Application of Strategic Decision Making to Design for Manufacture

Abstract

Design for manufacture connects the product design process directly with the manufacturing process. The implementation of this system can be basic and done without much care. Companies face common issues when using this system such as large discrepancies between the initial idea for a product and the final product offering. An emphasis of cost savings over all other values is an easy trap to fall into when using design for manufacture. Despite low production costs, a product that tested well with audiences can still fail if the cost cutting initiatives affected the final offering too heavily. The intent of this essay is to introduce strategic decision making systems into the process to illustrate how design for manufacture can be implemented and maintained to create a more fluid product development process without sacrificing other aspects of product development; such as quality of design or consumer value. A multiple criteria decision making system can be introduced to the process to help tighten the reigns on costs while still allowing consideration for other factors. Using these two systems together allows a company to save on costs without sacrificing sales due to low quality or loss of consumer confidence.