A Review of Changeability in Complex Engineering Systems

Dynamic pressures and calls by stakeholders for systems to maintain value in the presence of change requires the rethinking of how system value is provided. A successful approach to cope with these pressures is to design engineering systems that can be changed easily. However, to identify suitable aspects of change, one must be able to analyze the changeability of engineering systems. This paper introduces the roles and impacts of changeability in the design of complex engineering systems through a review of literature in the field. The literature conveys that changeability is suitable for assessing the effects of potential change and can support the effective exploration of design space as a means of maintaining stakeholder value throughout a systems lifecycle.