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This paper describes experiences gained by applying System Engineering (SE) management practices within a particular EU research project (CRESCENDO). Additionally, we attempt to answer the underlying question: to what extent is it practical to apply SE management practices within the context of large-scale, collaborative research projects? A common characteristic of these projects is that their structure is quite complex and requires a systematic management approach for their successful outcome. The benefits of managing industrial projects using SE management practices are well-known. However, difficulties arise not only from the maturity of the SE processes, methods & tools available, but also from selecting the right toolsets from the plethora on offer. Therefore, significant investments are needed to develop methodologies to navigate the complexity of processes and products in the aerospace sector. In this paper, we highlight the advantages of the SE approach, but also point out some drawbacks and provide some recommendations for future adopters of SE management practices in similar project contexts.

The aircraft development process is a very complex, iterative and decision driven process. For future aircraft development programs, running within extended enterprises, involving several stakeholders and giving consideration to changing objectives from infrastructural aspects to environmental impacts, the need for decision support is eminent. To address these issues, and improve the development process by a better process flow, avoidance of unnecessary iteration loops, reduction of lead time and development costs, an approach will be presented called Design to Decision Objectives (DtDO). This approach describes a flexible Decision Support Framework (DtDO Framework) that can be tailored to the specific needs of the various decision situations within an extended enterprise. Further it provides means to complement the company knowledge base in terms of decisions along the entire engineering process.

Due to the increasing competition on the transport aircraft market the aircraft manufacturers have to make effective strategic decisions during the product development phase in order to avoid false investments and resultant costs. A central position takes the preliminary design phase. This study of the EADS Corporate Research Center contributes to an increase of effectiveness of the design and technology validation process by integrating core elements of innovative design and quality management methods like TRIZ and FMEA. That way a conflict oriented design concept is formed, which allows the user to analyse interdependencies of conflicts that arise during the design process. Additionally a typology of emerging conflicts and contradictions in the preliminary design process is developed, supported by research results in the field of conflict management and concurrent engineering. For the demonstration of the concept, a prototype of a parametric aircraft configuration tool is used. It supplies functionalities that help focusing on detecting conflicts and contradictions within the concept design or technology validation process.