A DECISION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM TO DELIVER EFFECTIVE CONCURRENT ENGINEERING

Concurrent engineering can reduce the lead time and cost of developing, and improve the quality of, new or modified products. To achieve these benefits, design, engineering, and manufacturing knowledge must be shared in a systematic, complete, integrated, and timely manner among the affected decision makers. Significant functional and technical barriers can prevent the free flow of the necessary knowledge. An information system, called a decision technology system (DTS), can be developed to help decision makers overcome such barriers. This paper first overviews the concurrent engineering process and identifies the knowledge and wisdom gaps in existing CE support. Next, it presents a decision technology system designed to deliver effective concurrent engineering (CE), and it explains the manner in which the DTS can close the knowledge support gaps. The paper then reports successful applications of the concept in electronics manufacturing and health care.