recurring problem scenarios in the design/deployment of socio-technical systems developing a...
TRANSCRIPT
Recurring Problem Scenarios in the Design/Deployment of Socio-technical
Systems
Developing a Workshop Toolkit
Jenny UreSchool of InformaticsUniv. of Edinburgh
What
Collaborative action research to map recurring problem scenarios at different stages in design /development/ deployment of a wave demonstrator portal
(Sim concept to LOGIC/Pilot/ITF)
Provide Toolkit of Case Studies in Workshop format as basis for step change in planning and managing from pilot to mainstream delivery
Recurring Socio-technical Problem: Solution Recurring Socio-technical Problem: Solution Scenarios at Different Stages in Supply ChainScenarios at Different Stages in Supply Chain
distributed human process
distributed technical process
Why
IT and engineering project managers have identified recurring socio-technical and socio-political problem scenarios as one of the principal drains on time and performance in new developments
Many of these are generic, and have transferable solutions in other sectors or projects, IT managers in other engineering and IT projects identify these as key to competitive advantage, to cost-effectiveness and to system performance
Impact on Competitiveness and Innovation
These are high cost, high risk investments in a dynamic context where established wisdom is not available
Many of the problem scenarios are not documented, or shared as a basis for informing practice or policy
Many are already familiar in other distributed design, development and management contexts
Examples from projects in renewable energy (EU), oil and gas supply chain (W.Australia) and automotive supply chain systems (Brazil)
Emerging Risk
Software designed to standardise safety compliance procedures globally, was actually increasing risk in some local operating sites
One size standards do not fit all
Local operators ignored safety standards that appeared inapplicable
Examples from Oil and GasThe Core and Local Standards Scenario
Separating design of fixed and locally variable systems cut risks and improved performance
Communities are IS that can add value
Build on previous projects in comparable sectors and regions
Benchmarking SME integration and innovation scenarios in the oil and gas supply chain
Integrating SMEs in the automotive supply chain to enhance benefits for local SMEs and global operators
Aligning distributed technical and human networks in large-scale Grid collaborations
Mapping gaps and barriers in socio-technical systems
Solar Energy Cluster Development
Prof. Dr. Gudrun JaegersbergUniv of Zwickau /Univ. Of DresdenSaxony/ Germany
Jenny UreSchool of InformaticsUniv. of EdinburghScotland/ UK
In the PV supply chain: Mapping Problems/Solutions at different
stages
Jan Brunner(2008) Der Spanische Fotovoltaiksektor - Gaps & Barriers (Internal Report, August 2008) In Jaegersberg G., and Ure J.,Project Report.
Partner Regions / Univ. Industry, Govt.
Core EU Partners
Saxon Region (Germany) Valencia Region (Spain) Lombardy Region (Italy) Scotland (Edinburgh,
Aberdeen)
Non EU partners
Perth region (W. Australia) Parana region (Brazil)
Initial findings in partner regions indicate emerging issues such as… Political and Legal factors such as feed in
tariffs, tax laws affecting investment/profits
Lack of Quality Assurance standards
Lack of skills / training
Lack of coordination with educational, governmental and industry stakeholders
continued..
Lack of unified systems and processes, combined with excessive bureaucracy
Lack of a unified voice in lobbying regional and national government
Lack of a platform/forum for accessing/disseminating information
Emerging clusters leveraging different regional strengths (e.g. Krannich)
Also - emerging transregional clusters of SMEs are now leveraging different regional strengths in new ways
GermanySpain, ItalyEngineering & R&D strengths
Assembly & Marketing strengths
Supporting collaborative action research with regional stakeholders
Universities
SMEsGovt. Organisations
growth maturity decline
Benchmarking Recurring Problem:Solution Scenarios as before e.g.PILOT/ITF – WA
WA UK North Sea (Pilot / ITF)
e.g. SMEs in the W.A. oil and gas supply chain (W. Australia/ Scotland)
Benchmarking Evolving Models of Competitiveness and Innovation
cost-cutting model - at expense of SMEs in the supply chain (UK LOGIC/CRINE Initiative)
innovation based model - dependent on integration and support for SMEs in teh suppy chain (UK PILOT Initiative)
http://www.logic-oil.com/http://www.pilottaskforce.co.uk/
1. Background1. Background 55
Technology Diffusion ProcessTechnology Diffusion Process
Concept Feasibility Research Development Field Test Market Implement
Uncertainty about how to proceed
Missed strategic partnering opportunities
Unable to develop and test locally
Unable to secure funding
Difficulty securing first client
GAP
Fig. 1 Final Report Tabara S. (2006) Identifying Barriers in the WA Oil and Gas Supply Chain
SMEs
OGI C C
Focus Gr.
