Design Ownership & Departmental Inputs
We often talk and focus on improving service delivery or manufacturing processes and quality. Design is no different,
with a successful outcome dependent on the process of specification and delivery.
Design is all about understanding the needs of the customer, or the
Voice of the Customer ( VOC )
and challenging the status quo, while ensuring the product meets
its targets for cost, quality, manufacture and serviceability. The use of
Quality Function Deployment ( QFD )
is recommended for managing this process.
Design can and should be used to provide companies with a leading edge but in order to achieve this, Design must be inherent in all aspects
of the company with all departments and areas of the company contributing and maintaining checks and balances throughout the design life cycle.
The diagram shown here is by no means prescriptive but shows what a typical set of inputs and relationships might be, the key point here
being that all areas of business need to be involved and contribute throughout the Design process. While the Design Department may
champion the design and project manage the process, ‘Design’ is owned by the company and in order to succeed must meet all parameters
with regular communication and reviews in place. Sometimes referred to as Simultaneous Engineering, or in part at least Design for Manufacture
( DFM ), the process of design requires all parties contribute in a parallel fashion working collaboratively rather than in a series, time consuming
and often poorly defined manner.
Design Reviews or Gateways
The Design cycle will vary widely dependent on the size or scale of the Design project and hence the review, or gateway,
process may itself vary in complexity, content and depth. That said, the overriding principle and one that can be
managed through the
Design for Six Sigma ( DFSS )
process is to ensure that all departments are aware of the status and able to comment and contribute as required, through a
formal gateway sign off.
The following diagram shows an example of what a typical design cycle might look like, with in this case approval to pass
through the gateway given by the Board of Directors.
Design Brief or Specification
Without doubt one of the most important documents in the design project is the initial Design Brief or Specification. This is a communication medium
between all business areas and used as input to the
House of Quality ( HOQ )
as a part of the
Quality Function Deployment ( QFD )
process. It is typically set out by the Sales & Marketing Department, in consultation with all areas of the company and its customer/s.
The Brief, as shown in this example, needs to cover all aspects of the product and define and set priority for each criteria.
Time spent at the outset of the Design, ensuring the Brief is robust and thorough, is without question always invaluable and
regardless of the project, inaccurate or poorly detailed briefs lead to poorly executed designs.
Business Engineering is highly experienced in both technical design and the project management of design projects
across a wide range of industries including multi-million dollar luxury automotive, aircraft , electrical controls
and appliances, agricultural products, Recreational Vehicles (Caravans, Motor Homes & Off Road Trailers and Caravans)
and can advise and structure your design projects for optimal delivery.
