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Multidisciplinary Teams and Knowledge Models

Professor M Neil James

Faculty of Technology

University of Plymouth

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Multidisciplinary Teams

• MDT's harness powerful knowledge benefits from members

Advances in technology in different areas

New ideas

Cross-fertilisation of concepts from other disciplines

• What knowledge do other people possess that the MDT is unaware of ?

Information retrieval/mining

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Knowledge Pools

• Standard business model – Bonsai tree

Fruit – saleable products

Trunk – core skills

Roots generic knowledge

• Small and perfect

• Not easily capable of growth

• Expansion into new areas difficult

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Knowledge Pools

• Need to 'dip' into other knowledge pools

Innovative synergies

Ready-made problem solutions

New openings for growth and product range

• Leads to the 'sequoia' model of business growth

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Knowledge Pools

• Sequoia can be 80-100 m high

• Root system contained in top 1.5 m of soil

• Spreads out over 4 square acres

• Clone by suckers

• Young trees use ancient root system of adults

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Knowledge Pools

• Young trees use ancient root system of adults

Share water resources

'Dip' into each others pools

Share root linkage

Fast growth once water supply stabilised

New roots for mutual support

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Knowledge Pools

• Business analogy

Dipping into different knowledge bases

Mutative growth possible

• Fundamental process 'keys' in nature

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Knowledge Pools

• Business analogy

Dipping into different knowledge bases

Mutative growth possible

• Fundamental process 'keys' in nature

Mutation

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Knowledge Pools

• Business analogy

Dipping into different knowledge bases

Mutative growth possible

• Fundamental process 'keys' in nature

Mutation

Replication (cloning)

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Knowledge Pools

• Equivalent 'keys' in business

Design innovation

General Atomics Predator B unmanned aircraft

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Knowledge Pools

• Equivalent 'keys' in business

Design innovation

Smart fabrication

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Role of Team Leaders

• Manage problem constraints

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Role of Team Leaders

• Manage problem constraints

• Coach and counsel team members

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Role of Team Leaders

• Manage problem constraints

• Coach and counsel team members

• Resolve conflicts

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Role of Team Leaders

• Manage problem constraints

• Coach and counsel team members

• Resolve conflicts

• Attributes:

Forceful

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Role of Team Leaders

• Manage problem constraints

• Coach and counsel team members

• Resolve conflicts

• Attributes:

Forceful

Goal orientated

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Role of Team Leaders

In short, a caring Genghis Khan…..SAVE the WHALE

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Application to Design

• MDT's drawn from several potential disciplines

Different interests

Different skills

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Application to Design

• MDT's drawn from several potential disciplines

Different interests

Different skills

• Gain experience in information retrieval from different 'pools'

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Application to Design

• MDT's drawn from several potential disciplines

Different interests

Different skills

• Gain experience in information retrieval from different 'pools'

• Harness the internet as a data mining source

Image from Journal of Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Kluwer Academic Publishers

http://www.digimine.com/usama/datamine/

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Application to Design

• MDT's drawn from several potential disciplines

Different interests

Different skills

• Gain experience in information retrieval from different 'pools'

• Harness the internet as a data mining source

• Develop conceptual thought processes

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Application to Design

• MDT's drawn from several potential disciplines

Different interests

Different skills

• Gain experience in information retrieval from different 'pools'

• Harness the internet as a data mining source

• Develop conceptual thought processes

• Develop skills in identifying critical areas in problems

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Application to Design

• Visualise the web of linkages between:

Modules

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Application to Design

• Visualise the web of linkages between:

Modules

Skills

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Application to Design

• Visualise the web of linkages between:

Modules

Skills

Disciplines

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Application to Design

• Visualise the web of linkages between:

Modules

Skills

Disciplines

• Individual disciplines are all part of the overall field of engineering

Interlinked

Interdependent

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What Might MDT's Achieve in the Future ?

• Reduced product development times

Classic example is Liberty ship design

Riveted construction ~ 242 days

Welded construction < 7 days

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What Might MDT's Achieve in the Future ?

• Reduced product development times

Classic example is Liberty ship design

Riveted construction ~ 242 days

Welded construction < 7 days

• Increased risk avoidance

Greater reliability

More holistic understanding of linkages/problems

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What Might MDT's Achieve in the Future ?

• Impact of network technologies

Information access

Real communication

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What Might MDT's Achieve in the Future ?

• Impact of network technologies

Information access

Real communication

• Effective knowledge capture

Higher recycling potential

Lean and efficient materials usage

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What Might MDT's Achieve in the Future ?

• Impact of network technologies

Information access

Real communication

• Effective knowledge capture

Higher recycling potential

Lean and efficient materials usage

• 'Virtual' design and manufacturing environments

Game technology

Process modelling

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What Might MDT's Achieve in the Future ?

• Potential limitations

Shortage of multi-skilled MDT team leaders

Loss of social dimension

Cyber-nerds

There is hope however…….

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