Lean information management model for engineering changes

Poor engineering change management (ECM) can cause slow and uncontrollable product development projects. Engineering changes (ECs) create a need for efficient information exchange between the companies in the supply chain. Four case studies were conducted in the heavy machinery, mechatronics, and automotive industries to identify the current challenges in ECM. A comparison between the challenges of ECM and the principles of lean product development (LPD) indicates that fulfilling these principles will generate a better ECM process. The LPD principles were applied to information management to create a model for lean information management (LIM). The purpose of this model is to make ECM more efficient. The initial results of these implementations suggest that the lead times of information transfer can be reduced using this approach. The LIM principles presented in our model will address most of the challenges in ECM.