Engineering in the Making : An Ethnography of Product Development

While there are many known factors that contribute to the success or failure of small innovation companies (SIC), the product development processes (PDPs) for these companies are generally poorly understood. The goal of this thesis is to understand PDPs and their consequences in such a company. Fieldwork is performed onsite using ethnographic methods, and the unit of study is the project, consisting of prior projects, projects in progress, and new projects. The results show that PDPs are interpretive and not just sets of rules followed by individuals. Although there are patterns that emerge in how things are done, individual characteristics and the social processes by which they interact shape the construction of the actual PDPs. This has consequences on the way Engineering is organized and managed, and on engineering education