Is design realization a process? A case study

A Bell Labs study of high-technology development and manufacturing activities has established that design realization is a process in a design organization. Process quality management and improvement methods were applied to the analysis, and an action plan was developed to improve the process. The analysis of the process indicated that a substantial fraction of the design cycle time is for noncreative activities such as waiting for models, duplication of effort, unanticipated delays in the delivery of custom piece parts, and redesigns to unstable design requirements. The impact of these delays is to increase the time from product conception to the time the product is available to the customers. Corrective actions have been proposed that include improvements in schedule tracking by management, developing and meeting milestones, planning, the front-end analysis of the design project for marketing and technical feasibility, the formation of an interdisciplinary team to carry the design from conception through manufacturing, and an education program. It has been proposed that the effectiveness of the recommendations be verified by applying them to current design projects