114.2.3 - Total Manufacturing

Design Methods & Workflows

Traditional Engineering Design Processes

A Traditional Engineering Design Process is Outcome-Oriented, which means that the process is focused on achieving a specific, pre-determined outcome or result.
1. The goal of a traditional engineering design process is to develop a product or system that meets the requirements and specifications, and it is based on a systematic and logical approach.
Traditional engineering design processes are more suitable for tasks or roles that require a high level of precision, repeatability, and cost-efficiency.
1. These tasks or roles typically focus on the optimization and improvement of existing products or systems, rather than the development of new ones.
2. Some examples of jobs or roles that may use a traditional engineering design process more often include:
  1. Manufacturing Engineers: Manufacturing engineers are responsible for designing and implementing manufacturing processes that are efficient, cost-effective, and capable of producing high-quality products. They use a traditional engineering design process to optimize existing processes, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
  2. Process Engineers: Process engineers are responsible for the design, operation, and optimization of industrial processes, such as chemical, biological, and physical processes. They use a traditional engineering design process to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these processes, and to ensure that they meet safety, environmental, and quality standards.
  3. Quality Control Engineers: Quality control engineers are responsible for ensuring that products meet the required quality standards. They use a traditional engineering design process to establish and maintain quality control systems and procedures, to ensure that products meet the required specifications.
  4. Maintenance Engineers: Maintenance engineers are responsible for maintaining and repairing equipment, and facilities. They use a traditional engineering design process to optimize the maintenance and repair process, improve equipment performance, and reduce costs.
  5. Construction Engineers: Construction engineers are responsible for designing and overseeing construction projects, such as buildings, bridges, and roads. They use a traditional engineering design process to ensure that the project is completed

Creative Engineering / Design Thinking

Creative Engineering

A Creative Engineering Design Process is Exploratory, which means that the process is focused on exploring different possibilities, and the final desired outcome is unknown before starting the process.
- This type of design process typically includes a series of steps such as, problem identification, brainstorming, prototyping, testing, and implementation, but the process is more flexible, and the final outcome is not predetermined.
- The goal of a creative engineering design process is to come up with new and innovative solutions, and it is based on a more flexible and adaptable approach.
Creative engineering design processes are more suitable for tasks or roles that require innovation, experimentation, or new product development.
- Some examples of jobs or roles that may use a creative engineering design process more often include:
  - Research and Development (R&D) Engineers: R&D engineers are often tasked with developing new products or technologies, and they often use a creative engineering design process to explore different possibilities and come up with new and innovative solutions.
  - Product Designers: Product designers are responsible for creating the overall look and feel of a product, and they use a creative engineering design process to explore different design options and come up with new and innovative designs.
  - Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurs, who are starting a new business or developing a new product, often use a creative engineering design process to explore different possibilities and come up with new and innovative solutions.
  - Artists and Designers: Artists and designers, such as industrial designers, graphic designers, and fashion designers, use a creative engineering design process to explore different design options and come up with new and innovative designs.
  - Innovation Teams: Companies often establish teams specifically for innovation, these teams are composed of members from different departments and they use a creative engineering design process to come up with new and innovative solutions for the company.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves understanding the needs of users and stakeholders, and then using that understanding to generate new and innovative solutions.
- It is a human-centered approach that focuses on empathy, creativity, and experimentation. It is a non-linear, iterative process that emphasizes rapid prototyping, testing, and iteration.
Design thinking is often used in the field of product design, but it can also be applied to a wide range of other fields, such as architecture, urban planning, service design, and engineering.
Design thinking is related to creative engineering design processes in that both approaches are focused on generating new and innovative solutions.
- However, while creative engineering design processes are often focused on developing new products or systems, design thinking is more broadly focused on solving problems and meeting the needs of users and stakeholders.
Design thinking also emphasizes a human-centered approach, which is not always the primary focus in traditional engineering design process, this approach helps to ensure that the final solution meets the needs of the users and stakeholders and is more likely to be adopted and used.
In short, Design Thinking is the middle-ground between Traditional and Creative Engineering Design Processes, with emphasis on design for customer/people.
- Some examples of jobs or roles that may use design thinking processes more often include:
  - User Experience (UX) Designers: UX designers use design thinking processes to understand the needs of users, and to design interfaces and experiences that are user-friendly and meet the needs of users.
  - Service Designers: Service designers use design thinking processes to understand the needs of users, and to design and improve services that meet the needs of users.
  - Architects: Architects use design thinking processes to understand the needs of users and stakeholders, and to design buildings that meet the needs of users and are sensitive to the surrounding environment.
  - Urban Planners: Urban planners use design thinking processes to understand the needs of users and stakeholders, and to design and plan cities and communities that meet the needs of users.
  - Healthcare Designers: Healthcare designers use design thinking processes to understand the needs of patients and healthcare professionals, and to design healthcare facilities and systems that meet the needs of users.

