Integrated Concurrent Engineering

Abstract

Construction business have by the last decades been facing a negative trend when it comes to efficiency. While other industries increase efficiency by time schedules and economically, the construction industry seems to be heading the other direction. Integrated Concurrent Engineering, ICE, are a method used in other industries and now implemented in construction projects to make the projects more efficient. How can the project tema work together to implement to project in an efficient way? The method grabs old challenges like easy misunderstandings, formulations and other challenges which was common earlier when the communication and workflow was, and still are in most cases, by email, telephone and file sharing. By facing and solving challenges in an early design phase face to face with the different disciplines in work sessions, is the idea that the project will run smoother with less complications and collisions in the project phase. The method is not new and are used in industries, and large engineering companies have made their own guides which employees can use. Projects in Norway and Denmark are successfully using the method.

The article will look further into ICE as a working method. The method will be explained step by step, and with examples from the industry. The article will show how the method can be implemented into a new project, and how a management team will benefit from the method. Numbers and examples will also show how efficiency could increase.

Background/Big Idea

Established systems, and old ways of doing things, often destroys new ways of thinking and doing things. Many projects have a clear hierarchy of how decisions should be made, and things must be approved on different levels. Messages must be sent, and decisions, small and big, could take days to be solved. This is an inefficient way of solving challenges, and when time is crucial, decisions needs to be taken faster, accurate and more efficient. A possible solution is ICE, with work sessions. Integrated Concurrent Engineering is a method that can be adjusted from work group to work group and project to project. The method is therefore seen as flexible and adjustable. When a workgroup is sitting together in work sessions, with different disciplines from different subjects, interactions could be discovered right away, and because the manager taking all decisions are at present, discussions and decisions could be taken right away. A new way of working, a better way of discussing and solve interactions and a much faster decision process.

How does it work

Work sessions – A work session is when everybody in the work group is sitting in the same room, working on the same project, together. A clear agenda for the work sessions are established before the session, and well prepared the group works together towards a common goal for the work session. The work session has a leader, who controls the agenda and assures progress. A typical work session lasts from a couple of hours to a whole day. The duration is adjusted according to the task and at what stage the project is in. Typically, the longest sessions with most collaboration is at later stage in the design process, when many disciplines are represented. It is important to mention that work sessions with a duration longer than 2 hours without a break can be inefficient, and the long sessions should have planned breaks. This should be administered by the work sessions manager.

Work sessions manager – The work session has a level of discussion where everybody contributes, but a leader for the session is always necessary. Decisions made under sessions is done together, and with everybody who has something to do with the matter, but in some cases decisions needs a leader. Other responsibilities are as mentioned breaks and agenda, but also invite to the different sessions. If the sessions should be weekly, monthly or other, is up to the manager, but as often as necessary according to where in the phase the process the design is in. This again shows how flexible the method is. Feedback and report of a work sessions is important at early stage. This will help everybody in the session, and the work session manager, especially in the implementation phase. Since the flexibility is wide, this will help to form the method to the best case possible to make it work even better through the project. No project is the same, and adjustments in the method is there for necessary and important.

Benefits The method has many benefits, but also some disadvantages. The method requires a group willing to work together towards a common goal, and want to try something new. A work session can also divide the group in discussions and disagreements, but this is also something that the method is perfect for, because problems can be solved right away. Some participants at a work session can feel that they feel that they are redundant. Therefore, the sessions leader must inform that people can work with something else related to the project, and not just the case. But, it is important to be in the room because it is being there and have the possibility to answer questions immediately which is something of the clue of this method. The session manager have here again the leader role, and must lead the group towards the common goal for the session and future goal. A trend is to use resources in countries with cheaper salaries, to do the task people here doesn’t want to or have the time to do. The task is done faster and cheaper somewhere else, and can be sent at the end of the day on the afternoon, and be received solved the morning after because of the time difference. This is highly efficient, but does not create the necessary collaboration team and efficient problem solving. And if something needs to be revised, the problem then must again be sent to the other side of the world, and the project must wait a day for the solution. This underlines the possibilities regarding effectiveness with this method.

Places the method can be applied

The method suits a project well. A common goal, given deadline and a budget, should give a drive to the group to work together towards this.

In the construction business –

The oil and gas section have a lot of different projects which will suit this method well. It is the complex scopes which must be solved together, that makes the method good for this.

Car industry –

The flexibility and the adaptability of the method suits the different sectors well.