Multiattribute utility analysis in design management

A methodology is presented by which engineering design managers can consider technical aspects of a design concurrently with economic aspects of the manufacturing system in selecting among alternatives and directing the design effort. The concept of design flexibility as an attribute which captures both technical and economic considerations in one quantifiable performance measure is developed and incorporated into deterministic multiattribute utility analysis. The alternative of greatest overall utility to the decision-maker is identified, and sensitivity analysis is performed to identify and quantify desirable trade-offs between attributes. The problem of materials selection and design in the automotive industry is presented as a case study. The methodology was applied to five automotive companies in the United States and Europe, and results from two companies are used to illustrate the insights gained