Applying Principles of Set-Based Design to Improve Ship Acquisition

Abstract

Set-based design (SBD) is a relatively new complex product development method. Its use has been well-researched in the automotive industry and to a lesser extent in other industries, and although it requires an upfront investment in resources, it has been shown to reduce design cycle-time, later stage re-work, and total ownership cost, and to improve design knowledge capture. Since 2005, the U.S. Navy has self-identified ship design as a process improvement priority and embarked in design tool and policy changes which resulted in the Two Pass/Six Gate process in 2008. Subsequent U.S. Navy ship design and acquisition actions have presented an opportunity to research and analyze the amenability of SBD, and its proposed benefits, with the U.S. Navy's Two Pass/Six Gate process to realize the efficiencies sought by acquisition executives. This study explored the application and benefits of using set-based design in acquisition programs. It identified specific changes to the existing Two Pass/Six Gate process in order to enable more widespread use of set-based design to improve the outcomes of complex acquisition programs.