CRC 476, IMPROVE (Information Technology Support for Collaborative and Distributed Design Processes in Chemical Engineering) is a large joint project of research institutions from chemical engineering, computer science, and industrial ergonomics at RWTH Aachen University. IMPROVE addresses the understanding, modeling, analysis, and improvement of design processes in chemical engineering.

This volume summarizes the results after 10 years of cooperative research work. It also includes an outlook on IMPROVE’s follow-up project, TC 61 New Concepts and Tools for Chemical Engineering Practice. The book is aimed at readers from academia and industry interested in the improvement of design and development processes in various engineering fields.