The VE review process uses a team of individuals representing different disciplines who do not have a vested interest in the project. The teams break down a project into its basic functions and then use creativity to find different ways to perform these functions. The teams provide management with as many recommendations as practicable. The recommendations are then evaluated by staff offices in specialty areas that may be impacted. Management must then decide, based on all available information, whether or not to approve the recommendations.
The following steps are used in every VE review:
• Identify the major elements of a project.
• Analyze the functions these project elements perform.
• Use brainstorming to develop several design alternatives to perform those functions.
• Evaluate the alternatives to ensure they do not degrade the project.
• Assign costs (including life cycle costs) to each of the most promising alternatives.
• Develop the promising alternatives into acceptable recommendations.
