Networked Engineering Design Projects:
A study of cross-boundary new product development through social network analysis
Short description:
This PhD research studies engineering design projects as networked social processes. Its main goal is to describe, analyse and support the engineering design process (or R&D) of complex products across organisational and functional boundaries.
A key hypothesis is that the project network structure and its dynamics have an impact in its performance. The analysis and visualisation of these networks can be used as an enabler of reflective practice, a tool to manage complexity, diagnose organisational problems and identify opportunities for improvements.