In this example, each concept was rated on a scale of 0 to 10 for each criterion. The rating was multiplied by the criterion weight and then summed. Note that Concept 5 was chosen as the optimum even though it did not receive the highest rating for three of the six criteria. In the specification step, the best solution is conveyed to others in sufficient technical detail to enable construction or implementation. Depending on the project, this may require detailed documentation of cost analysis, materials specifications and any other pertinent standards or specifications concerning, for example, quality and tolerances, weight summary, operating characteristics, and technical drawings of components, layouts, or assembly and subassemblies to clarify size, shape and relationship of parts.
Effective communication is required throughout the whole of the design process.
Implementing the decision Typically, this phase begins with the construction of a prototype product, process, or system based on the technical specifications describing the best solution. Results obtained from testing of the prototype are used to refine and finalize the design. The next step may be to implement a full-scale version of the design. This may require building a new production plant or modifying existing processes or facilities. At this stage the design engineer will likely be interacting with engineers from other disciplines and perhaps also with those involved in a variety of business and management functions.