System Design Characterisation (SDC) - for design of new service systems: Facilitator Guide

Abstract

The system design characterisation (SDC) was developed as part of a 4-year research study in engineering design . The research study had involved over 30 new product and service offerings that were in the initial stage of the engineering design process. The SDC was subsequently applied to four design concepts with the objective to improve the SDC from a research tool into a practical application. The initial stage of the engineering design includes the activities that transform an idea or market need into a design specification. The companies involved in the development of the research tool and the subsequent practical application were located in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong China and Australia. They represented small and medium companies (SMEs) and medium size business units of multinational companies. These companies were either developing the new offerings or considering these new ideas. These offerings covered the healthcare, defence, environmental protection, financial services, executive education industries, analytic technologies, heavy equipment and mining technologies.