer to meet Six Sigma performance. Robust designs are insensitive to variation and provide consistent performance in the hands of the customer. DFSS is used to meet customer needs by understanding their requirements, considering current process capability, identifying and reducing gaps, and verifying predictions to develop a robust design. This book offers: Methodology on how to implement DFSS in various industries Practical examples of the use of DFSS Sustainability utilizing Lean Six Sigma techniques and Lean product development Innovative designs using DFSS with concept generation Case studies for implementing the DFSS methodology Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) enables organizations to develop innovative designs. In order to redesign an existing process or design a new process, the success is dependent on a rigorous process and methodology. DFSS ensures that there are minimal defects in the introduction of new products, processes, or services. The authors have compiled all of the tools necessary for implementation of a practical approach though innovation.

Innovation in construction is essential for growth. The industry strives to remain competitive using a variety of approaches and needs to engage structured initiatives linked to proven innovation concepts, techniques and applications. Even in mature markets like the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector, where business behaviour is generally considered as being risk averse, it is increasingly important to embed innovation into mainstream business practices. In Construction Innovation and Process Improvement a number of wide ranging issues from construction practice in different countries with different contexts are presented to provide a rich collection of literature embracing theory and practice. Chapters are divided into three broad themes of construction innovation relating to: Theory and Practice; Process Drivers; and Future Technologies. Several questions are posed, including for example: What is particularly unique about construction innovation in theory and practice? What are the major drivers of construction innovation? What factors are needed to support and deliver future construction technologies? In attempting to respond to such questions, the book sheds new light on these challenges, and provides readers with a number of ways forward, especially cognisant of the increased role of globalisation, the enhanced impact of knowledge, and importance of innovation. All these can have a significant impact on strategic decision-making, competitive advantage, and sustainable policies and practices. Part One deals with change management, technology, sustainable construction, and supply chain management; Part Two addresses innovation and process improvement drivers, including strategic management, concurrent engineering, risk management, innovative procurement, knowledge management; Part Three explores future technologies in construction – and particularly, how these can be harnessed and leveraged to help procure innovation and process improvement.