Mikko Uoti

Supporting collaborative project management

This article presents an approach for collaborative project management in which not only the project but also the management is collaborative. The focus is on the support of collaboration and communication in globally distributed projects. Several project management tools exist for planning and monitoring of project tasks. Other tools exist to support information exchange and technical interoperability. However, few solutions are available for the strengthening of intangible assets and supporting the common understanding of the project objectives, requirements and practices. For this objective, ‘Collaborative project alignment’ is defined in this article, together with a model and services to support the identification of the alignment aims and bridging possible gaps. The project alignment model and the related services, a project alignment booster, have been developed in the context of COIN-project (FP7 EU 216256), and relying on results from this project. The first evaluation of the tools has been made in relation to large engineering projects.

On Services for Collaborative Project Management

This paper presents an approach for collaborative project management. The focus is on the support of collaboration, communication and trust. Several project management tools exist for monitoring and control the performance of project tasks. However, support of important intangible assets is more difficult to find. In the paper a leadership approach is identified as a management means and the use of new IT technology, especially social media for support of leadership in project management is discussed.

Promoting Remanufacturing through Collaboration

Remanufacturing is an ultimate form of recycling by manufacturing “good as new” products from used products. Through remanufacturing, materials and energy can be saved and less waste is produced. However, at present, the application of remanufacturing is common only in specific industrial fields and geographic areas. This paper describes challenges identified and discusses how collaboration and networking of companies can support the implementation of remanufacturing. In addition to cases described in literature, the study uses information collected from Finnish case companies operating in remanufacturing.

Application of systems engineering in a collaborative environment

Systems Engineering (SE) is a methodological approach to manage the development of complex systems. In spite of its promise of benefits the approach has not been widely put into practice; it has mainly been applied in fields requiring high safety and reliability. Recently the increasing complexity in the engineering environment and the development of supporting IT systems have raised new interest in SE. Companies are especially interested in how the SE approach could be adapted to their needs in the distributed collaborative engineering environment, potentially supported by evolving PLM systems. This paper discusses the challenges of SE application in a collaborative environment, based on the on-going Finnish national research project SE-PLM.

Project Alignment: A Configurable Model and Tool for Managing Critical Shared Processes in Collaborative Projects

Management of large scale distributed collaborative projects requires unified and aligned working methods and practices. Project alignment is the process to ensure that all key stakeholders share a common understanding of the project mission, goals, objectives, tactics, work processes and plans, and have the required competences and skills to perform in the project. Grounding on the recent advancements in the areas of collaborative networks, project management and Internet technologies, we have identified needs and opportunities for further development in the area of collaborative project management. We are presenting a methodology, model and a set of tools, called Project Alignment Booster, for promoting collaborative project management, introducing the concept of collaborative project alignment.

Services supporting collaborative alignment of engineering networks

Large-scale facilities such as power plants, process factories, ships and communication infrastructures are often engineered and delivered through geographically distributed operations. The competencies required are usually distributed across several contributing organisations. In these complicated projects, it is of key importance that all partners work coherently towards a common goal. VTT and a number of industrial organisations in the marine sector have participated in a national collaborative research programme addressing these needs. The main output of this programme was development of the Innovation and Engineering Maturity Model for Marine-Industry Networks. The recently completed European Union Framework Programme 7 project COIN developed innovative solutions and software services for enterprise collaboration and enterprise interoperability. One area of focus in that work was services for collaborative project management. This article first addresses a number of central underlying research themes and previous research results that have influenced the development work mentioned above. This article presents two approaches for the development of services that support distributed engineering work. Experience from use of the services is analysed, and potential for development is identified. This article concludes with a proposal for consolidation of the two above-mentioned methodologies. This article outlines the characteristics and requirements of future services supporting collaborative alignment of engineering networks.

Towards Collaborative Alignment of Engineering Networks

This paper reports further development of competence management in engineering networks through the consolidation of two different approaches for competence management; the Innovation and Engineering Maturity Model and the Project Alignment concept. To support the proactive competence management in collaborative networks the paper proposes first, further development of the IEMM into a more dynamic and networked structure and second, extension of the project alignment concept from the temporary project level to the more continuous organization, network level.

Social and Collaborative internet based project management

Project Management is an application area well supported and covered by on the market software and open source solutions. However the focus has been on intra enterprise solutions. Innovative and internet based solutions are needed to promote project management, especially for distributed organizations, not so well covered by existing solutions. Large scale engineering projects are typical examples of distributed projects. The COIN project has identified requirements for development in the area of Collaborative Project Management. Future success in large engineering projects builds on the combination of two paradigms; fully automated and IT supported engineering process and totally networked and efficient global operation. The COIN project develops a Project Alignment Booster for Shared project management and Delegated management responsibility.

Qualitative Monitoring to Support Pro-Active VO Management

The paper aims to contribute to the development of pro-active Virtual Organization (VO) management. A method called “VO qualitative monitoring” is proposed based on the analysis and monitoring of VO success factors. The approach is applicable especially for VOs which have abstract objectives (difficult to measure quantitatively) and require personal and organizational commitment. Also the first implementation of the method is described.

Collaborative Project Alignment

Abstract Managing a large-scale distributed engineering project needs skilled, motivated and committed personnel. Unified and aligned working methods are needed. Project alignment is the process of ensuring that key stakeholders share a common understanding of the project mission, goals, objectives, tactics, work processes and plans and have the required competences and skills. Based on current advances in the area of collaborative networked organisations, project management and Internet web 2.0 technologies, we have identified further needs and opportunities for development in the area of Collaborative Project Management. The Project Alignment Booster is a set of software services used to promote collaborative project management. The tool has been developed to suit industrial requirements in the area of large and complicated engineering project management. The paper reports the results of developing a toolkit to support collaborative project alignment.