A Company-led Methodology for the Specification of Product Design Capabilities in Small and Medium Sized Electronics Companies

It is the aim of the research reported in this thesis to improve the product design effectiveness of small and medium sized electronics companies in the United Kingdom. It does so by presenting a methodology for use by such firms which will enable them to specify product design capabilities which are resilient to changes in their respective business environments. The research has not, however, concerned itself with the details of particular electronics component technologies or with the advantages of various CAD or CAE products, although these are both important aspects of any design capability. Nor is it concerned with the implementation of the product design capability. The methodology, which represents a significant improvement on current practice, is a structured, company-driven approach which draws extensively upon the lessons of international design best practice. It uses well-proven tools and techniques to guide firms through the entire process of creating such capabilities - from the development of an appropriate Mission Statement to the identification of cost effective and appropriate design system solutions which can readily be translated into action plans for improvement. The work emphasises the importance of adopting a holistic, systems approach which acknowledges the interrelationship between the management of the design process, as well as its operational and supporting activities. The research has been structured around the experiences of companies which have implemented electronics design systems and which "own" the problem in question. Hence, a research strategy was adopted which was based upon a case study approach and upon the development of close collaborative links with two leading design automation tool vendor companies. Case study interviews were undertaken in 18 U.K. and European electronics companies and in 11 U.S., Japanese and Korean electronics firms. The work proceeded in two distinct phases. Firstly, the author participated with other researchers to jointly develop a functional specification of an electronics designers' toolset to support the process of product design in an integrated manufacturing environment. The first phase provided the context for Phase 2, the development of the AGILITY methodology for specifying product design capabilities which represents the author's individual contribution. The contribution to knowledge made by the research lies in the creation of a process methodology which, for the first time, will help U.K. electronics companies to define for themselves product design capabilities which are robust and which support their wider business objectives. No such methodology is currently available in a form which is both accessible and affordable to smaller firms. Furthermore, the author has uncovered no evidence of the existence of such a methodology even for use by large electronics firms. Validation of the methodology is subject to an ongoing process of feedback.Racal Redac Lt

High school technical drawing students teach computer assisted drafting to gifted/learning disabled students : an action research study.

As a model program, this study utilized high school students who tutored elementary students in computer assisted drafting (CAD). The tutors (called interns) offered various aspects of Technology Education to fifth and sixth graders (called youngsters). All youngsters were classified as gifted. In addition to high intelligence, each had some learning disability. Consequently, they were both gifted and learning disabled, or G/LD. Using a case study method, this study compared five author formulated propositions to data from observations and interviews. Proposition I. Changing schools. By utilizing existing resources, teachers can bring about positive changes in school policies and procedures. The study examined a staff-initiated, adapted change in an existing classroom practice which gave school staff a sense of ownership and, therefore, encountered little of the resistance that frequently accompanies imposed changes. Proposition II. Cooperative education. College-bound students have fewer opportunities to participate in off-campus learning experiences than do non-college-bound students. Although scheduling and other difficulties work against easy implementation of cooperative education programs for college-bound students, the study demonstrated that such programs can be successful. Proposition III. Building relationships. The interns, as positive role models, provide a vital component in the affective development of the G/LD youngsters, many of whom tend to be isolates. Classroom observations indicated that the youngsters admired, respected, and confided in the interns regarding personal matters. Proposition IV. Technology and values. Fear of job loss, coupled with the fear that technology is beyond human control, causes people to distrust and/or fear technological change. The interns expressed concern regarding jobs, the environment, and, the threat of war. None expressed fear of technology or felt that it was beyond human control. Proposition V. Seeking new teachers. Because few capable students are interested in teaching careers, the study attempted to present a positive image of teaching, thereby cultivating an interest in the profession. Prior to their involvement in the study, all of the interns indicated having little or no interest in teaching. At the end of the year-long study, these views remained unchanged

Organisations as complex adaptive systems : implications for the design of information systems

Today a paradigm shift in the field of organisation and management theories is no longer disputed and the need to switch from the Command-and-Control to the Leaming Organisation Paradigm (LOP) in the area of organisational theory is well understood. However, it is less well appreciated that learning organisations cannot operate effectively if supported by centralised databases and tailor-made application programs. LOP emphasises adaptability, flexibility, participation and learning. It is important to understand that the changes in organisational and management strategies will not on their own be able to produce the desired effects unless they are supported by appropriate changes in organisational culture, and by effective information systems. This research demonstrates that conventional information system strategies and development methods are no longer adequate. Information system strategies must respond to these needs of the LOP and incorporate new information systems that are capable of evolving, adapting and responding to the constantly changing business environment. The desired adaptability, flexibility and agility in information systems for LOP can be achieved by exploiting the technologies of the Internet, World Wide Web, intelligent agents and intranets. This research establishes that there is a need for synergy between organisational structures and organisational information systems. To obtain this desired synergy it is essential that new information systems be designed as an integral part of the learning organisational structure itself. Complexity theory provides a new set of metaphors and a host of concepts for the understanding of organisations as complex adaptive systems. This research introduces the principles of Complex Adaptive Systems and draws on their significance for designing the information systems needed to support the new generation of learning organisations. The search for new models of information system strategies for today's dynamic world of business points to the 'swarm models' observed in Nature

Design in the Age of Information: A Report to the National Science Foundation (NSF)

The Information Age is upon us - it has become a global force in our everyday lives. But the promise of significant benefits from this revolution, which has been driven largely by technologists, will not be realized without more careful planning and design of information systems that can be integral to the simultaneously emerging user-cultures. In cultural terms, information systems must be effective, reliable, affordable, intuitively meaningful, and available anytime and everywhere. In this phase of the information revolution, design will be essential

