A gestão de projetos de design é uma ferramenta eficiente que pode auxiliar a geração e implantação de uma cultura empresarial afetando positivamente a imagem da organização. Porém, para a empresa poder gerir design, esta deve capacitar-se nesta área. Deve incorporar os sistemas de apoio especializados existentes no mercado e conseguir com que estes aportes maximizem seus rendimentos. Neste sentido, observa-se a relevância da Gestão de Design como diferencial para as organizações no cenário mundial. Porém, no âmbito regional não são encontrados muitos estudos desenvolvidos na área. Sob estas condições se faz necessário um estudo aprofundado sobre as características do processo de Gestão de Design realizada por prestadores de serviços em design de Porto Alegre/RS. Com isso, o estudo busca contribuir para que os processos da gestão de design de empresas gaúchas sejam identificados e aprimorados. Neste contexto, esta dissertação tem por objetivo caracterizar como os escritórios e prestadores de serviços em design de Porto Alegre/RS desenvolvem seu processo de Gestão de Design. Para esta caracterização, foi necessária uma revisão e fundamentação bibliográfica, além de entrevistas com especialistas da área. Optouse por utilizar para a realização da pesquisa, a verificação das práticas das áreas de conhecimento da gestão de projetos do PMBOK (2004). Através do estudo, conseguiu-se caracterizar como os escritórios e prestadores de serviços em design de Porto Alegre/RS desenvolvem seu processo de Gestão de Design. Como resultados, verificou-se que todos os escritórios estudados possuem e utilizam processos distintos, nem sempre formalizados, para a realização de sua Gestão de Design. Verificou-se a aplicação das etapas do plano de gerenciamento de projetos do PMBOK (2004), em todos os escritórios estudados. / Design Project Management is an efficient tool for creating and implementing an entrepreneurial culture. But for the company to manage design projects, there must be a training program to its employees in this area. The company must incorporate new systems available in the market in order to be able to maximize its revenues. Therefore, the importance of design management for organizations all over the world is remarkable. However, in the Southern Brazil regional scenario, there are not many studies developed in the Design Project Management area. This dissertation aims at analysing the characteristics of the design management process developed by design companies in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Besides, the study also intends to offer theoretical support for the identification and improvement of local design companies’ design project management process. It was based on a background research in design management area and interview with experts. In addition, the areas of PMBOK (2004) were analyzed, in order to discuss the way local design companies develop their design management process. The study results point out how design companies in Porto Alegre/RS develop their design management process. All design companies studied have different management processes, but they were not always formally established.

A gestão de projetos de design é uma ferramenta eficiente que pode auxiliar a geração e implantação de uma cultura empresarial afetando positivamente a imagem da organização. Porém, para a empresa poder gerir design, esta deve capacitar-se nesta área. Deve incorporar os sistemas de apoio especializados existentes no mercado e conseguir com que estes aportes maximizem seus rendimentos. Neste sentido, observa-se a relevância da Gestão de Design como diferencial para as organizações no cenário mundial. Porém, no âmbito regional não são encontrados muitos estudos desenvolvidos na área. Sob estas condições se faz necessário um estudo aprofundado sobre as características do processo de Gestão de Design realizada por prestadores de serviços em design de Porto Alegre/RS. Com isso, o estudo busca contribuir para que os processos da gestão de design de empresas gaúchas sejam identificados e aprimorados. Neste contexto, esta dissertação tem por objetivo caracterizar como os escritórios e prestadores de serviços em design de Porto Alegre/RS desenvolvem seu processo de Gestão de Design. Para esta caracterização, foi necessária uma revisão e fundamentação bibliográfica, além de entrevistas com especialistas da área. Optouse por utilizar para a realização da pesquisa, a verificação das práticas das áreas de conhecimento da gestão de projetos do PMBOK (2004). Através do estudo, conseguiu-se caracterizar como os escritórios e prestadores de serviços em design de Porto Alegre/RS desenvolvem seu processo de Gestão de Design. Como resultados, verificou-se que todos os escritórios estudados possuem e utilizam processos distintos, nem sempre formalizados, para a realização de sua Gestão de Design. Verificou-se a aplicação das etapas do plano de gerenciamento de projetos do PMBOK (2004), em todos os escritórios estudados. / Design Project Management is an efficient tool for creating and implementing an entrepreneurial culture. But for the company to manage design projects, there must be a training program to its employees in this area. The company must incorporate new systems available in the market in order to be able to maximize its revenues. Therefore, the importance of design management for organizations all over the world is remarkable. However, in the Southern Brazil regional scenario, there are not many studies developed in the Design Project Management area. This dissertation aims at analysing the characteristics of the design management process developed by design companies in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Besides, the study also intends to offer theoretical support for the identification and improvement of local design companies’ design project management process. It was based on a background research in design management area and interview with experts. In addition, the areas of PMBOK (2004) were analyzed, in order to discuss the way local design companies develop their design management process. The study results point out how design companies in Porto Alegre/RS develop their design management process. All design companies studied have different management processes, but they were not always formally established.

