AbstractThe paper examines a set of related questions regarding the capability of organizations with decentralized, project‐focused life cycle processes and fragmented system perspectives to manage complex systems: how can communication‐focused mechanisms for envisaging, visualizing, and analyzing the system support a shift towards a systems‐oriented mindset in the organization, and; to what extent does a shift in mindset improve organizational capabilities when hierarchy, process framework, and governance model of the organization remain fixed and suboptimal? The central hypothesis explored is that a shift in mindset within the organization, by focusing on the means and ways of communication about the system, can bridge gaps and fragmentations of system perspectives and improve organizational systems thinking capabilities without a need for urgent and drastic organizational actions. A toolkit of 18 mechanisms was developed to support the transformation process from six identified and analyzed problem domains to corresponding solution domains. Results were promising, with several signs of a shift in mindset; however, the long‐term effects on the overall organizational capability remain uncertain.

Where do companies begin their efforts when trying to improve information management in product development? In large companies involving many people, multiple processes and highly technological products several factors have an impact on efficiency. Interdisciplinary integration and structured information are two overall proposed key factors that have been identified as important to obtain efficient information management. Measurement of satisfaction level among information systems users is proposed as an angle of approach to identify key improvement areas from an operative perspective that are argued to be strategic for management to address. However, the need for adjustments to contextual prerequisites and a changing environment makes evaluation necessary prior to measurement. An evaluation framework is proposed to identify metrics that are tailored and kept in line with business and development strategies to ensure their relevancy. This research has aimed at taking a holistic approach to information management in complex product development. The research focus has been on the integration between engineering disciplines where software and electrical R&D departments at automotive companies have been the main source of the analysis material. Integrated information management entails support for activities within the engineering domain. Several strategies are discussed to manage trade-offs in organizations in order to succeed with integrated information management. A needs-based balance is one important approach proposed to resolve changing and conflicting needs. Furthermore, it is argued that operative and strategic goals should be allowed to co-exist. Providing the right infrastructure to support designers in their everyday work does not necessarily mean additional functionality to existing information systems or automated work activities by improved document templates. Rather, it is suggested that a shift in focus (from addressing detailed requirements management to reflecting on interrelationships between information objects and system inter-dependencies) would be a strong mechanism to succeed with information management. The transition into model-based development is argued to be a much needed change for organizations to obtain integrated information management, since a model-based approach is considered an important basis for structured information. Anticipated benefits with integrated information management are increased information availability, reduced information overflow, and enhanced communication and understanding of critical system dependencies

A joint comparison between two separate case studies is presented in this paper. The studies targeted an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and a selected software supplier to the OEM. Two different measuring methods based on a quantitative and a qualitative approach were used in the compared studies. These two different perspectives are integrated by cross analysis and triangulation into a synthetic understanding of what problems are in common for the two companies and how these interrelate. The studies, with focus on information management issues aimed at identifying improvement areas for performance in product development. It is concluded that factors like cross-functional collaboration and information structure were targeted as areas for critical improvement in both case studies.

Methods, or more correctly a lack of methods, for measuring information systems (IS) introductions are discussed in this paper. Industry practice when it comes to IS investment evaluation methods is reported on based on findings from nine in-depth interviews with IS/IT experts from automotive companies, IS suppliers and IS consultancy firms. It is suggested that identified and existing methods can be divided into three groups, namely: subjective estimations, economic measurements, and convenient measurements. It is concluded that no complete or reliable method for measuring the success of IS introductions are recognized within studied companies or reviewed literature. It is argued that IS introductions, being a costly investment to most companies, should be evaluated in order to obtain improved company and IS user value and to better justify the investment.

In this paper a conceptual performance evaluation framework is proposed and discussed. The aim of the framework is to present a tool to stakeholders, involved in dynamic complex product development ...

Strategies for successful information management that supports multidisciplinary systems engineering are reported on. Inter-disciplinary and inter-lifecycle integration are considered as prerequisites to establish efficient information management. Top and middle management, and designer perspectives on integrated information management have been studied in an interview study within electrical and electronics, and software R&D departments in the automotive industry. Identified misalignments in needs, expected benefits and goals for information management between different perspectives are described. Ways to achieve synergies and conflicts with operational and strategic impacts on information management are discussed in the paper.

