Is design quality a function of time?

Abstract

The study extends the work of Smith and Tjandra (1996) and Smith, Eppinger, and Gopal (1995). Using a group design exercise, it investigates the extent to which the final design quality is a function of the number of design iterations. Some recent models of engineering design prescribe ways to compress the time to design a product. These models imply that the total number of design iterations is not related to final quality. The study tests this assumption through a videotape analysis of a simulated design environment.