Characteristics affecting management of design information in the production system design process

Abstract

Although it has been argued that the design of production systems is crucial, there is a general lack of empirical studies analysing and identifying resources and capabilities required for an efficient production system design process. One of these resources is the critical role attributed to design information and one such capability how the design information is managed. To address this research gap, this paper reports the results from two in-depth case studies in the automotive industry focusing on the management of design information in the production system design process. Our results show that the management of design information needs to be understood as a multidimensional concept having three dimensions: acquiring, sharing and using of design information. By focusing on the three dimensions six characteristics affecting the management of design information when designing the production system are identified. The characteristics are information type, source of information, communication medium, formalization, information quality, and pragmatic information.Keywords: design of production systems; manufacturing industry; information management; case study, characteristics Subject classification codes: Original manuscript IntroductionFor manufacturing companies active on the global market, high-performance production systems that contribute to the growth and competitiveness of the company are essential. Among a wide range of industries it is increasingly acknowledged that superior production system design capabilities are crucial for competitive success. However, the process of designing the production system has received little attention, ignoring its potential for gaining a competitive edge. The real power of an efficient design process is not its contribution to reduced operating costs, but how it supports manufacturing companies in their attempts to achieve faster time to market, smoother production ramp-up, enhanced customer acceptance of new products, and/or a stronger proprietary position (Hayes et al., 2005, Pisano, 1997. The right design before implementation facilitates rapid commission of systems to allow for rapid repayment of the invested capital as well as bringing new products promptly to the market, thus reducing the cost for the manufacturing company (Wu, 1994).A review of the literature shows a broad range of factors affecting design in either a positive or negative way. One factor frequently mentioned as one of the most valuable resources that a manufacturing company possesses is design information and how design information is managed. From a theoretical point of view, there are several reasons why the management of design information should be positively associated with the performance of the production system design process. First, in line with the arguments of Cohen and Levinthal (1990), this article assumes that the ability to recognize the value of information, process it and dispose of it, is critical to the company's ability to create organizational knowledge. The second argument su...

Critical Factors for Successful User-Supplier Integration in the Production System Design Process

“…Further, the empirical findings show that the project management is critical for successful user-supplier integration [1]. The coordination between the equipment supplier and the manufacturing company are likely to benefit from a formal approach [11].…”

“…the serial production of products, rather than on the previous design of the production system. As a result, production systems are generally designed relatively shortly before their installation [1]. That is also the reason why implementation of lean production in manufacturing industry is largely directed towards improving the operational performance of the production system.…”

Supporting Production System Development through the Obeya Concept

“…Communication supports resolving complicated affairs due to faster feedbacks and confirmation (Bruch, 2012). On the other hand, written documents are more proper to get customers point of view (Bruch, 2012).…”

“…Obeya enables information sharing both inside and outside of the project team which leads to more data exchange and multifunctional discussions. Bruch (2012) explains that availability of information on digital networks like intranets is not enough since it might not be accessible for all members. It is not clear where to find the right data and it is far from imagination to have all design information of production systems available, for instance late decisions.…”

“…In addition, applied visualization tools of Obeya help to reduce information loss or misinterpretations. According to Bruch (2012), obtaining, sharing and utilization of information are continuous required processes in the entire process of production system design. Obeya is a place where all managers and engineers can get together in the whole process of production system design to constantly update each other's experience, information and knowledge while it helps supports the documentation of these activities.…”