Collaborative design, collaborative product commerce, configuration management, workflow management

Ching-Jen Huang and Amy Trappey*

Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management

National Tsing Hua University

101, Section 2 Kuang Fu Road, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 300, R.O.C.

Yin-Ho Yao

Department of Industrial Engineering and Management

Ta Hwa Institute of Technology

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to define the collaborative environment, analyze and design the architecture of a collaborative system, and prototype a web-based collaborative system as a generalized methodology for loosely coupled collaboration enabling platform. There are three unique models depicted in the paper for the collaborative platform development. In the organizational model, the roles and the authorities of collaborators are specified. In the product data model, a dynamic product description including product attributes and product structure is defined. In the process model, a modularized process model is developed based on the WfMC international workflow management reference model. Specific collaborative design flows can be customized using the modularized process modeling approach. At last, a case study of collaborative elevator design is introduced to verify the system at work. This research establishes the general models, key functions and interfaces of a modularized, web-based collaborative system, which enables business-to-business collaboration for online product development with minimal barriers and improved efficiency.

Keywords: collaborative design, collaborative product commerce, configuration management, workflow management

(*Contact: E-mail trappey@ie.nthu.edu.tw )

Cite this article as: Ching-Jen Huang, Amy Trappey, Yin-Ho Yao, "COLLABORATIVE DESIGN, COLLABORATIVE PRODUCT COMMERCE, CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT, WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT ," Journal of the Chinese Institute of Industrial Engineers, 20, 422-434 (2003).