This paper deals with the complexity of providing support for electrical and electronics development in a global product lifecycle management (PLM) system. State-of-practice based on a case study performed in the automotive industry is reported on. A new approach named shifting lead is presented. Applied in IT/IS introduction projects this approach allows user groups or departments with dominating need to take lead in customization and pre-study projects. By balancing disciplinary needs this way a means to obtain process mapping, adapted IT/IS functionality and improved efficiency in the PLM system is obtained. Shifting lead is suggested as a way to create PLM support scalable to a majority of users. The approach is further elaborated to incorporate system integration approaches towards the emerging enterprise PLM system.

Due to different engineering background and limited technical prerequisites, trade-offs are needed when managing information in complex product development. The challenges faced with information management for complex product development are as much of organizational as technical character. Information management has in this thesis been analyzed from both a technical and organizational dimension in order to obtain an integrated view and holistic understanding. The technical dimension focuses on information management systems, such as product lifecycle management systems. An information management system in itself does not solve problems in an organization; it manages at its best all types of business data while storing and retrieving information. In order to succeed, information management needs to be aligned with different needs and with a variety of domain-specific work procedures. The organizational dimension includes organizational structures, work procedures, and the designer and management perspectives on needs and benefits with information management. Perceived benefits with integrated information management are identified as support for SE, work procedure mapping, use of disciplinary support tools, and data integrity and availability. Five technical and organizational key success factors for efficient information management are presented; usability, integration of information, motivation, information structure and organizational support. It is concluded that structured information, management support and motivation among designers are more important than customization of information management systems in order to achieve integrated information management.

This paper deal with the urgent problem to create integrated PLM solutions in today's European automotive industry. Two European automotive companies have been used as case companies in order to carry out these studies. Configuration management and engineering change management are two information management processes that span throughout the extended company, through engineering domains and through the product lifecycle. This makes them ideal as study objects to create new methods, and to enable PLM for cross-x engineering design. Several guidelines regarding IT system architectures for cross-x PLM are presented, e.g.: modularity, central coordination, standard communication, minimum process redundancy, and general modelling constructs.

One way for the automotive industry to cope with the demand of a more structured information handling is to adjust model‐based development (MBD) to multidisciplinary needs. Many of the issues faced in this transition are as much organizational and managerial as they are technical. In a case study carried out at a global automotive manufacturer a project to improve the electrical and electronics (EE) development has been followed and analyzed. The project originated from different needs identified by management in their ongoing work effort towards MBD as well as by developers who experienced that tools did not support their work situation. This paper describes how the introduction of a new tool support was made in a project carried out within EE development, further it reports on benefits achieved by using the tool. Both the effect on the work of affected EE developers and the expansion of a new information model are discussed, leaving important implications for management. Success keys for putting new support tools into practice are identified here and include; a bottom‐up approach, user involvement from the beginning, focus on the individual needs and adaptation to current work practice. Further, management support and adequate resources are essential for extracting long‐term benefits.

Due to different engineering background and limited technical prerequisites, trade-offs are needed when managing information in complex product development. The challenges faced with information management for complex product development are as much of organizational as technical character. Information management has in this thesis been analyzed from both a technical and organizational dimension in order to obtain an integrated view and holistic understanding. The technical dimension focuses on information management systems, such as product lifecycle management systems. An information management system in itself does not solve problems in an organization; it manages at its best all types of business data while storing and retrieving information. In order to succeed, information management needs to be aligned with different needs and with a variety of domain-specific work procedures. The organizational dimension includes organizational structures, work procedures, and the designer and management perspectives on needs and benefits with information management. Perceived benefits with integrated information management are identified as support for SE, work procedure mapping, use of disciplinary support tools, and data integrity and availability. Five technical and organizational key success factors for efficient information management are presented; usability, integration of information, motivation, information structure and organizational support. It is concluded that structured information, management support and motivation among designers are more important than customization of information management systems in order to achieve integrated information management.

In product development research, studies that aim at identifying best practice methods and processes are often conducted. However, it is also essential to learn about causes for bad practice and ...

This paper illustrates the importance of well-articulated and demarcated roles in complex product development settings. In order to support interdisciplinary knowledge and information sharing forma ...