Download Multi-Disciplinary Teams

Multidisciplinary Teams and
Knowledge Models
Professor M Neil James
Faculty of Technology
University of Plymouth
1
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 ?

2
Information retrieval/mining
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
3
Knowledge Pools
•
•
4
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
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
5
Knowledge Pools
•
Young trees use ancient root system of adults

Share water resources
 'Dip' into each others pools
6

Share root linkage

Fast growth once water supply stabilised

New roots for mutual support
Knowledge Pools
•
•
7
Business analogy

Dipping into different knowledge bases

Mutative growth possible
Fundamental process 'keys' in nature
Knowledge Pools
•
•
Business analogy

Dipping into different knowledge bases

Mutative growth possible
Fundamental process 'keys' in nature

8
Mutation
Knowledge Pools
•
•
9
Business analogy

Dipping into different knowledge bases

Mutative growth possible
Fundamental process 'keys' in nature

Mutation

Replication (cloning)
Knowledge Pools
•
Equivalent 'keys' in business

Design innovation
General Atomics Predator B unmanned
aircraft
10
Knowledge Pools
•
11
Equivalent 'keys' in business

Design innovation

Smart fabrication
Role of Team Leaders
•
12
Manage problem constraints
Role of Team Leaders
•
Manage problem constraints
•
Coach and counsel team members
13
Role of Team Leaders
•
Manage problem constraints
•
Coach and counsel team members
•
Resolve conflicts
14
Role of Team Leaders
•
Manage problem constraints
•
Coach and counsel team members
•
Resolve conflicts
•
Attributes:

15
Forceful
Role of Team Leaders
•
Manage problem constraints
•
Coach and counsel team members
•
Resolve conflicts
•
Attributes:
16

Forceful

Goal orientated
Role of Team Leaders
In short, a caring Genghis Khan…..
17
SAVE the WHALE
Application to Design
•
18
MDT's drawn from several potential disciplines

Different interests

Different skills
Application to Design
•
•
19
MDT's drawn from several potential disciplines

Different interests

Different skills
Gain experience in information retrieval from different 'pools'
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/
20
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
21
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
22
Application to Design
•
Visualise the web of linkages between:

23
Modules
Application to Design
•
24
Visualise the web of linkages between:

Modules

Skills
Application to Design
•
25
Visualise the web of linkages between:

Modules

Skills

Disciplines
Application to Design
•
•
26
Visualise the web of linkages between:

Modules

Skills

Disciplines
Individual disciplines are all part of the overall field of
engineering

Interlinked

Interdependent
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
27
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
•
28
Increased risk avoidance

Greater reliability

More holistic understanding of linkages/problems
What Might MDT's Achieve in
the Future ?
•
29
Impact of network technologies

Information access

Real communication
What Might MDT's Achieve in
the Future ?
•
•
30
Impact of network technologies

Information access

Real communication
Effective knowledge capture

Higher recycling potential

Lean and efficient materials usage
What Might MDT's Achieve in
the Future ?
•
•
•
31
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
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…….
http://romance.live.com.au/articles/index.jsp
http://romance.live.com.au/articles/snaggies.jsp
32