Architect/designer Fumio Kajiwara and pattern language expert Takashi Iba bring to life 32 patterns crucial to creating and managing innovative projects. "Project Design Patterns" is a unique guide for producers, project managers, entrepreneurs, and anyone involved in managing complex projects. This book is a compilation of project design knowledge based on Fumio Kajiwara (architect/designer/chairman of UDS Ltd.) and his years of experience leading various renowned spatial design projects in Asia. His know-hows are outlined by Takashi Iba (Professor at Keio University) using the "pattern language" method, a way of organizing/sharing practical knowledge. This book is the first case in which the pattern language method, originally invented by architect Christopher Alexander, is used in the context of project design. Through this collaboration, "Project Design Patterns" provides approachable but profound hints that help demystify the difficulty of carrying out innovative projects.

The changing manufacturing environment requires more responsive and adaptable manufacturing systems. The theme of the 4th International Conference on Changeable, Agile, Reconfigurable and Virtual production (CARV2011) is “Enabling Manufacturing Competitiveness and Economic Sustainability”. Leading edge research and best implementation practices and experiences, which address these important issues and challenges, are presented. The proceedings include advances in manufacturing systems design, planning, evaluation, control and evolving paradigms such as mass customization, personalization, changeability, re-configurability and flexibility. New and important concepts such as the dynamic product families and platforms, co-evolution of products and systems, and methods for enhancing manufacturing systems’ economic sustainability and prolonging their life to produce more than one product generation are treated. Enablers of change in manufacturing systems, production volume and capability scalability and managing the volatility of markets, competition among global enterprises and the increasing complexity of products, manufacturing systems and management strategies are discussed. Industry challenges and future directions for research and development needed to help both practitioners and academicians are presented.