Towards a trans-disciplinary concept of failure for Integrated Product Development. (6th September 2011)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Del Frate, L.; Franssen, M.; Vermaas, P.E.
• Is Part Of: International journal of product development. Volume 14:Number 1/2/3/4(2011)
• Page Start: 72
• Page End: 95
• Publication Date: 2011-09-06
• Subjects: failure -- failure analysis -- failure definition -- trans-disciplinary definition -- IPD -- integrated product development -- knowledge management -- knowledge sharing -- multi-disciplinary environment -- product design -- case story -- communication -- cross-functional team -- engineering -- survey; New products -- Periodicals; Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Research, Industrial -- Periodicals; 658.57505
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-9056

Abstract

Integrated product design approaches presuppose knowledge sharing among cross-functional teams. In this paper, such sharing is considered for failure phenomena. It aims at finding a trans-disciplinary definition of failure that facilitates the communication of knowledge about failures between the different engineering disciplines. Four criteria are given that a trans-disciplinary definition of failure should meet, and a survey of engineering proposals to define failure is presented. It is shown that none of these existing definitions meets all four criteria, and that six come close by meeting three criteria. Finally, analysing these six definitions, a trans-disciplinary definition of failure is proposed.