What is an Engineering Change Request (ECR)?
Engineering Change Request Definition
An engineering change request (ECR) describes proposed enhancements to a product design. ECRs are routed, reviewed, and approved by engineering teams. Once they are approved, then engineering change orders (ECOs) are generated with all of the specific details required to gain the extended team and supply chain partner approvals.
FAQs
When should you raise a change request?
An engineering change request (ECR) should be created and submitted whenever the need for a product enhancement or fix is identified. A change request can stem from manufacturing issues, customer complaints, field failures, nonconforming materials, audits, or product enhancement ideas.
What is an engineering change request (ECR) process?
An engineering change request (ECR) process involves the following and typically involved engineering team review and approval:
- Understanding the scope of the change
- Determining the impact of incorporating the ECR
- Obtaining approval of the ECR
- Creating an ECO to document all of the necessary changes and review by all impacted stakeholders beyond engineering team.
*Source: wrike.com
How do you manage engineering change requests?
To effectively manage engineering change requests (ECRs), follow these steps:
- Request supporting materials to help build the case for making the change
- Determine if the change falls inside the scope of your project
- Assess the priority of the change request
- Approve or reject the change request
- Decide on a course of action moving forward (create ECO to formally request change by all impacted stakeholders outside of engineering)
*Source: tallyfy.com
eBook
Engineering change management allows dispersed teams to create, review, and approve new or existing designs. It provides a level of control to ensure that everyone is working around the right design and at the right time. Here are three common engineering change management challenges with five fixes to improve processes.