Engineering change management: Helping companies make decisions about whether particular changes will be cost-effective

Change requests are often raised during engineering design, for instance if an opportunity is found to reduce cost or weight of a part, or if the design is found not to meet its specification. For a complex product such as an aircraft, many thousands of change proposals can be considered during a development project; the cost, effort and time implications can be substantial. Change can also arise later in the product lifecycle.

Design change needs to be managed considering its costs and benefits. However - costs of change can be difficult to predict. When one part of a design is changed, the design change often propagates to affect other parts, because they all need to work together for the design to function. Even for a small change that is initiated in a single part of subsystem, many aspects of the design and production may eventually need to be reworked before the change is finished.

This research project will develop modeling methods to help companies manage the impact of design change. The methods will capture interactions in the design, design process and related systems to help designers evaluate how a change will propagate and what rework will be required. The ultimate aim is to help companies make decisions about whether particular changes will be cost-effective.

This project will suit candidates with an interest in engineering design and engineering management. A degree in an engineering discipline with strong academic results are required. To be considered please send a full CV stating GPA or equivalent.