A method for evaluation of subsystem alternate designs

The current trend in aerospace business is to provide cost-effective programs and designs that are optimized to provide the most for the dollar but not overdesigned beyond the necessary requirements. Too many dollars can be spent on achieving results far above those required to meet the function for which the design is intended. A systematic, quantitative method is required for deciding how much should be spent in a design effort to obtain better performance and reliability. This paper is an explanation of one method of combining these factors and an example of how it was applied to a project in evaluating alternate potential designs and subsystems.