There's a lot of skepticism around social networking functionality as it applies to product development. Nevertheless, a good number of tried-and-true CAD and PLM platforms, as well as newcomers, are pushing the envelope when it comes to tapping social capabilities to facilitate project collaboration.
One of the more vocal candidates in the social field is Vuuch, which bills itself as an enterprise social software provider. In 2010, we reported on its adding of a social networking layer to traditional CAD, PLM, and desktop tools like Microsoft Word and Excel. The idea was to give extended product development teams a way to share product-related materials and to communicate in a manner that felt on par with how they collaborate in consumer social networks like Facebook.
Vuuch V5 enhances activity threads via Facebook-like interaction, allowing users across functions to collaborate in a familiar environment. (Source: Vuuch)
The Vuuch 4.0 version released last year emphasized integration with other CAD, PLM, and office productivity platforms, including SpaceClaim and Microsoft's application suite. The newest version, Vuuch 5.0, zeros in on usability enhancements, giving the various constituents in the product development continuum the ability to view project data and manage tasks in a variety of ways. Specifically, the new release offers deliverable-specific dashboards and timelines, Facebook-like threaded discussions, and integration with Microsoft Project, which is still the leading tool used by development teams for coordinating program tasks.
One of the most common reasons engineers are hesitant to apply social networking conventions to serious development work is they perceive a lot of what goes on in networks like Facebook (like "Friending") as frivolous. Vuuch takes a different view of social relationships. It draws connections and keeps teams centered on discussions based on specific work deliverables, not person-to-person relationships.
Consumer social tools connect people based on relationships, sometimes called friending. First generation enterprise social software uses this inappropriate friending model for making connections. Vuuch is the only social @ work solution that connects people based on the work they are involved with. Deliverable centric connections allow a team to drive actionable outcome and channel the flow of information that leads to the conclusion of a project and the conversation around it.
Vuuch is initially focused on the issue list, as this drives the majority of project related email. As people get comfortable with Vuuch they move on to things like the managing all discussions around ECOs or other types of forms and use cases where communities of experts are created that project team members can bring into the resolution of problems. Al the while a complete history of what is done is being captured in Vuuch, which for compliance based industries like FDA and FAA, delivers on compliance requirements and general knowledge capture. The history of course stays in Vuuch but it can also be exported to PDF (http://www.vuuch.com/enterprise-social-system/vuuch-v5/2012/04/09).
I agree Scott. Part of the difficulty in adoption, I believe, will be with convincing users there is not a security issue. That would require an interface that would allow some data to be shared while other data is not in the loop. Younger users may not be as concerned about security.
Rob, I like your thoughts on this issue. I think the demand for a good collaboration tool is there. Some of the social media constructs are useful for project collaboration, but not all. Once some software company comes up with the right mix and makes the user interface really clean - I think it will be a market winner.
Absolutely, ChasChas. It's in the very nature of social media to share information. There would have to be very clear lines on what can be shared and what can't be shared, So someone would have to be tasked as the referee.
Good point, Chuck. Chances are the early adopters will be young engineers who would take to social media quickly and easily. I do think there would have to be a very clear benefit to encourage adoption.
This is yet another story that demonstrates why engineers shouldn't be too resistant to social media. The right business model will come along sooner or later, and when it does, the engineers who are open to to it will have a leg up.
Thanks for the info, Naperlou. I think the key to what you're saying is "How it gets implemented is another story." I suspect it will be a simple matter of benefits versus effort. At home, social media offers personal connections. At work, there needs to be a different benefit -- improved design, improved projects.
The 3D printing revolution seems to have a knack for quickly moving technology ahead by way of collaborative effort and even a little friendly competition -- all of course in the name of scientific advancement.
Laura Sapiens' Ego! Smartmouse offers users a unique interactive experience by providing 2D and 3D connectivity, hardware identity authentication, data storage, and more.
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