Economics of Product Design

Course Objective Key Elements Case Studies Project Full Syllabus

DFM Consulting offers a course addressing the Design for the Marketplace methodology for optimal product design. Courses are offered for a class size between six and thirty students. This course is also offered by SAE through the Professional Development Division.

Course Objective

Understand how successful products can be designed using the competencies of marketing and engineering. Uncover the relationship between cost and performance, balancing customer desires with technological capabilities. Learn how engineering teams can be managed to focus on designing a successful and profitable product. The emphasis will be on designing complex mechanical products where large engineering teams are required.

Key Elements

Attendees who successfully complete this course will be able to:

1. Mathematically model customer needs and wants in terms of reservation price.
2. Mathematically model technological capabilities in terms of manufacturing cost.
3. Assess the impact of a competitive market on price, profit and market share.
4. Optimize product design for market success.
5. Communicate to a design team the necessary information to optimize product design.
6. Track and manage design team performance.
7. Establish and manage a technology development program that invests capital wisely to develop key technologies for future successful products.

Case Studies

The course will use the following running examples:

• Commercial Airliner
• Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft
• Family Sedan

Project

During the course, students will develop a three-phase project around a product of their choice.

• Phase I - Develop a price model
• Phase II - Develop a cost model
• Phase III - Develop a design model