Multi-level modelling and simulation of new product development processes

This article presents a multi-level modelling approach for supporting the management of evolving new product development (NPD) processes. Following its articulation, an example of implementing process changes during the development process is presented. Such changes cannot be modelled by existing design/dependency structure matrix (DSM) approaches. A conceptual change in the product design occurs during the development process, in order to standardise the product components, and yields changes in the process plans that are simulated for decision-making. Implementation implications of dynamic changes to a development process are demonstrated, including business rules used to choose between process change options, while considering iteration learning effects. From the demonstration, it becomes clear that either DSM or Petri nets alone do not offer complete modelling capabilities for NPD processes and a multi-level approach must be adopted. Such a complete cycle of modelling would start from product knowledge through the DSM and DSM nets, which are process scheme models, with potentially additional patterns, and would end with a simulation in order to obtain insight into the dynamic changes in the process planning.