BillerudKorsnäs is a manufacturer of fiber-based cartonboard and liquid packaging board. Microbial growth occurs at several steps in cartonboard production due to favourable environment and the good access to nutrients from the raw material, and additives such as starch. Vegetative bacteria are usually not harmful in the production and die in the hot drying end of the cartonboard machine. The most abundant microflora at paper- and cartonboard factories consists largely of sporeforming microorganisms from the genera Bacillus and Paenibacillus. The endospores are highly resistant and can stay in the final end product, which is undesirable. Levels of endospores from these species at BillerudKorsnäs production unit KM5 are usually low, but an occational increase can be seen when a new cartonboard product, KW1 is produced. Today, the method used for controlling the microbiology is by adding biocides to broke towers. This has shown to be both expensive and non-effective at KM5. A new method is needed for controlling the microbiology at KM5 that is more effective, costbeneficial and environmental friendly.The aim of this project was to test a hypothesis for spore formation at a paper board factory in lab-scale experiments. A suggestion of a technical change in the process would be made that could minimize spore formation and the use of biocides at KM5. A model organism Bacillus licheniformis (E-022052) was used to study effects of environmental conditions on spore formation. Experiments were also performed in controlled bioreactor trials, where methods to minimize spore formation were tested.The experiments showed that nutrient deficiency of a primary carbon source was the major reason for spore formation and should be avoided at KM5. Further, the experiments showed that oxygen limitation significantly decreases the endospore formation.The conclusion reached, was that spore formation could be minimized by a feed addition of glucose to Broke tower 1 during the few days production of KW1. A second alternative includes using a feed of concentrated pulp that could be used to minimize spore formation without the use of biocides and without the need for rebuilding of the mill.

No description available.

The purpose of business-IT alignment is to optimise the relation between business and IT in order to maximise the business value of IT. Successful business-IT alignment can be enabled by business processes and e-processes functioning as adaptive mediators between business and IT systems. Business processes are the ways actors work in enterprises and collaborate in value networks, while e-processes support a flexible flow of information between IT systems and business processes. The overall goal of this thesis is to propose methods for business process and e-process design and evaluation for achieving alignment between enterprise goals and IT systems. The methods are based on model-driven approaches, using enterprise and software models. More precisely, the proposed methods can be used for designing models of business processes supporting the fulfilment of enterprise goals in the setting of a value network; for designing models of generic and reusable business processes that support the fulfilment of enterprise goals; for designing models of e-processes that support a flexible alignment of IT systems with business processes; and for evaluating the extent to which business processes are aligned with enterprise goals and IT systems. The result of the thesis can be used to support business and system designers with practical knowledge on how to align business and IT systems in order to create efficient, high-quality, flexible and innovative organisations. The research presented in this thesis has been carried out following the design science paradigm. This paradigm is characterised by the creation of new and innovative artefacts for solving general problems, and the evaluation of their benefits and drawbacks.

