PREMISE: Applying Decision Production Systems to Improve Environmentally Responsible Product Development

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this research project is to understand how product development organizations use environmental information in their decision-making during the design of a new product. The research views product development as an information flow governed by decision-makers who must act under time and budget constraints. The project will conduct an exploratory study to describe the flow of information related to environmental decision-making in the product development activities of an electronics manufacturing company. The project will construct a long-term collaborative research agenda to improve environmentally responsible product development, particularly by integrating design decision support tools into other product development activities. If successful, this research will yield new models that guide the development of powerful decision support tools (for specific decision- makers) and the rational and systematic deployment of these tools across the entire product development organization. Ultimately, this will reduce the time and cost of environmentally responsible product development across a range of industrial sectors. The research will benefit society by helping manufacturing companies develop energy-efficient and environmentally benign products.