THE

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
September 2016

Institute of Industrial Engineers

3577 Parkway Lane, Suite 200
Norcross, GA 30092
IEBoK

FOREWORD

The effort to accumulate the Industrial Engineering body of knowledge represents

the work of several volunteers from the Institute of Industrial Engineers, whose
contributions are valued and appreciated:

Johann G. Hans Demmel, Ph.D.

Tucson, Arizona
January 2014

Larry Aft, P.E.

Ben Amaba, Ph.D., P.E.
Garry Coleman, Ph.D.
Danny Faucette
Jeff Kimbell
Blake Lewis
Jessica Matson, Ph.D.
Martin Nazareth
Pat Patterson, Ph.D., P.E.
Steven Snelling
Robin Stebbins
Martin Stein, Ph.D.
Noris Torres
Ver-Non Wakefield
Gregory Watson
Joe Wilck, Ph.D.
Russell Wooten
Table of Contents

0 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1
1 Work Design and Measurement .............................................................................. 3
2 Operations Research and Analysis .......................................................................... 5
3 Engineering Economic Analysis ............................................................................... 9
4 Facilities Engineering and Energy Management .................................................... 12
5 Quality & Reliability Engineering ............................................................................ 14
6 Ergonomics and Human Factors ........................................................................... 17
7 Operations Engineering & Management ................................................................ 20
8 Supply Chain Management .................................................................................... 22
9 Engineering Management ...................................................................................... 24
10 Safety .................................................................................................................... 26
11 Information Engineering ......................................................................................... 28
12 Related Topics ....................................................................................................... 32
12.1 Product Design & Development ...................................................................... 32
12.2 Systems Design & Engineering ....................................................................... 35
IEBoK
0. Introduction

Industrial Engineering is concerned with the design, improvement and installation

of integrated systems of people, materials, information, equipment and energy. It
draws upon specialized knowledge and skill in the mathematical, physical, and social
sciences together with the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design,
to specify, predict, and evaluate the results to be obtained from such systems.

The Body of Knowledge associated with Industrial Engineering is as broad and

varied as the Industrial Engineering profession itself. Industrial Engineering, as any
other Engineering discipline, requires a fundamental knowledge of math and science.
These include Calculus, Statistics, Probability, Chemistry, Physics, and the
Engineering Sciences. It is assumed that anyone wishing to gain a proficiency in
Industrial Engineering already possess a fundamental background in basic math and
science.

This document represents a repository of essential information for Industrial

Engineering (IE), and is made up of knowledge areas representing a taxonomy
of relevant IE concepts. The Industrial Engineering Body of Knowledge (IEBoK) is
comprised of twelve (12) knowledge areas. Each knowledge area is represented by
an outline that defines what needs to be known to achieve a mastery in the field of
IE. A list of references is included in each knowledge area providing the reader with a
resource to the requisite detail necessary to obtain a mastery of the areas provided
in the IEBoK. In addition, a section of Related Topics is provided that includes
closely associated areas with which an IE should be familiar. The knowledge areas
for the IEBoK are:

Work Design & Measurement

Operations Research & Analysis
Engineering Economic Analysis
Facilities Engineering & Energy Management
Quality & Reliability Engineering
Ergonomics and Human Factors
Operations Engineering & Management
Supply Chain Management
Engineering Management
Safety
Information Engineering
Related Topics
Product Design & Development
System Design & Engineering

1
Many of these knowledge areas contain an overlap of content. Every effort has
been made to place content in the knowledge area that best represents the use
of that knowledge. References are made between knowledge areas where overlap
is identified.

The IEBoK is structured around the fundamental knowledge areas within IE.
Applications of the IEBoK are an extension of how the IE knowledge areas are
employed in the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of
people, materials, information, equipment and energy. As such, specific details to
how the IEBoK is used in health care, banking, electronics manufacturing, or any
other specific industry are not provided. Rather, the IEBoK provides the knowledge
areas necessary for the design, improvement and installation of integrated systems of
people, materials, information, equipment and energy in any industry or service area.