The constant changes in governmental and customer requirements are forcing organizations to adapt in today’s dynamic market. Challenges such as international competition, increased cost pressure and efficient resource allocation are just a few examples of what organizations currently are facing. The need of managing business processes has become evident, as processes describes how well the organization is operating. Processes are no longer seen as just a tool, but as a way to visualize and standardize the organization in order to decrease variation and waste. With limited resources, ABB HVC has been working with business processes for over 20 years without any major influence since the competition has not required it. During the last three years the focus has shifted and business processes are now a hot topic. A stance has been taken and ABB HVC is now aiming to become a process-oriented organization. To become a process-oriented organization, ABB HVC needs a solid foundation built around processes. This project aims to satisfy a part of that foundation by designing a process for the technology department. As the technology department currently lacks a defined process, they cannot in a clear and visual way describe how they operate. Most of the time spent during this project, was focused on designing a functional process and to identify options for development. The research type of this project is a change focused research with an action research strategy. The selected approach is a design research methodology with qualitative data collection. In order to gather all the required information to complete the task, a literature review and an empirical analysis of ABB HVC were conducted. The result of this project was a process map describing the workflow and interactions of the technology department. An implementation plan, tools and suggested improvements have also been included in the report to provide the technology department with a strategy in how to continue the process work. / Ständiga förändringar och krav från myndigheter och kunder tvingar organisationer att anpassa sig till dagens dynamiska marknad. Utmaningar som internationell konkurrens, ökat kostnadstryckt och en effektiv resursfördelning är bara några exempel på vad organisationer för närvarande står inför. Behovet av att hantera affärsprocesser har blivit uppenbart eftersom processerna beskriver hur väl organisationen fungerar. Processer ses inte längre som bara ett verktyg, utan som ett sätt att visualisera och standardisera organisationen för att minska variation och slöseri. Med begränsade resurser har ABB HVC arbetat med affärsprocesser i över 20 år utan någon större påverkan för att konkurrensen inte har krävt det. Under de senaste tre åren har fokus skiftat och affärsprocesser är nu ett hett samtalsämne. En ställning har tagits och ABB HVC siktar nu på att bli en processorienterad organisation. För att bli en processorienterad organisation behöver ABB HVC en stabil grund uppbyggd kring processer. Detta projekt syftar till att tillfredsställa en del av denna grund genom att utforma en process för teknikavdelningen. Eftersom teknikavdelningen idag saknar en definierad process kan de inte tydligt beskriva hur de arbetar. Merparten av tiden spenderat under detta projekt var inriktad på att utforma en fungerande process och att identifiera alternativ för utveckling. Forskningstypen för detta projekt är en förändringsfokuserad forskning med en aktionsforskningsstrategi. Det valda tillvägagångssättet är att använda design research metodiken med kvalitativ datainsamling. För att samla in all den information som krävts för att slutföra uppgiften, har en litteraturstudie och en empirisk analys av ABB HVC utförts. Resultatet av detta projekt var en processkarta som beskriver arbetsflödet och interaktionerna för teknikavdelningen. En genomförandeplan, verktyg och förslag på förbättringar har också tagits med i rapporten för att ge teknikavdelningen en strategi för hur man ska fortsätta processarbetet.

<p>For a company to be competitive today, one way is to create a natural feedback loop from the production department to the design department with information regarding the production systems ability to deliver a finished component. The purpose with this feedback loop is to create respect for tolerances and to more design for manufacturing and assembly. The studied company in this thesis work developed a quality program to reach a spiral of continuous improvements to reduce cost of poor quality (CoPQ) and to reach an improved quality level (PPM). The object of this work was to test and improve the quality program called The Zero Tolerance Program. Delimitations were made when the work was started and ongoing which led to that the impact on PPM could not be studied. The connection to CoPQ was difficult to obtain and could only be proved theoretically, not practically, due to the short timetable.</p><p>During the short amount of time the right root cause could not be found. The thesis work findings came to a number of identified Measurable Success Criteria and requirements which must be in place for the further progress of The Zero Tolerance Program.</p> / PREPARE

This thesis aims to explore the potential impact of Computer Aided Architectural Design (CAAD) as a conceptual design tool on the design methodology of final year students. Many design studies have focused on sketching and its relationship with creative thinking to validate CAAD programs as a design tool. On the contrary, this study argues that the continued primacy of traditional tools as the predominant conceptual tools needs more evidence in the contemporary design practices. That is to say, the relative importance of CAAD alongside other media, such as sketching, model making and verbalisation must be recognised before the forthcoming leap in CAAD programs development. To illustrate these ideas, the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment was used as a case study to explore CAAD’s role in the educational context, the studio in general and the final year studio in particular. A mixed methods approach was employed to carry out two studies: a case study and a protocol study. A case study approach was utilised to understand the modern context whereby CAAD is used by the students despite CAAD not being an integrated part of the project model. The case study was also used to document the reasons behind students’ tendency of using CAAD at the conceptual phases of the design process. Mixed methods were used to collect data at three different intervals of the two semesters; before starting the studio project, while working on the project and after submitting the final project. The methods used include a questionnaire survey, structured reflection interviews, and a focus group. A protocol study was conducted to understand the impact of CAAD on selfcommunication using the think aloud method under the same experimental conditions using CAAD program(s) as the only external representation. The case study findings clarified the effects of the traditional context of the studio and the project model on CAAD’s utility within students’ design processes and identified the lack of CAAD professional skills, and the integration of CAAD as a knowledge base. The protocol study findings provided a greater understanding of the cognitive processes in designing and design performance while using CAAD, as well as acknowledging the possibility of a cyclic conceptual process. The potential impact of CAAD on the design process was further categorised. The empirical exploration provides CAAD research with new insights, instigating more useful ways of teaching and learning by an appropriate integration of CAAD programs and design methods in a situated manner where students can enhance their design processes creatively. It is proposed that a more measured and disinterested approach is now required to investigate CAAD and their implications for education.

