Graduation date: 2007
It is crucial for the development of high quality products that design requirements are identified and clarified as early as possible in the design process. In many projects the design requirements and design specifications evolve during the project cycle. Shifting needs of the customer, advancing technology, market considerations and even additional customers can cause the requirements to change. If uncontrolled, design changes derived from shifting requirements may propagate through a design and disrupt the product development schedule, increase development costs, and result in a failure to satisfy the customers’ needs. The challenge of designing with changing requirements can be even more challenging in a product development environment where a new product is targeted and/or with interdisciplinary teams. Through work for the Bug ID project, a substantial multidisciplinary project at Oregon State University to generate an automated method for identifying species of particular insects, I have explored possible design strategies for product development under changing requirements. Six design strategies have been generated and implemented in the development of mechanical apparatuses. Based on this experience I offer insights on how to cope with changing requirements in designing a new product, and more important, how to incorporate the considerations of evolving design requirements into feasible product development strategies.