How To Manage Engineering Know-How Jeff Moffa Emergent Systems

How To Manage Engineering Know-How

Jeff Moffa

Emergent Systems

Agenda

• ‘Strategic’• Five Keys• Case Study• Active ‘Packet’

Integration

‘Top of the Mountain’

‘Working the Earth’

Tactical KM vs. Strategic KM

• Tactical KM• LL and BP DBs• XLS driven process• Online Single Dedicated Web Repositories• Document Vaulting (PDM approach)

• Strategic KM• Create, Retain and Deploy Technical Know-How Globally• All Know-How/ Common Approach / All Organizations• Culture of Knowledge Management

Tacit

Training

Rules / Heuristics

Lean Knowledge Processes

Templates

Value

Value

Qua

ntit

yQ

uant

ity

Five Keys to Managing Know-How

1. Knowledge Reconstitution

2. High Signal to Noise

3. Context Ambiguity

4. Orthogonality of Engineering Knowledge

5. The KM Virtuous Cycle

Key 1: ReconstitutionDynamic

Checklists

AnyApplication

Single Knowledge

Representation

eLearning

Multi-CADDirect

Web

Structure Promotes Connectivity to the engineering process and, therefore, Re-Use

Tacit ExplicitUn-Structured Structured

Val

ue

Pot

entia

l

More

Less

ExperienceDocument

Data Base

Structured ‘Packet of Know-How’

Key 2: Signal To Noise

Traditional Bucket Approach:

S:N of KM Must Be Very High!

LL, BP, Template

Key 3: Context Ambiguity

• Knowledge Will Conflict• Context will introduce ambiguity

KM solutions:• Priority / Severity– rationalize conflicts• Cross Reference and relational sequences across

static conflicts. Meta management of references.

• Context Discussion linked to Know-How• Context Histories linked to Know-How

Key 4: Organizational OrthogonalityPro

du

ct/

Fun

ctio

n

Speci

fic

Know

led

ge

Pro

du

ct/

Fun

ctio

n

Speci

fic

Know

led

ge

Process/Domain Specific KnowledgeProcess/Domain Specific Knowledge

HoodHood

FenderFender

StampingStamping MaterialsMaterials AssemblyAssembly

Dynamic cross linking of knowledge!

Key 5: The EKM Virtuous Cycle• Typical Roles played in EKM

• Expert• Engineer• Manager

• Email (process and technology– process becomes transparent, but is imperative)• Metcalfe’s Law: v=xn2

• Virtuous Cycle- is achieved when all perspectives see positive net present value. The sum is irrelevant.

• Culture of Knowledge Management is a byproduct of the Virtuous Cycle; not a goal in itself

Case Study- US Automotive OEM Manufacturing

Previous State- 2 Years Ago• Highly Fragmented ‘Knowledge’ Repositories

• Doc Vaults• PDFs (manuals, rules)• Dedicated Websites• Duplicated XLS based tracking

• No Process for Managing Know-How

Current State- Today• Highly Structured Packets of Know-How• Highly Integrated into Business Processes• Virtuous Cycle Achieved• Emerging Culture of Knowledge Management

Universal Knowledge Bus:Standards, Requirements, Lessons Learned, Methods

Application X

Lean Knowledge Processes

Multi-Person, Multi-Location, Real-time

Dyn

amic

Ch

eck

list

s

Oth

er D

igit

al V

erif

icat

ion

s

Des

ign

, Pro

cess

Gu

ides

/Pu

bli

cati

on

Con

form

ance

S

tatu

s R

epor

ts

CA

D/P

rod

uct

Man

ufa

ctu

rin

gS

im/P

lan

nin

g

Communities of Practice

WEB

StructuredPackets of

Know-How

MDS Ergonomics

Fastener Final

Paint Body

Stamping Others

WEB

WEB

‘CoP Authors’

‘Leads’

Manage Packets of Know-How

OEM Process OverviewOEM Process Overview

WEB

MDS Ergonomics

Fastener Final Assy

Paint Body

Stamping Others…

Communities of Practice

WEB

WEB

‘CoP Authors’

‘Leads’

Add/Modify Content

eMPl

Virtual Evaluation

eMPl

Confm / CL

Requirements

‘Simulation Engineer’

StructuredPackets of

Know-How

Real TimeStatus

eMPl

eMPl

Virtual Evaluation

eMPl

Real TimeStatus

Conformance

Requirements

‘Simulation Engineer’

eMPl

SBOP

WEB

SBoP

Requirements

‘SBoP Authors’

SBoP

‘PD, VO Engineers’

SBoP

WEB

MDS Ergonomics

Fastener Final Assy

Paint Body

Stamping Others…

Communities of Practice

WEB

WEB

‘CoP Authors’

‘Leads’

Add/Modify Content

StructuredPackets of

Know-How

eMPl

Virtual Evaluation

eMPl

Real Time Status

Conformance

Requirements

‘Simulation Engineer’

eMPl

SBOP

WEB

SBoP

Requirements

‘SBoP Authors’

‘PD, VO Engineers’

SBoP

SBoP

WEB

MDS Ergonomics

Fastener Final Assy

Paint Body

Stamping Others…

Communities of Practice

WEB

WEB

‘CoP Authors’

‘Leads’

Add/Modify Content

Program Tracking - Actual

WEB

‘CL Creator’

WEB

WEB

‘CL Editor’‘Egr/Mgr’

StructuredPackets ofKnow-How

Requirements

Current State Metrics

• 1 Strategic Process for Collecting and Refining Packets of Know-How

• 3200+ Unique Packets of Know-How and Growing

• Single Program with 20,000+ discrete ‘trackable’ application of Packets of Know-How

• 1500+ unique engineering users

• 4 Distinct Business Processes Reusing Content

Power of the ‘Packet’ -

Structure allows Active and Dynamic Integration

CAD Connection

DynamicKnowledge

Base-

DynamicKnowledge

Base-

Formalization &Acquisition

Design & Report

Catia, KW

Auto-Created Dynamic Parameters/Expressions

Auto-Created Dynamic Parameters/Expressions

Auto-Created DynamicRule Checks/Relations

Auto-Created DynamicRule Checks/Relations

Manufacturing App

Mfg Planning & Simulation

StructuredPackets of Know-How

StructuredPackets of Know-How

Formalization &Acquisition

Design & Report

Auto-Created Dynamic Checklists at Each

Process

Auto-Created Dynamic Checklists at Each

Process

Lean Requirements

Conformance Information

Feedback- Closeloop

Demo– Catia Know-How Packet Integration

Managed Know-How:

• Current• Know-How locked in

documents/templates• Know-How lost as

employees leave• Know-How confined to

individuals• Know-How applied is

dependent on individual and inconsistent

• Know-How is ‘Searched For’– Ad Hoc Process

• Future• Managed Structured Packets

of Know-How• Know-How Captured,

Retained• Know-How Shared across

organizations• Know-How applied is

independent of the individual and is consistent

• Know-How is ‘Delivered’, ‘Integrated’ – Lean Knowledge Process

Thank You

Please feel free to contact me:

Jeff Moffajmoffa@emergentsys.com