Joint product and process development

An enterprise is a system; if it be not functioning well, then it is necessary to treat the whole system and not the parts separately. In an enterprise that works on multiple programs each of which involves solving very complicated problems in a matrix management structure, there are two systems at work in the development of the product system and these systems must be coordinated to achieve peak performance. They are the enterprise functional management system and program process systems. A seamless transition from functional to program-peculiar planning data is needed. The system engineering process that works well as a component of a product development process system works just as well in reengineering the enterprise functional and program process systems. In the method presented, functional planning strings are created that are pulled into and combined with program planning strings with clear linkage to the functional department resources that must be provided to the program. A structured analysis process is employed to re-engineer the enterprise as a basis for these functional planning strings. Structured analysis is used as the basis for the program planning strings oriented about the evolving product architecture leading to program organizations consisting of cross functional integrated product and process development teams staffed based on the resources provided by functional departments defined in the planning strings