Performance Variability and Project Dynamics
Computational & Mathematical Organization Theory
Understanding the Impact of Collaboration Software on Product Design and Development
Information Systems Research
Toward a theory to study the use of collaborative product commerce for product development
Information Technology and Management
An empirical analysis of engineers' information behaviors
Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology
Hierarchical Structure and Search in Complex Organizations
Management Science
Retail Channel Structure Impact on Strategic Engineering Product Design
Management Science
Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management
Integration capabilities as mediator of product development practices-performance
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management
Linking Cyclicality and Product Quality
Manufacturing & Service Operations Management
An analogy based estimation framework for design rework efforts
Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing
Project dynamics and emergent complexity
Computational & Mathematical Organization Theory
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Successful application of concurrent development processes (concurrent engineering) requires tight coordination. To speed development, tasks often proceed in parallel by relying on preliminary information from other tasks, information that has not yet been finalized. This frequently causes substantial rework using as much as 50% of total engineering capacity. Previous studies have either described coordination as a complex social process, or have focused on the frequency, but not the content, of information exchanges. Through extensive fieldwork in a high-end German automotive manufacturer, we develop a framework of preliminary information that distinguishes information precision and information stability. Information precision refers to the accuracy of the information exchanged. Information stability defines the likelihood of changing a piece of information later in the process.This definition of preliminary information allows us to develop a time-dependent model for managing interdependent tasks, producing two alternative strategies: iterative and set-based coordination. We discuss the trade-offs in choosing a coordination strategy and how they change over time. This allows an organization to match its problem-solving strategy with the interdependence it faces. Set-based coordination requires an absence of ambiguity, and should be emphasized if either starvation costs or the cost of pursuing multiple design alternatives in parallel are low. Iterative coordination should be emphasized if the downstream task faces ambiguity, or if starvation costs are high and iteration (rework) costs are low.