Department of Industrial Engineering & Management
Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
American University of Beirut
ENMG 663: Product Design and Development
Spring 2016-2017, 5:30-8:00 PM Tuesdays
Course Description
Marketing research, engineering design, and entrepreneurship are usually taught as separate topics in
separate courses with minimal overlap. However, the need for a new breed of engineers, making sound
technical decisions balanced by business considerations, requires the integration and fusion of these three
streams into a single course providing engineers with a systems perspective. Developing a product without
understanding customer needs or how to bring it to market can be a futile engineering exercise.
Alternatively, launching a company without an effective product development process is often disastrous.
This course provides students with a holistic perspective for the development of complex engineered
systems/products, including design, analysis and management. Topics covered include marketing research,
integrated system/subsystem/component design, production planning, manufacturing strategy, supply chain
management, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Prerequisites: Senior or graduate standing in FEA.
Course instructor
Prof. Ali Yassine, 311 Bechtel. Tel. 3494, [email protected]
Office Hours: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Tues. & Thur., or by appointment.
Texts
Required: Ulrich, K. & S. D. Eppinger, Product Design & Development, 5th or 6th Edition, Irwin/McGraw-
Hill, 2012 or 2016.
Optional: Cook, Harry, Design for Six Sigma as Strategic Experimentation, ASQ, Quality Press,
Milwaukee, 2005.
Student learning outcomes
The student will be able to explain the product development process as it applies to a broad range
of firms that develop and/or use technology as a core element in their value propositions.
The student will be able to identify / solicit customer needs as related to product development.
The student will be able to convert customer needs to engineering specifications and detailed
product design.
The student will learn and be able to use various quantitative tools, methods, and procedures for
the development of new world-class products.
The student will be able to explain the importance of intellectual property and product
development economics.
The student will have a practical understanding of the product innovation and management
process having applied their knowledge in a group project.
Student evaluation
Homework assignments are 15% of the grade.
Case study presentation is 10% of the grade.
Group Project (40%)
Midterm project report is 10% of the grade.
Mid-term project presentation is 5% of the grade.
Final project report is 15% of the grade.
Final project presentation is 15% of the grade.
Final exam (closed book and notes) is 35% of the grade.
Case Study
The class will be divided into small (i.e. 2-3) student teams. Each team will be assigned a case study. The
team is responsible for preparing a 15 minutes presentation on the assigned case study.
Group Project
Each team of students (2-3 students) will work on the design and development, including market research
and manufacturing planning, for improving an existing simple product (examples include coffee machines,
coffee mugs, office staplers, tape dispensers, kitchen trash baskets, etc.). Deliverables include two reports,
two presentations, and a final prototype. More information will be discussed in class.
Attendance
A student is allowed to miss (with a legitimate excuse) up to THREE lectures only. Each additional
absence will result in reducing the student’s final grade by 3 points.
TENTATIVE DETAILED COURSE SCHEDULE --- Topics to be covered
Wk Date Topic Reading Assignment
1 Jan. 24 Introduction: Systems & Entrepreneurial Engineering U&E Chps 2-3
Introduction: Product design & development
Deep Dive Video
2 Jan. 31 Demand & Pricing Theory Cook Chps 2-3
Team formation and selection of project idea
3 Feb. 7 Marketing Research - Conjoint Analysis & DVM Cook Chps 2-3
4 Feb. 14 Customer Needs Analysis U&E 4
Engineering Specifications- QFD Method U&E 5, Hauser paper
5 Feb. 21 Concept Generation & Selection U&E 6-7
6 Feb. 28 Concept Testing & Prototyping U&E 8, 12
7 Mar. 7 Product Architecture & Platform Design Ulrich paper, Stone paper
Design For Manufacturing & Assembly (DFMA) U&E 11, Ashby paper
8 Mar. 14 Midterm Presentations --- Midterm project report due
Project progress review & consulting
9 Mar. 21 Robust Design U&E 13, Taguchi paper
Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) Kmenta & Ishii paper
10 Mar. 28 Economics of Product Development U&E 15, Handout
11 Apr. 4 Browning paper
Managing Complex Development Projects
12 Apr. 11 Math-based Models for Managing PD Krishnan paper
Smith paper
13 Apr. 18 Case study presentations
14 Apr. 25 Final project presentations -- Written report due
Wrap up
15 May 2 FINAL EXAM
