This research focuses on developing a logical framework and systematic process to achieve effective cost engineering and change management.
Cost Engineering for Complex Systems
Large complex projects cost large sums of money throughout their life cycle. Viability of such projects depends on credible estimation of the project cost, quick assessment of the cost of making changes, and management of the project budget with effective cost reduction. This research focuses on developing a logical framework and systematic process, based on Axiomatic Design, to achieve effective cost engineering and change management. The cost framework, which connects the engineering design and cost information, is a systematic link between the functional domain (FRs), physical domain (DPs), cost domain (CUs/cost units), and a task/process-based model. The FR-DP map relates a system’s functional requirements to design solutions across all levels and branches of the decomposition hierarchy. DPs are mapped into CUs, which provides a means to estimate the cost of design solutions (DPs) from the cost of the physical entities in the system (CUs). The task/process model describes the iterative process of developing each of the CUs, and is used to estimate the development cost of CUs. By linking the four domains, this framework provides a superior traceability from requirements to cost information.
