VALUE ENGINEERING

Definition: Value Engineering (VE) is a systematic, step by step approach, intended to

achieve the desired function of a product, process, system or service at an over all
minimum cost without in anyway affecting quality, reliability, performance, delivery,
safety or the environment.
We may classify economic value into four types.
 USE Value : The properties, features and qualities which accomplish
the use, the work or the service- causing the item to perform or serve an end.
 ESTEEM Value : The properties, features or attractiveness which cause us
to yearn to posses it- causing the item to sell.
 EXCAHANGE Value : The properties or qualities which enable us to exchange
an item for something else we want. 
 COST Value : The total of material, labour and other costs that have to
be incurred to produce an item.

The objective of a firm is to supply a product or service of economic value to the

customer in order to make a profit. A user purchases an item or service because it will
accomplish certain functions at a cost he or she is willing to pay. He or she interprets its
value to be good, if it satisfies the needed function for low cost; poor, if it costs too much,
if it does not perform the required function, or if it creates problems while performing.
That is a product or service is generally considered to have good value, if that product or
service has the appropriate PERFORMANCE and COST.

Use
Performance
Quality
Timeliness
ITEM VALUE
Benefits
Facility
Serviceability
Satisfaction

ITEM
VALUE =
MONEY
= USE  ESTEEM
PRICE
= {USE FUNCTION + ESTEEM FUNCTION } ⁄ COST
= {BASIC FUNCTION + SECONDARY FUNCTION } ⁄ COST
= {NECESSARY FUNCTION + UNNECESSARY FUNCTION } ⁄ COST
Another way to express value mathematically is like

VALUE (V) = PERFORMANCE =P

COST C

Needed performance is obviously decided by the customer and it would be the job of
every concerned executive to determine this as accurately as possible. The more clearly it
is spelt out the better it is. More than half the battle is won if we can find out what the
customer wants. Computing the over all cost would include cost of design, development,
manufacture (including labour, power, material, machines, etc), installation, maintenance,
any consultation fees or royalty paid for that particular equipment, custom duty, taxes
paid, & so on. In short, it would include all cost incurred during the entire life of the
product or service required to fulfill the needed functions. This is also called the life cycle
cost of the product. From the mathematical formula it is obvious that values can be
increased by several means, like

i) Decreasing costs, while ensuring same level of performance:

P→
V↑=
C
↓
ii) Enhancing performance at same cost:

P↑
V↑=
C→
iii) Decreasing costs and increasing performance:

P↑
V↑=
C↓
iv) Increasing performance and increasing costs also in such a way that performance
increases faster than costs:
P
V↑=
↑
C↑

MEHODOLOGY
There are various approaches available for VE. Some of the important ones are
 MISS: Modify, substitute or subdivide or exchange/eliminate to help change. 

M od
I fy
S ubstitute
S ubdivide

 PROFIT : Product Return Opportunities by Function Investigation Techniques 

 FIRST : Functional Ideas Regarding System Techniques 
  FACTS : Functional Analysis of Components of Total System 
 FAST : Functional Analysis System Technique 
 DARSIRI 

D ata Collection
A nalysis
R ecord Ideas
S peculate
I nnovate
R eview
I mplement

 Blast, Create and Refine. 

Out of above mentioned approaches, FAST is most popular among Value engineering
Specialists.

General Phase or
Orientation Phase

Information Phase

Function Phase

Creation Phase

Evaluation Phase

Investigation and
Evaluation Phase

Implementation
Phase

Audit Phase

Value Engineering Job Plan (VEJP)

• Applications of Value Engineering
1. Enables people to pinpoint areas that need attention and improvement.

2. Provides a method of generating ideas and alternatives for possible solutions to

concern.

3. Provides a means for evaluating alternatives. .

4. Allows one to evaluate and quantify intangibles and to compare apples with
oranges.

5. Provides a vehicle for dialogue by allowing large amounts of data to be

summarized in concise form, allowing new and better questions to be asked, and
using numbers to communicate in an information-searching mode.

6. Documents the rationale behind recommendations and decisions.

7. Materially improves the value of goods and services.