PICMET '06 Workshops
Saturday, July 8, 2006
Morning
08:30 am - 12:30 pm
WS-1: "Technology of Innovation"
Speaker: Dr. Mark H. Polczynski, Marquette University, USA

Typically, technology is viewed as the product of innovation. This workshop examines the role that technology plays in driving innovation. The workshop provides a brief overview of how the following seven technologies drive innovation:

  • Data mining,
  • TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving),
  • Computational research,
  • Evolutionary computing (genetic algorithms and genetic programming),
  • Fuzzy logic,
  • Neural networks.
As these technologies are reduced to practice in innovation-related applications, they have the potential to dramatically "democratize" innovation by:
  • Significantly increasing the productivity of the innovation process and the quality of process outputs,
  • Broadening the base of people involved in innovation.
By the end of the workshop, attendees will have obtained an insight into some innovation-driving technologies worth "paying attention to". It is obviously not the objective of this workshop to prepare experienced practitioners capable of applying the technologies covered to complex problems and processes. Rather, the workshop is structured to allow students to:
  • Assess the potential of each technology for impacting innovation and general decision making processes,
  • Stimulate the application of these technologies in their work to create and enhance competitive advantage.
 

 

Mark Polczynski received his BS and PhD degrees in engineering from Marquette University. Mark has spent 27 years in industry working at Allen-Bradley, Cutler-Hammer, Square D, A.O. Smith, and Eaton Corporation. He has done electronic hardware and software design and product quality assurance, and has supervised electronic manufacturing. He has managed research and development departments, and has led new product and technology development teams. Mark is currently Engineering Director of Marquette University's Masters of Science in Engineering Management Program. Mark is developing Entrepreneurial Engineering Specialty and Certificate Programs within the Masters Program, and is initiating an International Engineering Co-Operative Research and Student/Faculty Exchange initiative in the College of Engineering.

 
WS-2: "An Overview of Technological Forecasting"
Speaker: Dr. Joseph P. Martino, author and consultant, USA

This workshop will provide an overview of Technological Forecasting. Topics to be covered include Delphi, Extrapolation (both growth curves and trends), Leading Indicators, Probabilistic Models, and Measures of Technology. Applications of Technological Forecasting in research and development planning will also be covered. Professional forecasters and managers of engineering, technology, and R&D will find the seminar to be very beneficial and immediately applicable to their work.

 

 

Dr. Joseph P. Martino is a long-time practitioner of Technological Forecasting. He is the author of Technological Forecasting for Decision Making, now in its 3rd edition, which has recently been translated into Chinese. He has been an Associate Editor of the journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change since its founding in 1969.
Afternoon
1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
WS-3: "Influencing Without Authority" (Canceled)
Speaker: Vijay K. Verma (PMP, MBA, P.Eng.), TRIUMF, Canada

The more power you have, the better you are able to get the job done. Ignoring the external and internal politics surrounding your project can be hazardous. Most project managers have enormous responsibility but not enough formal authority. They cannot succeed without the proper understanding of power and how to use it effectively. Successful project managers recognize the need to evaluate power and political dynamics and the importance of managing stakeholders through influence.

Identify eight forms of power and evaluate your own power level. Improve and refine your skills and discover methods for increasing your total power. Analyze the political landscape in your organizations and learn how to convert your adversaries into your allies. Uncover ways to manage politics at the project and upper management levels while learning practical guidelines for successfully influencing without formal authority.

 

 

Vijay K. Verma (PMP, MBA, P.Eng.) is an internationally known consultant, speaker, trainer and author. Mr. Verma has more than 25 years of project management experience and is currently a group leader at a Canadian national research laboratory, where he provides project management services for projects varying in size, complexity and diversity. He has presented numerous workshops for many clients from a wide variety of industries. He has written the three-volume series Human Aspects of Project Management, published by the Project Management Institute, which includes Organizing Projects for Success (Vol. 1), Human Resource Skills for the Project Manager (Vol. 2), and Managing the Project Team (Vol. 3). Mr. Verma is a registered professional engineer and holds master's degrees in Electrical Engineering and Business Administration. He has also recently been awarded the 1999 PMI David I. Cleland Project Management Literature award and the 1999 PMI Distinguished Contribution award.
 
WS-4: "Fast-start Technology Roadmapping"
Speakers: Dr. David Probert and Dr. Charles Romito, University of Cambridge, England

Technology roadmapping is widely used in industry to link market and business drivers and goals to product and technology development. This workshop focuses on a practical approach for initiating roadmapping ('T-Plan'), the result of applied research at the University of Cambridge, based on more than 80 applications in a wide range of sectors and organisation types. The workshop will provide participants with an overview of the technology roadmapping approach, including theory and practice. A group-based activity will give participants a taste of how a roadmap is developed, and discussion will focus on the practical challenges of implementing the technique.

 

 

David Probert pursued an industrial career with Marks and Spencer and Philips for some 18 years before returning to the Engineering Department in Cambridge in 1991. His experience covers a wide range of industrial engineering and management disciplines in the UK and overseas. He joined the Manufacturing Engineering Group as Royal Academy of Engineering/Lucas Industries Research Fellow, to develop a practical approach to the issues of make or buy and vertical integration in manufacturing industry, which has been widely applied and disseminated. Now Reader in Technology Management, he is a founding member and Head of the Centre for Technology Management within the Institute for Manufacturing. This is a team of around 30 research and academic staff, with an active consortium of collaborating companies. Current research interests of the Centre include technology and innovation strategy, technology management processes, industry and technology evolution, new product design and development, software sourcing and industrial sustainability.

Books published include 'Developing a make or buy strategy for manufacturing business', 'Technology management assessment procedure', and most recently 'T-Plan: The fast start to technology roadmapping'. The T-Plan process is currently being widely applied at international and national levels (EU Framework 6 project and DTI Foresight Vehicle Technology Roadmap), industry sector level (Faraday Partnerships) and within individual companies and other organisations.

 

Charles Romito is a doctoral researcher at the Centre for Technology Management. His research is focused on the decision making involved in technology investments. Charles holds an MSci degree in Physics from the University of Bristol, where his research investigated practical applications of piezoelectric digital to analogue conversion. Immediately prior to Cambridge, Charles was employed by Telespazio (Rome, Italy), a satellite communications subsidiary of the Finmeccanica group. Whilst there, his roles included R&D project management, business planning and telecoms regulation. He has also worked on behalf of CEPT (the European telecoms regulator) and has participated in fora of the ITU (International Telecommunications Union).