High definition systems in Japan

The successful implementation of a strategy to produce high-definition systems within the Japanese economy will favorably affect the fundamental competitiveness of Japan relative to the rest of the world. The development of an infrastructure necessary to support high-definition products and systems in that country involves major commitments of engineering resources, plants and equipment, educational programs and funding. The results of these efforts appear to affect virtually every aspect of the Japanese industrial complex. The results of assessments of the current progress of Japan toward the development of high-definition products and systems are presented. The assessments are based on the findings of a panel of U.S. experts made up of individuals from U.S. academia and industry, and derived from a study of the Japanese literature combined with visits to the primary relevant industrial laboratories and development agencies in Japan. Specific coverage includes an evaluation of progress in R&D for high-definition television (HDTV) displays that are evolving in Japan; high-definition standards and equipment development; Japanese intentions for the use of HDTV; economic evaluation of Japan's public policy initiatives in support of high-definition systems; management analysis of Japan's strategy of leverage with respect to high-definition products and systems

Vision 21: Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in the Era of Cyberspace

The symposium Vision-21: Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in the Era of Cyberspace was held at the NASA Lewis Research Center on March 30-31, 1993. The purpose of the symposium was to simulate interdisciplinary thinking in the sciences and technologies which will be required for exploration and development of space over the next thousand years. The keynote speakers were Hans Moravec, Vernor Vinge, Carol Stoker, and Myron Krueger. The proceedings consist of transcripts of the invited talks and the panel discussion by the invited speakers, summaries of workshop sessions, and contributed papers by the attendees

Spinoff 1997: 25 Years of Reporting Down-to-Earth Benefits

The 25th annual issue of NASA's report on technology transfer and research and development (R&D) from its ten field centers is presented. The publication is divided into three sections. Section 1 comprises a summary of R&D over the last 25 years. Section 2 presents details of the mechanisms NASA uses to transfer technology to private industry as well as the assistance NASA provides in commercialization efforts. Section 3, which is the focal point of the publication, features success stories of manufacturers and entrepreneurs in developing commercial products and services that improve the economy and life in general

Systems for the future: Proceedings of the Australian systems conference

The depth and variety of papers in this volume are a testament to the applicability of systems thinking to a wide range of problems. The complexity of modern management demands approaches that take into account not only difficult technical challenges, but also the various views and perceptions of those involved in the problem situation. The following papers are a small subset of the work being done to rise to this challenge. Systems methodologies and techniques will shape the future. They provide an avenue to attempt to solve the myriad of environmental, social, business, and technical problems that face us. Systems approaches help us to understand the basis of many present dilemmas. This understanding plus associated techniques make system science a discipline for the future

Management: A bibliography for NASA managers (supplement 21)

This bibliography lists 664 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in 1986. Items are selected and grouped according to their usefulness to the manager as manager. Citations are grouped into ten subject categories: human factors and personnel issues; management theory and techniques; industrial management and manufacturing; robotics and expert systems; computers and information management; research and development; economics, costs, and markets; logistics and operations management; reliability and quality control; and legality, legislation, and policy

Automotive component product development enhancement through multi-attribute system design optimization in an integrated concurrent engineering framework

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design & Management Program, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (p. 211-218).Automotive industry is facing a tough period. Production overcapacity and high fixed costs constrain companies' profits and challenge the very same existence of some corporations. Strangulated by the reduced cash availability and petrified by the organizational and products' complexity, companies find themselves more and more inadequate to stay in synch with the pace and the rate of change of consumers' and regulations' demands. To boost profits, nearly everyone pursue cost cutting. However, aggressive cost cutting as the sole approach to fattening margins results invariably in a reduction of operational capabilities which is likely to result in a decline in sales volume that leads to further cost reductions in a continuous death spiral. Long-term profitable growth requires, instead, a continuous flow of innovative products and processes. The focus should be, therefore, shifted from cost reduction to increased throughput. Automotive companies need to change their business model, morphing into new organizational entities based on systems thinking and change, which are agile and can swiftly adapt to the new business environment. The advancement of technology and the relentless increase in computing power will provide the necessary means for this radical transformation. This transformation cannot happen if the Product Development Process (PDP) does not break the iron gate of cycle time-product cost-development expenses-reduced product performance that constrains it. A new approach to PD should be applied to the early phases, where the leverage is higher, and should be targeted to dramatic reduction of the time taken to perform design iterations, which, by taking 50-70% of the total development time, are a burden of today's practice. Multi-disciplinary Design(cont.) Analysis and Optimization, enabled by an Integrated Concurrent Engineering virtual product development framework has the required characteristics and the potential to respond to today's and tomorrow's automotive challenges. In this new framework, the product or system is not defined by a rigid CAD model which is then manipulated by product team engineers, but by a parametric flexible architecture handled by optimization and analysis software, with limited user interaction. In this environment, design engineers govern computer programs, which automatically select appropriately combinations of geometry parameters and drive seamlessly the analyses software programs (structural, fluid dynamic, costing, etc) to compute the system's performance attributes. Optimization algorithms explore the design space, identifying the Pareto optimal set of designs that satisfy the multiple simultaneous objectives they are given and at the same time the problem's constraints. Examples of application of the MDO approach to automotive systems are multiplying. However, the number of disciplines and engineering aspects considered is still limited to few (two or three) thus not exploiting the full potential the approach deriving from multi-disciplinarity. In the present work, a prototype of an Enhanced Development Framework has been set up for a particular automotive subsystem: a maniverter (a combination of exhaust manifold and catalytic converter) for internal combustion engines ...by Massimo Usan.S.M