Design Process

Design process is a collection of procedures and habits that help teams design better products

The Process of Design

Designing is the process of making many

decisions that converts an abstract concept into a hardware reality.

Concept

Product

7-Step Design Process

1.

2.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Problem definition (PDS) External Search (Research) Internal Search (Brainstorming) Evaluation and Selection Detail Design (Engineering) Prototyping Documentation

What Product? ToyTown Top Executives

Nail Driver

Rope Climber

Product Design Specifications Customer Needs

Climbs fast Affordable as a birthday present Fully assembled Uses batteries for power It is safe Looks good Plays music as it climbs Glows in the dark Last a long time

Product Design Specifications Engineering Specs

Climbs at 1 ft/s or faster

Retail cost is to be less than $30

Uses 2 AA batteries (not included) Has no removable small parts Music loudness between 20-30 db Luminosity is to be more than 5 W Works for more than 3 hours on 2 AA

External Search
Level-I Rope climbing toys / machines Rope climbers (sports or circus) Nature (spiders, bats, etc) Level-II (Team uses friction wheels) Hoists Trolleys Ski Lifts

Internal Search & Evaluation

Brainstorming
Generate

many ideas Evaluate against PDS Select one to engineer

Detail Design (Engineering)

Lift and Drag Coefficients (as effected by ground promimity)
0.35 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0 0.05 h/L 0.1 0.15

Coefficient

Drag Coefficient Lift Coefficient

More Abstract

Engineering

Less Abstract

Design Process
Top-level problem definition is called PDS

(Product Design Specifications)

Problem definitions at lower levels derive

from PDS:

Sub-system design specifications. Component design specifications. Feature design specifications.

Product Development Process

Product Planning

Design Brief (Mission Statement)

Market Research

Product Design Specifications & QFD

Product Development Process

Candidate Design Detail Design PDS

Concept Synthesis

Prototyping

Concept Evaluation

Release for Production

Candidate Design

Detail Design
Candidate Design
Components No Numbers

System-Level Design

Numbers

Parameter Design

Prototype Testing

Release for Production

Customers
People who are affected by the product

Team
Globe (External) Company (Internal)

External Customers
Buyers
Retailer End Users Maintenance EXTERNAL

Society

Government & Standards

Internal Customers
Manufacturing & Procurement Management

Marketing

Internal

Shipping Legal

 End Users

What Do They Want?

Performance & Functionality Affordability Ease of use including ergonomics Reliability and Long life Versatility Safety Low maintenance and easy assembly Esthetics

External Customers
Buying managers
Low Cost/Performance Safety Ruggedness (abuse resistance) Ergonomics Long warrantees Reliable with Low downtime Low operating cost

External Customers
Retailers
Small and attractive packaging Long shelf life Low cost/performance and Exciting features

Maintenance
Ease of maintenance

 Government / Standards / Society

Conformance to laws and regulations Promotion of public health and safety Protection of environment Solution to chronic problems in society
Traffic Energy Noise Drugs, abuse and other crimes Diversity / Social tolerance / Security

External Customers

Internal Customers
Management
Make a big profit On time delivery Low failure risk Documentation Process: Conformance to company product development process

Internal Customers
Marketing
Attractive features to target buyers Low production cost Esthetics Attractive packaging On time delivery Long Warrantees

Internal Customers
Manufacturing
Manufacturability using standard methods and schedules. Conformance to company documentation formats. Use of products from preferred vendors.

Internal Customers
Legal
No patent infringements Safety
All required safety warnings and labels Designed protection against reasonable abuse

Codes and regulations

Internal Customers
Shipping and Packaging
Ease of user assembly Small packaged size Ability of locking or fixing sensitive components Resistance against damage due to dropping, vibrations, moisture, heat, and cold.

Performance
Users Buyers Retailers Govrnmnt Mangmnt Marketng ** **** ***** **** ***

cost
***** ***** ***

Ease of use
***** ** ***

Reliability
***** ***** **

Safety
***** ***** ** ****

**** *****

** ***

** ****

*** ***

Product Design Specification

Elements of PDS
Performance
Speed, Capacity, Power, Accuracy, etc.
(User)

Elements of PDS
Environment:
(User)

Temperature range, humidity, dust and dirt, etc.

Life in service: Maintenance:

(User)

10 years, 5000 cycles, etc.

