SOLUTIONS MANUAL
, Solutions Manual for Decision Based Design By Vijitashwa
Chapter 1
1. Comment on the interplay between customers and manufacturers when
designing:
a. A new product
b. An improved already existing product
Solution:
a. A manufacturer faces a lot of uncertainty while designing a new
product. Here they have to first fully understand what
functionalities the customers want in the product. This information
is acquired through surveys or focus groups, where potential
customers are asked about their preferences and also their
dissatisfaction from current offerings. Simultaneously, feasibility
studies need to be performed to see whether the manufacturer has
the resources to profitably manufacture and market the product.
This might even entail finding out whether there is an actual
opportunity in the market or there are too many barriers to entry.
The arrow of causality flows from the customers to the
manufacturer here because customer needs are the prime driver of
design.
b. Improving an already existing product is relatively standard
practice. While the repercussions of incorrect design decisions are
still great, uncertainties are greatly diminished. The manufacturer
has already figured out the design and manufacture of the product,
what the demand is and with time how the functional requirements
from the product are evolving. Making incremental changes to
accommodate these changes is relatively easy. It may also be
necessary to add new functionality in the product to gain a
competitive advantage. In this case, the manufacturer’s decisions
affect the products customers buy.
2. How does uncertainty affect engineering design decision making?
Solution:
Uncertainty is pervasive. Outcomes of engineering decisions
cannot ever be known with full certainty. Therefore a design must
to take into account the uncertainty encountered through
uncontrollable factors, manufacturing variability as well as market
variability. A design decision that looks good on paper may or may
not be profitable or even realizable in practice. This is why proper
understanding and modeling of uncertainty is important. Designers
should always pursue designs that are robust to uncertainty.
,3. Enumerate different decisions a manufacturing firm has to
make for successful realization of a product.
Solution:
The decision to set aside resources to analyze the market opportunity
The decisions involved in acquiring and analyzing the market information
Selection of decision makers
The decision to brainstorm designs and perform feasibility analysis
All the detailed design decisions
Selection of manufacturing processes
Pricing decisions
, Marketing method
Choice of suppliers and retailers
4. How are enterprise level decisions different from technical decisions?
Solution:
Enterprise level decisions address the short and long-term
direction of the company usually involving what products to launch,
their marketing, whether to improve or discontinue a product line,
mergers and acquisitions, setting up a new plant, among others.
Technical decisions are only a part of enterprise level decisions
and address the design and manufacture of the products. In most
companies, enterprise level decisions drive technical decisions.
Technical decisions must take into account the overall effect on the
profitability of the company and the alignment with enterprise
level objectives.
5. Do you agree that profit making is the sole purpose of an
engineering organization?
Solution:
Yes. Engineering organizations survive by making more money
than they spend. Even non-profit organizations have to raise
enough money to pay employees and to run their establishment.
There is nothing wrong with this notion because profitable
organizations create jobs and contribute to the society through
their products and services.
6. What is the role of a project manager?
Solution:
A project manager coordinates the resources of a company so that
a project can meet its deliverables in the best possible way. By
definition, a project manager has to deal with ‘projects’ that start
and end at specified times. A project manager must be able to act
as a liaison between different groups within the company.
7. Why do you think engineers can make better managers?
Solution:
Engineers make better managers because they have been trained in
applied science, problem solving and resource management, which
are all useful in a management position. Most of the time these
management skills are innate and new engineers tend to shun
managerial jobs. With experience, engineers get more confident
and are willing to look outside of their engineering domain. With
time they develop familiarity with business aspects of engineering,
people management, cost-benefit analysis, marketing and logistics.
Since they still retain their technical expertise, they are able to
, Solutions Manual for Decision Based Design By Vijitashwa
Chapter 1
1. Comment on the interplay between customers and manufacturers when
designing:
a. A new product
b. An improved already existing product
Solution:
a. A manufacturer faces a lot of uncertainty while designing a new
product. Here they have to first fully understand what
functionalities the customers want in the product. This information
is acquired through surveys or focus groups, where potential
customers are asked about their preferences and also their
dissatisfaction from current offerings. Simultaneously, feasibility
studies need to be performed to see whether the manufacturer has
the resources to profitably manufacture and market the product.
This might even entail finding out whether there is an actual
opportunity in the market or there are too many barriers to entry.
The arrow of causality flows from the customers to the
manufacturer here because customer needs are the prime driver of
design.
b. Improving an already existing product is relatively standard
practice. While the repercussions of incorrect design decisions are
still great, uncertainties are greatly diminished. The manufacturer
has already figured out the design and manufacture of the product,
what the demand is and with time how the functional requirements
from the product are evolving. Making incremental changes to
accommodate these changes is relatively easy. It may also be
necessary to add new functionality in the product to gain a
competitive advantage. In this case, the manufacturer’s decisions
affect the products customers buy.
2. How does uncertainty affect engineering design decision making?
Solution:
Uncertainty is pervasive. Outcomes of engineering decisions
cannot ever be known with full certainty. Therefore a design must
to take into account the uncertainty encountered through
uncontrollable factors, manufacturing variability as well as market
variability. A design decision that looks good on paper may or may
not be profitable or even realizable in practice. This is why proper
understanding and modeling of uncertainty is important. Designers
should always pursue designs that are robust to uncertainty.
,3. Enumerate different decisions a manufacturing firm has to
make for successful realization of a product.
Solution:
The decision to set aside resources to analyze the market opportunity
The decisions involved in acquiring and analyzing the market information
Selection of decision makers
The decision to brainstorm designs and perform feasibility analysis
All the detailed design decisions
Selection of manufacturing processes
Pricing decisions
, Marketing method
Choice of suppliers and retailers
4. How are enterprise level decisions different from technical decisions?
Solution:
Enterprise level decisions address the short and long-term
direction of the company usually involving what products to launch,
their marketing, whether to improve or discontinue a product line,
mergers and acquisitions, setting up a new plant, among others.
Technical decisions are only a part of enterprise level decisions
and address the design and manufacture of the products. In most
companies, enterprise level decisions drive technical decisions.
Technical decisions must take into account the overall effect on the
profitability of the company and the alignment with enterprise
level objectives.
5. Do you agree that profit making is the sole purpose of an
engineering organization?
Solution:
Yes. Engineering organizations survive by making more money
than they spend. Even non-profit organizations have to raise
enough money to pay employees and to run their establishment.
There is nothing wrong with this notion because profitable
organizations create jobs and contribute to the society through
their products and services.
6. What is the role of a project manager?
Solution:
A project manager coordinates the resources of a company so that
a project can meet its deliverables in the best possible way. By
definition, a project manager has to deal with ‘projects’ that start
and end at specified times. A project manager must be able to act
as a liaison between different groups within the company.
7. Why do you think engineers can make better managers?
Solution:
Engineers make better managers because they have been trained in
applied science, problem solving and resource management, which
are all useful in a management position. Most of the time these
management skills are innate and new engineers tend to shun
managerial jobs. With experience, engineers get more confident
and are willing to look outside of their engineering domain. With
time they develop familiarity with business aspects of engineering,
people management, cost-benefit analysis, marketing and logistics.
Since they still retain their technical expertise, they are able to
