The Bloodhound Guided Missile and the Hawker Harrier “Jump Jet”
Draft for joint Herbert Simon Institute/Manchester Institute of Innovation Research Seminar, 1st April 2011 Practice in Communities: how engineers create solutions ‐ the Bloodhound Guided Missile and the Hawker Harrier “jump jet”. Jonathan Aylen* and Mike Pryce* Manchester Institute of Innovation Research Manchester Business School University of Manchester “Every aeroplane is different ‐ a self‐optimising shambles” Ralph Hooper, Harrier project designer Aerospace engineers face the task of developing a project from overall design concept through to working prototype and on into sustained use. Engineers often work in small groups when developing an initial concept. Once the basic concept has been agreed they may work in similarly small groups, or as part of larger teams to develop key components of a system. At this stage key design tasks are defined and delegated and then the resulting components are tested and integrated to build a prototype (Vincenti, 1990). Individual sub‐assemblies are usually developed in parallel. So, aeronautical engineering is often seen as a cyclical process of analysis and synthesis, although in practice it is seldom so neat and linear, as the opening quote from a leading practitioner, Ralph Hooper, illustrates. The nature of engineering design is complex, with designers having to cope with many systems and components interacting in dynamic ways. The breadth and depth of knowledge required means no one person can carry out all the tasks of engineering design. Group or team working is essential. Engineering design is an innately social activity. However, mastering the specific skills of any one discipline, and also learning how to utilise the knowledge gained within the group or team, often depends on the abilities of key individuals.
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