The Design Process - Medical Device Design: Innovation from Concept to Market - page 47

Need

Customer

Overall
design
lead

Specification

Conceptual design

Initial embodiment

Detailed design

Implementation

Figure 3.20
Generalized holistic model.

In a holistic model it is important that all potential partners are included from the start.
This enables all of their experience, know-how, and detailed knowledge to come to bear to
your design. Figure 3.20 illustrates how this may look for a typical medical device. Note
that rather than being a top-down model, where the lead designer (or design lead) instructs
the subordinates, this is much less dictatorial. It is not “bottom up” in approach - this just
would not work. It is much more about “sharing the burden.” The lead design team has the
same overall authority, but they are much more concerned with ensuring collaborations
occur in the way they should in order for the overall project to become a success. Indeed
the design lead may not, actually, design anything! After all, do you really think that the
project manager for the NASA space shuttle actually designed the shuttle itself? What this
model ensures is that the drive and vision of the design lead sees the project through to
completion.

3.3.1.6 Which Model Is Best for Me?
The previous models have no particular order of merit. They have been presented to indicate
to you the importance of certain phases in the design process.