● Enhancement of efficiency to develop the project by improving , standardising and automating processes that eliminate manual tasks and minimise redundancies leading to innovations to suit the project ' s nature .
● Identify the lessons learnt in past project experiences and update the R & D products in a timely manner .
● Contribution to differentiation : i . Innovation and new product development ii . Advanced technology and intellectual property iii . Quality improvement iv . Customisation and personalisation v . Efficiency and cost savings vi . Thought leadership and industry recognition
The R & D Process of an ECP requires commitment from management and the formation of an in-house committee that meets every month to propose new topics , assign work , monitor progress , check the output for correctness , approve completed R & D Products , upload to the knowledge vault in the Cloud or Intranet , improve and update R & D Products , and maintain the system in a good condition for users .
The “ 95 / 5 ” Rule and the Importance of a Reliable System in ECP
The “ 95 / 5 ” rule refers to the Pareto Principle , also known originally as the “ 80 / 20 ” rule which states that approximately 80 % of the effects come from 20 % of causes . This concept is mentioned here as it highlights the unequal distribution of inputs and outcomes that apply to the process of engineering works carried out by ECPs . The “ 95 / 5 ” rule from a problem-solving standpoint means that 95 % of the problems can be due to and effectively prevented or mitigated by making significant changes to only 5 % of the work processes and the people implementing them . The rule suggests that systemic factors ( the system itself ) are the main contributors while individual actions play a much smaller role . In summary , to achieve consistent safety and technical suitability in all works carried out by ECPs , a reliable system which strikes a balance and considers both systemic improvements and
PROCESSES / WORK FLOW
Systemic ( 5 %)
Common Process : -
Conventional Way ( 95 %)
OUTCOME / RESULTS
Improvement ( 95 %) Only 5 %
Figure 2 : Application of “ 95 / 5 ” Rule to Improve 5 % of System for 95 % Overall Improvement of the Engineering Process .
also individual behaviours has to be created based on the management of accumulated knowledge to address the five key questions highlighted above .
Based on the above criteria , the author proposes two major systemic improvements for ECPs :
A ) R & D Tree : The Research and Development Tree ( R & D Tree ) is the knowledge vault of all engineering processes that can be easily used as a reference or followed by all engineers working in the company for day-to-day engineering works , for checking to ensure safety and technical suitability , and for training and learning . This is a major part of knowledge management on engineering works necessary for all ECPs .
B ) Operating Flow Chart ( OFC ): OFC is proposed for all major operations of the Company in administration , human resources , accounting , claims and payment processes , ISO , engineering check and review processes and documentation , and tender and contract management . The concept of OFC , despite its importance , will not be discussed in this article .
R & D Tree Concept
The R & D Tree is a knowledge management concept developed by the author in 2018 . It aims to create a comprehensive repository — a knowledge vault — for an organisation ’ s Research and Development ( R & D ) initiatives . This repository houses essential resources and standard office documents related to engineering
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