Design Iterations & Continuous Improvement

Thomas Edison is famously attributed the quote, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.", in reference to inventing the lightbulb - a initially "three of four month" project that ultimately took him and his team 14 months to create a working product
No matter how experienced or knowledgeable the Engineer, all great designs require Design Iteration (doing something repeatedly, with improvements)
- Nobody designs a perfect product from the get-go, nor should anyone expect to.
- This is why most engineering design processes are cyclical - it is almost guaranteed you will have to go through the same process multiple times in order to create the "best" product
  - But is there ever a "best" or "perfect" product? Absolutely not, and the idea that aligns with this is a Lean Manufacturing principle known as Continuous Improvement
Now, you might think that since you will never design a perfect product the first time, how do you know where to even start?
- The best starting place is what is known as the Minimum Viable Product/Solution...

Minimum Viable Product/Solution (MVP/MVS)

A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is a version of a product that has the minimum set of features necessary to satisfy early customers and provide feedback for future product development.
- It is a product with just enough features to gather valuable feedback from early adopters, test a product vision and validate a product-market fit.
- MVP can also be referred to as a Minimum Viable Solution (MVS) when it comes to a service or a process.
The MVP is often considered the first step in product design because it allows the development team to validate the product concept and gather feedback from potential customers before investing significant resources into building a full-featured product.
- This approach can help to identify and address potential problems early in the design process, reducing the risk of developing a product that does not meet customer needs.
Additionally, the MVP approach allows for a "fail fast, learn fast" mentality and helps to test the assumptions and hypotheses of the product, and create a product that matches the customer needs and willing to pay for.
- This approach helps to avoid spending time and money on features that customers may not actually want or need, and instead focuses on the core features that are essential to the product's success.
In summary, MVP is a cost-effective and efficient way to validate a product concept, gather feedback and ensure that the product is meeting the customer needs before investing in a full-featured product.
- It is the first step in product design because it allows the development team to test the assumptions and hypotheses of the product, and improve it based on the feedback obtained from early adopters.

Revision/Version Control

Revision Control, also known as Version Control, is a system that keeps track of changes made to a set of files over time. It allows multiple people to work on the same files simultaneously, and keeps a record of every change that is made. This makes it easy for users to go back to previous versions of the files, or to see who made a particular change.
In the design process, revision control is important for several reasons:
- Collaboration: It allows multiple team members to work on the same design files at the same time, making it easy to see who made what changes and when. This facilitates the collaboration among the team members, and makes it easier to resolve conflicts when they arise.
- Traceability: Version control systems maintain a history of changes made to the design files, so it is easy to trace any changes made and the person who made them. This is useful for auditing, reviewing, and debugging the design.
- Backup and Recovery: Version control systems keep a copy of each version of the design files, making it easy to go back to a previous version if something goes wrong. This can be helpful in case of human error, or if the design needs to be restored to a previous point in time.
- Compliance: In regulated industries, like aerospace, automotive, medical devices, etc, revision control is essential to ensure compliance with regulations and standards. It's important to be able to track and prove the history of design changes, and that they have been reviewed, approved, and properly implemented.
- Experimentation: Version control also allows for experimentation with different design alternatives and to switch between them easily, by creating branches, this allows for testing different versions of the design and select the best one.
Different industries and organizations may have different standards for properly documenting Revision Control of designs, but some general practices to follow include:
- Use a Consistent Numbering System: It's important to have a consistent numbering system for version control. A common practice is to use a version number in the format of "major.minor.patch" (e.g. 1.0.0, 2.1.3). The major version number is incremented when there are significant changes or new features added to the product, the minor version number is incremented when there are minor changes or bug fixes, and the patch number is incremented when there are only small bug fixes or updates.
- Keep Detailed Release Notes: It's important to keep detailed release notes for each version of the product. The release notes should include a detailed list of changes made in that version, as well as any known issues or limitations.
- Use Branches and Tags: Use branches to create different versions of the product, and tags to mark specific versions. This allows for easy switching between different versions and experimentation with different design alternatives.
- Limit the Number of Branches: Avoid creating too many branches, as it can make it difficult to keep track of changes and merge them. Limit the number of branches to only the most important ones, like "master", "development", "release" branches.
- Use a Version Control System: Use a version control system, like Git, SVN, or Mercurial, to keep track of changes made to the product. These systems allow for easy collaboration, tracking, and rollback of changes.
- Follow Naming Conventions: Use naming conventions for branches and tags, like "v1.0", "v2.0", "release", "feature/...", etc. This will make it easy to identify the different versions of the product.
- Track and Review Changes: Use the version control system to track changes, and ensure that all changes are reviewed and approved before being committed to the repository. This will help to ensure the quality and consistency of the product.
By following these guidelines, you can effectively manage and track changes to your product, ensure consistency and quality, and make it easy to switch between different versions and experiment with different design alternatives.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse