Simulating intertwined design processes that have similar structures: A case study of a small company that creates made-to-order fashion products
Type
Article
Change log
Authors
Wynn, DC
Eckert, CM
Clarkson, PJ
Abstract
The authors use simulation to analyse the resource-driven dependencies between concurrent processes used to create customised products in a company. Such processes are uncertain and unique according to the design changes required. However, they have similar structures. For simulation, a level of abstraction is chosen such that all possible processes are represented by the same activity network. Differences between processes are determined by the customisations that they implement. The approach is illustrated through application to a small business that creates customised fashion products. We suggest that similar techniques could be applied to study intertwined design processes in more complex domains.
Description
Keywords
design customisation, concurrent projects, resource limitation, design process, simulation, make-to-order, fashion products, product design, product development, small firms, Applied Signposting Model (ASM), Cambridge Advanced Modeller (CAM)
Journal Title
International Journal of Product Development
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
1477-9056
1741-8178
1741-8178
Volume Title
Publisher
Inderscience Publishers
Publisher DOI
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/E001777/1)
The case study was carried out as part of Considerate Design for Personalised
Fashion funded by the EPSRC/AHRC Design in the 21st century programme. The
context of a multi-project environment was analysed as part of the EU Framework 7
CONVERGE project CP-FP 228746-2.