sim: innovation in design management, influence and challenges of implementation

The production industry is widely being criticised as a fragmented industry. there are mounting calls for the industry to change. the espoused change calls for collaboration as well as embracing innovation in the process of design, manufacturers and across the supply chain. innovation and the application of emerging technologies are seen as enablers for integrating the processes ‘integrating the team’ such as structure information modelling (sim). a questionnaire survey was conducted to ascertain change in manufacture with regard to design management, innovation and the application of sim as cutting edge pathways for collaboration. the respondents to the survey were from an array of designations across the production industry such as manufacture managers, designers, engineers, design coordinators, design managers, product designer. there was a general agreement by most respondents that the design team was responsible for design management in their organisation. there is a perception that the design manager and the client are the catalyst for advancing innovation. the current state of industry in terms of incorporating sim technologies is posing a challenge as well as providing an opportunity for accomplishment. sim technologies provide a new paradigm shift in the way products are designed, constructed and maintained. this paradigm shift calls for rethinking the curriculum for educating product professionals, collectively.

SIM: innovation in design management, influence and challenges of implementation

The Production industry is widely being criticised as a fragmented industry. There are mounting calls for the industry to change. The espoused change calls for collaboration as well as embracing innovation in the process of design, manufacturers and across the supply chain. Innovation and the application of emerging technologies are seen as enablers for integrating the processes ‘integrating the team’ such as structure information modelling (SIM). A questionnaire survey was conducted to ascertain change in manufacture with regard to design management, innovation and the application of SIM as cutting edge pathways for collaboration. The respondents to the survey were from an array of designations across the production industry such as manufacture managers, designers, engineers, design coordinators, design managers, product designer. There was a general agreement by most respondents that the design team was responsible for design management in their organisation. There is a perception that the design manager and the client are the catalyst for advancing innovation. The current state of industry in terms of incorporating SIM technologies is posing a challenge as well as providing an opportunity for accomplishment. SIM technologies provide a new paradigm shift in the way products are designed, constructed and maintained. This paradigm shift calls for rethinking the curriculum for educating product professionals, collectively.