(User)

What is the market policy, what customers accept

Target production cost: (User)

Cost of comparable products and company policy.

Elements of PDS
Shipping:
Package sizes Damage resistance

Elements of PDS
Quantity (Manufacturing)
Determined by market analysis.

Manufacturing facility (Manufacturing)

Is the design constrained by existing facility? Are parts to be contracted and assembled inhouse? Does the company policy dictate certain facilities?

Element of PDS
Size and shape (Marketing) Weight (Marketing)
What is the desired weight? Should handles or lifting points be provided? Should it be modular for better handling? Color, shape, form, texture, finish. Market research.

Aesthetics (Marketing,User)

Elements of PDS
Materials (Marketing, Codes, Regulations)
Left to designers unless company guidelines or regulations restrict certain materials (asbestos, lead).

Product life span (Marketing, Manufacturing)

Life of a product as a marketable entity. Several months or several years?

Elements of PDS
Laws, Codes, and standards (Government)

Ergonomics

(User)

Elements of PDS
Quality and reliability (Marketing)
Company policy regarding warranties Competitors warranty policies

Testing (Marketing, QA)

What tests would be performed to verify performance Standard tests

Elements of PDS
Shelf life (storage) Retail

Possibility of rust, decay, deterioration

Processes (company guidelines)

Use of certain standards (GD&T for example) Use of certain procedures

Time-scales (deadlines) - Management

Whole design project, milestones

Elements of PDS
Safety (User, Government, Legal)
What safety requirements are mandated by government Professional society's codes and standards Need for warning labels Likely degrees of abuse or misinterpretation of operating procedures.

Elements of PDS
Company constraints (Management)
Compatibility with other products

Documentation (Management Legal)

A product design must include a full formal documentation per company guidelines. Safety, Operation, and Service documents. Etc.

Elements of PDS
Legal (Lawyers)
What product liability law suits are associated with similar products and why. Note the legal terms:
defect of specification defect of design defect of manufacture

Relevant patents

Element of PDS
Installation (Installers)
Many products must interface with other products or be assembled with other products.

Disposal (Society)
Should any parts by recyclable? bio-degradable?

Wording of the PDS Document

Format of most statements in PDS:
The device must .. The device is to The device is desired to .

Avoid mixing requirements.

One sentence per requirement.

Cast PDS statements in a positive format

PDS is a Dynamic Document

A design statement usually begins as a vague statement
The device The device The device The device The device is to is to is to is to is to be be be be be easy to use safe inexpensive rugged and reliable portable

Wording of the PDS Document

Example: ESCOs Pin Remover
The pin-remover is to be light. The pin-remover must work in a wet, cold, and dusty environment. The Pin-remover must be safe The Pin-remover must have a 3-year warranty.

PDS Example
The PR is to be rugged. must work with air pressure. is be easy to use. is to pass HTS tests. is to last 5 years in normal usage. is to be easy to carry.

PDS Example
is to sell for less than $150. is to costless than $50 to make. is to have low maintenance needs. is to be difficult to use as a hammer. must not infringe on patented devices. Production volume is to be 300 per year

PDS Example
is to be tested by June 2006. is to be released by Sep. 2006. is to be used with Dredge Point models. is to work faster than the hammer

Engineering Specifications
What is
Fast, accurate, high-performing? Light, Small, portable? Easy to use? Safe? Stylish?

Engineering Specifications
Verifiable PDS statements Developed for important PDS statements Have associated target numbers (Yes/No OK)

Engineering Specifications Tips Set up metrics and targets so the designer has maximum options in accomplishing the PDS

Engineering Specifications Tips

PDS: The Dog Feeder must not tip over when bumped or pushed by a dog. Bad: The DF must weigh 50 lbs Good: The dog feeder must

withstand 30 lbs applied to its top from side

A Typical PDS Page

Requirement: PR is to be easy to maintain
Primary customer: End users Priority: High Metrics and Targets

Daily maintenance: None Weekly maintenance: < 10 minutes field Yearly maintenance: < 1 hour Shop Cost of weekly maintenance < 10c Cost of yearly maintenance < $10

Engineering Requirements I M P O R T A N C E

Competition

Customer Needs
PDS Statements

Relation Between Engineering and Customer Requirements

Competition Target