Professional Practice In Engineering Management (BFT 563/3)

The International Association for Management of Technology (IAMOT) is one of the largest scientific associations dedicated to advance the education, research and application of management of technology. The annual IAMOT conference assembles the most prominent scientists and experts in the field. The 17th conference held in 2008 included over 300 papers by experts from various countries. This volume is a collection of the best, high quality papers presented at the conference, covering topics and issues related to the knowledge economy, commercialization of knowledge, green technologies, and sustainable development.

In this volume the methodological aspects of the scenario logic and probabilistic (LP) non-success risk management are considered. The theoretical bases of scenario non-success risk LP-management in business and engineering are also stated. Methods and algorithms for the scenario risk LP-management in problems of classification, investment and effectiveness are described. Risk LP- models and results of numerical investigations for credit risks, risk of frauds, security portfolio risk, risk of quality, accuracy, and risk in multi-stage systems reliability are given. In addition, a rather large number of new problems of estimation, analysis and management of risk are considered. Software for risk problems based on LP-methods, LP-theory, and GIE is described too.

In this new edition of his widely-used Handbook, Frank Watts, widely recognized for his significant contributions to engineering change control processes, provides a thoroughly practical guide to the implementation and improvement of Engineering Documentation Control (EDC), Product Lifecycle Management and Product Configuration Management (CM). Successful and error-free implementation of EDC/CM is critical to world-class manufacturing. Huge amounts of time are wasted in most product manufacturing environments over EDC/CM issues such as interchangeability, document release and change control - resulting in faults, product release delays and overspends.

The book is packed with specific methods that can be applied quickly and accurately to almost any industry and any product to control documentation, request changes to the product, implement changes and develop bills of material.

The result is a powerful communications bridge between the engineering function and 'the rest of the world' that makes rapid changes in products and documentation possible. With the help of the simple techniques in the handbook, companies can gain and hold their competitive advantages in a world that demands flexibility and quick reflexes - and has no sympathy for delays.

The new edition sets EDC/CM in the context of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), providing guidance on choosing, purchasing and implementing PLM software systems. Watts guides the reader to harness these tools and techniques for business objectives including Process Improvement and time-to-market.

Solid, pragmatic ideas for real product and process cost reduction. According to one reviewer: 'most books focus on the basics without examining all facets of each process area or functional area. This may be good for quickly learning, but it will only take the reader so far. Mr. Watts imparts the same information, but invites the reader to think and to consider strengths and weaknesses of processes and procedures. The copious examples, illustrations and breadth of topics covered make this book "the" reference on EDC and CM.'

Strategic emphasis shows how processes may be integrated and tears down the 'wall' between Engineering and Operations

Thorough description of Product Lifecycle Management software tools

The emphasis on new and changing technologies and process models in today s software development obscures the fact that software engineering is still primarily a human-based activity and that the success of a software project largely depends on the decisions made by humans during engineering. Rationale management is concerned with making these design and development decisions explicit to all stakeholders involved. Dutoit, McCall, Mistrik and Paech begin their book with a historical survey of different rationale approaches. It is followed by four parts describing: the fundamental problems and possible solution approaches in rationale management, rationale management during requirements engineering, rationale management during software architecting, and rationale management for organizing reusable bodies of knowledge. The result is a detailed summary of research on design rationale. It provides researchers with an excellent state-of-the-art overview, and professional software engineers will find many examples, resources and incentives to enhance their ability to make decisions during all phases of the software lifecycle. Allen Dutoit, Ray McCall, Ivan Mistrik and Barbara Paech have done an excellent job of this in Rationale management in software engineering. The chapters in this volume show how design rationale can be incorporated into the heart of the software development process - into requirements engineering, software architecture, and code design. (John M. Carroll, Edward M. Frymoyer Professor of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State University, USA, ACM CHI Lifetime Achievement Award)

Nowadays, there is software everywhere in our life. It controls cars, airplanes, factories, medical implants. Without software, banking, logistics and transportation, media, and even scientific research would not function in the accustomed way. Building and maintaining software is a knowledge-intensive endeavour and requires that specific experiences are handled successfully. However, neither knowledge nor experience can be collected, stored, and shipped like physical goods, instead these delicate resources require dedicated techniques. Knowledge and experience are often called company assets, yet this is only part of the truth: it is only software engineers and other creative employees who will effectively exploit an organisation's knowledge and experience. Kurt Schneider's textbook is written for those who want to make better use of their own knowledge and experience – either personally or within their group or company. Everyone related to software development will benefit from his detailed explanations and case studies: project managers, software engineers, quality assurance responsibles, and knowledge managers. His presentation is based on years of both practical experience, with companies such as Boeing, Daimler, and Nokia, and research in renowned environments, such as the Fraunhofer Institute. Each chapter is self-contained, it clearly states its learning objectives, gives in-depth presentations, shows the techniques' practical relevance in application scenarios, lists detailed references for further reading, and is finally completed by exercises that review the material presented and also challenge further, critical examinations. The overall result is a textbook that is equally suitable as a personal resource for self-directed learning and as the basis for a one-semester course on software engineering and knowledge management.