Towards an integrated approach to “Design for X”: an agenda for decision-based DFX research

Concurrent engineering encourages holistic product development, considering all aspects of the product in design decisions. “Design for X” (DFX) techniques are popular for doing this, yet each focuses on just one aspect of the product (manufacture, cost, etc.). To provide the holistic approach required by concurrent engineering, these techniques must be brought together, but this has received little attention in the literature. This paper argues for “top down” development of DFX, starting from the needs of design decision-making, to balance the current “bottom-up” approach. Existing DFX techniques are compared to see how they can be used together. The importance of relating DFX techniques to the overall purpose of a product, not just other DFX, is highlighted, along with some of the challenges in making trade-offs. The paper concludes by highlighting relevant lessons from decision research and four themes for future research necessary to develop the proposed “top down” approach.