I C NL SAMP
I C N WA
VRS
WAERA
R&
D o
f ne
w te
chn
olo
gy
Te
sting
of te
chn
olo
gy
Co
mm
ercia
lisatio
n o
f te
chn
olo
gy
Inte
ractio
ns R
&D
/ind
ustry
Inte
ractio
ns R
&D
/ co
mm
ercia
lisatio
n
pa
rtne
rs
Inte
ractio
ns R
&D
/R&
D
Pu
blic-p
riva
te se
ctor
pa
rtne
rship
s
Inte
ractio
ns o
pe
rato
rs/ su
pp
liers (n
atio
na
l)
Inte
ractio
ns o
pe
rato
rs/ su
pp
liers (in
tern
atio
na
l)
Inte
ractio
ns su
pp
liers/
sup
plie
rs
Inte
rna
tion
al
be
nch
ma
rkin
g o
f be
st p
ractice
s
Co
mm
un
icatio
n
Stra
teg
ies fo
r recu
rring
p
rob
lem
s
R&D
existentneeded
gaps
Exis
tin
g G
rou
ps
Requirements/ Specialised criteria of effective clusters Networks
Fig. 2 Final Report Tabara S. (2006) Identifying Gaps in the WA Oil and Gas Supply Chain)
Benchmarking Recurring Problem: Solution Scenarios…
Problems in W. Australia Solutions Used from UK
Critical gaps in communication with other stakeholders in education, industry and government
lon future focus of strategic development by influential players, where SMEs can target limited resources
lon policy
lon R&D
lon training
lBenchmarking solutions in mature regions (PILOT)
lSHARE fair for early sight of LME strategic development plans
lHigh level steering cttee to support SME integration
lJoint working with regional Universities to map and manage communication networks
Ownership of Innovation, and opportunities to implement it
lIP issues meant few benefits from resource investedlSupport for development from Univ. and regional government poorly coordinated
Communication of emerging SME innovations to LMES
lBenchmark UK best practices to support innovation in SMEs in Oil and Gas. Video Conf with Pilot.
SME vulnerability to changes in costs, risks, liability for delay, cash-flow
SMEs squeezed out and supply chain lost nice knowledge and practice based innovation
Benchmark templates in UK and Norway for regulating payments to SMEs
Core and local standards
Cultural differences in implementation of ‘standard’ systems
In the automotive industry
e.g. recurring problems in assembly and in procurement in the automotive supply chain between Saxony/Germany and Curitiba / Brazil
Benchmarking recurring ‘soft’ problem: solution scenarios e.g.
Difficulty of implementing standards across different social, organisational, economic contexts
e.g. applying core EU safety compliance procedures made the plant more unsafe, as it was perceived as inappropriate, and thus ignored by staff
Core and local standards, managed and implemented locally
Differences in implementation and performance of systems in different regions and in different communities
e.g. ‘Just in time’ assembly lines designed in EU context where time and space very tightly coordinated, but poorly implemented in regions (Curitiba) where time and space are not at a premiume.g. procurement systems often not correctly followed. Local social ‘workarounds’ preferred, so ‘official’ procurement records were often wrong, leading to costly assembly line failures, flying in parts etc.
Two way exchange of staff and students to raise awareness and facilitate reading of problems and response to them
Aligning distributed networks to add value. (technical, social, organisational)
Identifying socio-technical and cross-cultural issues in trans-regional collaboration*
barriers to SME integration in the supply chain
*Link to refs.
Business Portal Development
1.sampling 2.collecting 3.coding 4.cleaning 5.linkage 6.analysis 7.use
From HealthGrids: Identifying risks and the opportunities at each stage
the human process
the technical process
The Cost of Misalignment
Iraq procurement system was deemed a success - technically
18bn overruns in current IT projects in the UK
Typically not a result of technical issues so much as anticipation and management of socio-technical and sociop-political ones.
Methodology
The collaborative action research process has facilitated opportunities for
collaboratively identifying and sharing evidence of barriers and gaps
benchmarking strategies used in other projects/sectors
supports change management and reconfiguration of risks, roles.
…there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not
know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know.
Evaluating Environmental Impact
Evaluating Project Risks & Costs
Evaluating Public Acceptance of different scenarios
Obtaining Legal Permissions
Requirements Analysis and Scenario Planning
Recurring problem: solution scenarios at different stages
the human process
the technical process
Even before requirements analysis and development problems begins
Agreeing Roles, Costs, Ownership Benefits, Liabilities
Adapted from a presentation by Alistair Rennie, AMEC, April 2008
e.g. boundaries, roles and responsibilities in a reconfigured commercial landscape
Sphere of action Ownership Costs Benefits Liabilities Responsibilities
What issues are likely to arise? How have they been dealt with
in other projects? How do they impact on cost or
delay? Cost overruns on Whitehall’s
biggest IT projects have overruns of an estimated 18billion (Times Feb.2nd, 2009
Many of the issues are recurring, non-technical issues for which managers have had no training or support
Reinvention or Re-Use?
Reconfiguring Costs, Risks & Benefits
About AMEC
AMEC's energy businesses offer a comprehensive range of services for oil & gas and power assets that require an understanding of the technical, and the evolving economic, social, political and economic context of use in all the core areas where it provides services. Currently involved in CC&S in Humberside.
Early appraisal work, selection and definition Engineering design. Project / process management Cost, Safety and Risk Analysis Delivery, commissioning, maintenance and modifications Environmental impact assessment and monitoring Environmental permitting and approvals