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)
