Shortcut methods decisions

In chemical engineering, several methodologies and procedures are applied for decision making during design processes. Representative examples include design heuristics, shortcut methods, decision analysis methods, and mathematical optimization. 

Streamlining in these applications refers to some method of shortcutting the LCA method. Such a shortcut method may require the user to make decisions abont what to exclude from the study in order to shrink the bonndaries and minimize the amount of data that must be gathered. Of course, this must be done with extreme caution and without jeopardizing the accuracy of the results. 

To explore these decisions in a systematic way, shortcut design methods can be used. These exploit simplifying assumptions to allow many more design options to be explored than would be possible with detailed simulation and allow conceptual insights to be gained. Once the major decisions have been made, a detailed simulation needs to be carried out as described in outline above. 

Shortcut equipment design methods can be used for decision making studies. Often the studies have short deadlines. The following example is typical. 

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