| Engineering change management refers to the change | | | | one is normally taken. |
| in the functionality of a product by means of careful | | | | Cost benefits analysis of the alternatives |
| request, evaluation, implementation and control when | | | | Alternatives are normally evaluated in terms of risk |
| production of the product has already started. The | | | | and other benefits and also impact on the other |
| change can be done totally or can affect only a small | | | | departments. |
| part of the product such as its component, assembly | | | | Approval of Solution |
| or material. | | | | Once a solution seems favorable it needs to be |
| Changes form part of most products nowadays | | | | approved by the appropriate managerial department, |
| especially the ones that consist of rapidly evolving | | | | Implementation stage |
| technologies. They can also provide an interesting | | | | When approval from top management is obtained the |
| opportunity for the organization to generate benefits | | | | change order needs to be circulated across the whole |
| and to innovate. | | | | organization. Changes can be made in a single phase |
| There are 6 phases that makes up a generic | | | | or in some cases in various small phases. |
| engineering change management process: | | | | Monitoring and Review stage |
| Engineering change request | | | | The change process is carefully reviewed to ensure |
| A formal request which is known as an engineering | | | | that everything went out as planned and that proper |
| change request is made and will help define clearly the | | | | documentation is made. |
| changes that are needed. | | | | The steps are the most generic ones but can vary in |
| Alternative solutions to the requested change | | | | some situations. |
| Alternatives to the ECM are evaluated and the best | | | | |