B. Prasad, Product, process and methodology systematization to handle structural and computational complexity in product realization, SYST RES BE, 18(6), 2001, pp. 523-543
This paper establishes a concept for Product, Process, and Methodology (PPM
) systematization to handle both structural complexity (often referred as h
ard complexity) and computational complexity (also referred as soft complex
ity) in product realization. A systematization methodology is proposed to h
andle both these complexities through a four-stage process: Planning, Syste
matization, Solution and Unification. Planning is the first stage where sys
tem specification is defined. Systematization is a systematic decomposition
of the problem into a set of discrete sub-problems. There are three kinds
of systematization that can be employed in product realization: Methodology
systematization, Product systematization and Process systematization. Duri
ng the Solution stage, a number of computational alternatives, solution str
ategies or topological options for handling soft complexity are obtained fo
r each sub-problem, and the best solution is selected. Unification is an ag
gregation or a reconstruction of an overall product solution from various a
lternative solutions to the sub-problems.
A branching and bounding methodology has been employed here first to branch
the complex product and process into 'sub-domains' and 'loops' and later b
ound these loops back into sub-domains and then further bound those sub-dom
ains back into an integrated product development system. The branching and
bounding methodology provides the product development teams the ability to
refine successively the 'goodness or fitness' of a baseline product concept
as teams proceed from one nested loop to another. PPM systematization is a
convenient way of organizing the process necessary for a new product reali
zation or for developing future product upgrades. Copyright (C) 2001 John W
iley & Sons, Ltd.