Work Flow Process Management for Collaborative Design and Process Planning Environments

"Work Flow Process Management for Collaborative Design and Process Planning Environments"

Abstract

“Right. I think I've got it figured out now. To get to the knowledge economy, you take the information superhighway to the coast, then surf on the net until you catch the knowledge wave. And you have to catch the knowledge wave, because if you miss it, your brains will drain away.”

The notion that New Zealand needs to develop a “knowledge economy” has been in vogue for at least the last five years. The development of new products is one method that generates new knowledge and if the resultant products can be brought to market in short timeframes then benefit to a knowledge economy may ensue.

Data created during a product development process is increasingly recorded, and communicated, in a digital format. Overseas experience has shown that the appropriate management of this data can assist the development of new products. Furthermore, the importance of this activity will increase as information and communication technology (ICT) based tools and methodologies are increasingly adopted by local organisations that are developing new products.