Development of Decision–Model and Strategies for Allaying Biased Choices in Design and Development Processes

Abstract

The design and development processes are full of decisions. Ranging from simple and straightforward to complex and elaborated. These decisions are taken by individuals that constantly rely on their intuition and heuristics to support their decision-making processes. Although heuristics tend to be very helpful, in many cases, they can lead to cognitive biases. This article postulates a method to recognize some of these biases and to apply dedicated strategies to diminish their effects. To do so, the study reviews different decision models in engineering design and consolidates them into one; here, called ABC decision model—ABC stands for Allaying Biased Choices. This model consists of four phases describing four different decision types. Subsequently, four matching strategy sets are prescribed to target some of the most prone biases on those phases. Then, to demonstrate the application opportunities of this method, the ABC decision model is applied to the process of Strategic Release Planning (SRP). Finally, to show the theory in real-world conditions, the results of a pilot industrial application are presented. This article offers promising opportunities for allaying biased choices in design and development processes.

Keywords

• product development
• product design
• release planning
• decision making
• heuristics
• bias