Requirements-based development of an improved engineering change management method

• Published in: Journal of engineering design Vol. 24; no. 11; pp. 765 - 793
• Main Authors: Hamraz, Bahram, Caldwell, Nicholas H.M., Wynn, David C., Clarkson, P. John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.11.2013; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Benchmarking; Benchmarks; change propagation; Criteria; Design engineering; Electrochemical machining; engineering change management; Engineering design; functional reasoning; Literature reviews; Management; Management methods; Product development; Progress; requirements
• ISSN: 0954-4828; 1466-1837
• DOI: 10.1080/09544828.2013.834039

Engineering changes (ECs) are essential in complex product development, and their management is a crucial discipline for engineering industries. Numerous methods have been developed to support EC management (ECM), of which the change prediction method (CPM) is one of the most established. This article contributes a requirements-based benchmarking approach to assess and improve existing methods. The CPM is selected to be improved. First, based on a comprehensive literature survey and insights from industrial case studies, a set of 25 requirements for change management methods are developed. Second, these requirements are used as benchmarking criteria to assess the CPM in comparison to seven other promising methods. Third, the best-in-class solutions for each requirement are investigated to draw improvement suggestions for the CPM. Finally, an enhanced ECM method which implements these improvements is presented.