Deciding Between Sequential and Parallel Tasks in Engineering Design

by Robert P. Smith, Steven D. Eppinger

Deciding between sequential and parallel tasks in engineering design offers a practical framework for choosing how to structure work. You’ll learn how to balance development time and engineering effort with real-world methods.


Using the Work Transformation Matrix and related tools, the book shows how to map information flows between design tasks, identify which tasks can run in parallel, and where iteration is needed. It also explains how to split a project into phases and assess time and effort for each division, with concrete examples from workstation design to illustrate the concepts.



Identify which tasks can be done in parallel and which should be sequential for faster results.
See how to use theWork Transformation Matrix and the Design Structure Matrix to map task interactions.
Explore heuristic methods for partitioning tasks into phases to reduce time or effort.
Review a real-world application that demonstrates the tradeoffs between time and effort in product development.

Ideal for engineers and managers looking to shorten lead times and cut development costs without sacrificing quality.

Kindle Edition

Published August 24, 2018

About the author

Part adventurer and part economic writer, Robert P. Smith was an advance man for the forces of globalization, having spent more than 30 years traveling through five continents, buying and selling high-risk securities in the worlds most downtrodden economies. "