ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the methods used in the product life cycle phases and problem-solving approaches used for product evaluations. The methods allow us to organize, visualize, and analyze the collected data and to study relationships between different variables such as the product characteristics, product attributes, performance measures, customer ratings, and customer satisfaction measures. The relationships shown by the methods and supported by statistical inference methods provide important information to make decisions regarding product configurations, function allocations, attribute requirements, trade-offs between different variables related to product attributes, material selection, technology development, process selection, and estimation of costs and revenues. Some methods are especially useful in the early phases of the product development process such as product conceptualization and detailed engineering. Other specialized engineering analysis tools such as structural analysis, aerodynamic analysis, thermal analysis, electrical analysis, and control systems analysis are especially useful to solve some specialized design problems. Whereas other tools in production planning, control, and product distribution are useful in later stages of the product program. The chapter also provides a summary of tools used in safety, quality, human factors engineering, and program management.
