Concurrent engineering-what is it?

Simultaneous or concurrent engineering is often proposed as one approach that encourages the integration of the engineering functions and their supporting systems. Concurrent Engineering is about: efficiency of the design and development process; the ability to develop new products faster; considering the product design as well as the manufacturing and support process; involvement of users in the specification process; and the visibility and control of accurate and timely data. It is a response to competitive pressures to: get products to market in a shorter time; incorporate more features or variety at less cost; and produce more new products, more often by the parallel development of both the product and the associated manufacturing processes and consideration of all elements of the product lifecycle