MANAGING DESIGN OF COMPLEX SHIPS

摘要

Ship design is a complex process involving many parties. Control of the process requires a robust system that defines responsibilities, communication protocols, reporting requirements, change management procedures and interfaces. The authors’ organisation has systematically built up a system of project management procedures based on detailed manhour estimates and clear definitions of scope of work. The system works hand-in-hand with an ERP system and with a widely used ship design system that covers design stages from basic design through generation of production information, adaptable to meet requirements of the selected shipyard and its production methods. With a minimum of manual effort, the system provides timely feed-back on performance and highlights deviations. The system has been used for design of complex vessels for the defence and offshore energy industries, including managing concurrent design efforts by teams in different parts of the world. Such systems are useful tools; however, ultimately a successful design project depends on correct and timely input and good cooperation among knowledgeable parties.