Chapter 15.13: Concurrent engineering Flashcards
(8 cards)
What is concurrent engineering?
A cross-functional approach to design, development, and production where teams from all areas work simultaneously rather than sequentially to reduce delays and improve integration.
How does concurrent engineering reduce project duration?
By allowing decisions about design, development, production, and operation to overlap and be made in parallel, avoiding delays caused by sequential processes.
How does concurrent engineering affect trade-offs?
It improves trade-offs by allowing product and process designers to work together, identifying design changes early that reduce cost and improve manufacturability.
What are five key features of concurrent engineering teams?
Autonomy – Members are free from unrelated duties.
Full-time, full-duration participation – Members stay involved throughout the project.
Co-located – Teams share space to encourage informal communication.
Small size – Usually 6–10 members; manageable and effective.
Team of doers – Members are hands-on specialists expected to take initiative.
How does concurrent engineering change traditional roles in development?
It engages people normally involved in only one stage across multiple stages, encouraging broad responsibility and better understanding of downstream impacts.
What is a disadvantage avoided by concurrent engineering that is common in traditional serial development?
The problem of “hand-offs” and poor communication between phases, leading to change requests and costly rework.
What is a heavyweight team in concurrent engineering?
A team where the project manager has strong authority and influence, similar to a pure project organization, ensuring alignment and coordination across functions.
What is one disadvantage of heavyweight teams?
They may miss out on high-level technical insights from functional departments, risking lower system excellence.
