Integrated process improvement in design and manufacture using a systems approach

The paper describes a soft-systems method for the capture, representation and analysis of process knowledge as a platform for process improvement in capital goods manufacture. It is based on the formative results of some collaborative work, funded by two EPSRC grants, between manufacturing companies, including an MNE and an SME. The paper reports on: the problem addressed by the collaborative programme; the approach taken; the results obtained thus far; and the response of the problem-owners to those results and to the prospects of future work. It proposes specific deliverables based on formative results which may enable strategists in certain manufacturing enterprises to begin to design and implement process improvement programmes based on a system approach. The paper describes a novel form of systemic diagram (systemigram) which is used as the means to capture process understanding. Process models, represented by systemigrams, have proved useful to multifunction teams charged with the responsibility of implementing concurrent engineering philosophies by their companies who are seeking significant reductions in product cycle time.