The objective of this thesis is to explore the design of operational processes in information-intensive service delivery systems. Empirical data is presented which builds upon existing literature within the Business Process Management (BPM) and Service Operations Management (SOM) disciplines. Adopting a theory building mode, the thesis concludes with the formulation of several research propositions which specify the design characteristics of the processes that provide the service concept to the customer. The research addresses a number of gaps in the literature. First, there is little empirical evidence concerning the relationship between the service concept, customer inputs, and process design. Second, service classification schemes promote homogeneous thinking in the design of service systems delivering diverse service concepts. Third, the BPM literature provides generic process design principles which offer limited theoretical insights into the design requirements of operational processes. Finally, there is a need for process design research in information-intensive service organisations. A research framework that integrates theoretical models addressing service process design is investigated using a single case study approach. Fieldwork was carried out over a sixteen-month period in a large electricity supplier in the UK. In contrast to the macro-orientation found within the literature, this study employs a more granular level of analysis to address the unique requirements of ‘service concept – processes’ pairs. This approach results in a number of important findings which, in several instances, are in contradiction to current thinking. First, the results empirically validate the theoretical relationship between service concept, customer inputs, and process design. Different service concepts lead to different process designs, and the more customised the service concept, the more the process is uniquely designed. Significant differences in the design of the individual processes that collectively provide the service concept to the customer are highlighted. The results also provide some new insights into the design of front office – back office activities as well as into the design characteristics of processes characterised by low customer contact. In addition, the study refutes the view that generic process design principles are universally applicable irrespective of the context in which the processes operate. Finally, the research findings show that a process-based view of service systems allows for heterogeneity; that is differences in the design of service delivery processes within the same organisation.

In the design of a solvent extraction plant for metals it is necessary to treat the equilibrium data either graphically or analytically. This enables stagewise calculations to be performed to explore solvent usage and feed conditions and so optimise on the cost of recovery of the metal. The present study reviews the methods of presenting and correlating equilibrium data for solvent extraction systems involving metals; the limitations of each approach are highlighted. The most important example of metal extraction which has been studied falls into that class involving a metal species, in acid aqueous media, which displaces protons from the organic extractant during the mass transfer process. In the typical case of copper extracted by hydroxyoximes the equilibrium problem reduces to one of modelling a surface. The concentration of copper in the organic phase is a function of the concentrations of copper and sulphuric acid in the aqueous phase. Empirical models seem to be as satisfactory to the engineer as chemical ones provided the model is used between restricted regions of data. Practical work has involved the measurement of equilibrium data for the extraction of zinc and copper by di- (2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) in a kerosene diluent. Both the single and binary metal systems have been studied. The data reported are for feeds between 2-40 g/l zinc, 2-60 g/l copper and 20% V/v D2EHPA. A limited number of results are also presented for 10% V/v D2EHPA. Specific chemical and empirical models have been developed to correlate these data. Because the extractant has a high affinity for zinc in the presence of copper the binary data can be modelled making the assumption that the interaction of copper on zinc is negligible. However the effect of zinc on the limited extraction of copper is significant, the zinc reducing the copper loading markedly. In this way zinc can be decontaminated of copper. The methods for presentation of equilibrium data are discussed and a computer program is given which displays three dimensional equilibrium surfaces. Classical design procedures for stagewise. calculations are used against these three dimensional data plots. Computer programs which allow the investigation of a variety of operating conditions have also been written.