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Steven P. MacGregor spmacg

Information Sharing & Collaborative Design in a Distributed Organisation - a Case Study. Steven P. MacGregor www.spmacg.com. KITE. Contents. CASEone. Background. Methodology. Findings. Summary. KITE. Background. CASEone.

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Steven P. MacGregor spmacg

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  1. Information Sharing & Collaborative Design in a Distributed Organisation - a Case Study Steven P. MacGregor www.spmacg.com

  2. KITE Contents CASEone • Background • Methodology • Findings • Summary

  3. KITE Background CASEone • KITE (Knowledge Integration and Transfer for Engineering design) • 3 year PhD based in the fields of CSCW and knowledge management • Main aim is to safeguard against inconsistencies in the distributed design process by the effective integration and transfer of knowledge • Research questions? Needs of distributed design teams and required modes of communication? Types, levels and location of inconsistencies within distributed design process (DDP)? Appropriate knowledge to enhance DDP? Methods of integrating and transferring knowledge?

  4. CASE one ABB Vetco Gray Literature Pilot studies Proposal KITE KITE v2 CASE two Continuing literature investigation Problem Definition Phase October 1999 – September 2000 C Prelim. Evaluation Sept. – November 2001 B Prototyping phase 20 weeks foreign studies May– August 2001 Learning from experts Grouplab/n-dim/CDR A Definition phase 2 x 10 week industrial studies Oct. 2000 – April 2001 DDT Scenario – Inconsistencies/Useful Knowledge KITE Background CASEone

  5. KITE Methodology CASEone THE COMPANY • ABB Vetco Gray, Eastern region head office, Aberdeen • Worldwide market leaders in production of pressure control and drilling equipment for oil and gas industry Rationale • Widely distributed • RHQ in Aberdeen, Houston, Singapore (59 locations in 24 countries) • Technical complexity of engineering work • Market leader, cutting edge systems

  6. Breadth of issues (40 off, 12 hours) Increasing focus Questionnaires (current activities, perceptions) (24 off) (174 days – 87%) KITE Methodology CASEone CASE 1 – 10 weeks, core team of 10 (16 in total) Interviews (main case issues) Daily diaries (sampling distributed activity) Augmented by continuous observation, interpretation, and company documentation and system familiarisation

  7. KITE Findings CASEone INTERVIEWS • Value of design re-use contrasting with time pressures of 100% project formalisation • Preponderance of variant (tweaking) design and concerns for future Distributed problems • Colleagues with insufficient background knowledge • Unfamiliar terminology • Lack of visibility at worldwide sites • Sufficient information transfer but lack of rationale (‘old heads’)

  8. KITE Findings CASEone QUESTIONNAIRES • Work perceived to be: • 18% distributed, 37% teamworking, 23% multidisciplinary • Distribution and Knowledge • Another floor/dept. knows more 57% of the time • Another location knows more 51% of the time 34% of time taken up sourcing information/knowledge Most popular sources - Company systems Personal contact

  9. KITE Findings CASEone DIARIES Interface design, Norwegian design partners, detail design stage Data collection from start to 65% completion • Large variety of collaborators (5, 63% main design partners) • Distributed activity continual • Bulk of distributed activity supplementary to main design activity (IE) • Cycles of information exchange followed by focussed periods of collaborative design Analysing information flow. . .

  10. Sub-supplier involvement Response to meeting actions Filling ‘gaps’ from CD phase Intensive IE – Collaborative Design

  11. KITE Summary CASEone • Description • Distributed design, information/knowledge management • Issues/problems • Distribution, knowledge/information, systems • Understanding • Complex engineering design, role of the engineer in today’s marketplace

  12. Needs of distributed design teams and required modes of communication? • Types, levels and location of inconsistencies within distributed design process (DDP)? • Appropriate knowledge to enhance DDP? • Methods of integrating and transferring knowledge? KITE Summary CASEone SATISFYING the RESEARCH QUESTIONS Profiled through diaries, questionnaires and interviews. E.g. Diaries have shown needs at various stages Problems relating to distribution and knowledge communicated in all methods. Link between problems and inconsistencies to be established in future work Knowing where engineers get their knowledge will enhance understanding through examination of the source content Output of case will indicate suitability of future methods during prescription phase

  13. KITE Future Work CASEone • Short term (2-4 weeks) • Completion of case one data analysis • Medium term (2-3 months) • Case study two • Long term (8-10 months) • Prescription and evaluation phases of PhD

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