Title: Teaching set-based concurrent engineering to practitioners through gaming

Authors: Endris Kerga; Monica Rossi; Sergio Terzi; Marco Taisch; Walter Bessega; Alberto Rosso

Addresses: Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy ' Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy ' Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli studi di Bergamo, Marconi 5, 24044, Dalmine (BG), Italy ' Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133, Milan, Italy ' Carel Industries, Via della Industria 11, 35020, Brugine, Italy ' Carel Industries, Via della Industria 11, 35020, Brugine, Italy

Abstract: This paper presents the learning outcomes of playing the 'Set-Based Concurrent Engineering (SBCE)' game. The game is designed to bring hands-on experience to practitioners. The game is structured in two stages, simulating the traditional approach to concept development, called 'Point-Based Concurrent Engineering (PBCE)', and the lean approach, called SBCE. Although SBCE is becoming popular in academia, in practice, understanding and adoption of it are low. Therefore, this research uses the game for two purposes: the first is to assess the game's effectiveness in educating practitioners about SBCE. The second is to summarise lessons learned by running the game in a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) that designs and manufactures products for HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) markets.

Keywords: lean product development; SBCE education; set-based concurrent engineering; PBCE; point-based concurrent engineering; serious gaming; teaching; simultaneous engineering; hands-on experience; educational games; simulation; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; HVAC/R; heating; ventilation; air conditioning; refrigeration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2014.064884

International Journal of Product Development, 2014 Vol.19 No.5/6, pp.348 - 365

Received: 24 Sep 2013
Accepted: 03 Jun 2014
Published online: 23 Oct 2014 *

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