Product dissection-a tool for benchmarking in the process of teaching design

Product dissection and benchmarking are processes commonly employed in industry to improve product design and produce superior performance and product quality. The process, when applied in an undergraduate academic setting, can improve the process of teaching design. It has been applied to teach undergraduate mechanical engineering students at the junior level. The students, working in teams, conducted a market study of hand-held kitchen mixers, selected an appropriate sample of product units and carried out a benchmarking study by dissecting each unit. A design database, with customer expectations as the reference variable, was assembled and the 'best in class' established for both a single product and each customer expectation. A re-design exercise was carried out on 'mid-performing' product units to bring their performance up to the 'best in class' or to exceed it.