1 / 28

Improving Cross-Program Communication, File Storage, and Test Procedure at iRobot Corporation

Improving Cross-Program Communication, File Storage, and Test Procedure at iRobot Corporation. Students: Brittney Kawa and Audra Sosny Faculty Adviser: Professor Sharon Johnson Company Adviser: Jennifer Wallace. Agenda. Project Timeline Introduction Project Goal

jaser
Download Presentation

Improving Cross-Program Communication, File Storage, and Test Procedure at iRobot Corporation

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Improving Cross-Program Communication, File Storage, and Test Procedure at iRobot Corporation Students: Brittney Kawa and Audra Sosny Faculty Adviser: Professor Sharon Johnson Company Adviser: Jennifer Wallace

  2. Agenda • Project Timeline • Introduction • Project Goal • Methodology & Preliminary Results • Phases I – III • Prototype Competency Website • Other Recommendations • Conclusions

  3. project Timeline,Introduction,project goal

  4. Project Timeline • Established during Summer 2009 • Developed project objectives • Gathered initial findings • Began August 2009 • Completed in three phases

  5. Introduction • Company growth and expansion • Size of company nearly doubled from 2004-2007 • Matrix & employee expansion with increased programs • Interactions • Communication between programs not originally accounted for • Document control / storage not standardized

  6. Project Goal To improve cross-program interactions by streamlining the exchange of information and documents at iRobot Corporation.

  7. Phase I

  8. Phase I: Major Accomplishments • Established a project overview, including goals & objectives • Developed the preliminary survey topics & questions through • Observations of interactions, documents and how they fit into the design process • Informal interviews with iRobot employees • Meetings with advisors

  9. Preliminary Survey Outline • Informed Consent Agreement • Analysis only includes participants that consent to participate • iRobot Corporation Employment Background • Length of Employment • Program of Employment • Training and Usage • For various document control tools • Satisfaction and Ease of Use • Preference • General satisfaction • Employment and Cross-Program Interactions • Interactions with employees across competency, outside program • Recommendations

  10. Phase II

  11. Phase II: Major Accomplishments • Administered preliminary survey to iRobot Corporation employees • Survey administered through Surveymonkey.com • From 12/2 – 12/15/2009 (two weeks) • 57 total respondents • Started initial analysis of preliminary survey results • Two major population filters • Length of employment • Program of employment • Brainstormed preliminary recommendations • Selected SEIT focus group participants

  12. Preliminary Survey Results • Frequency of Use • Several tools used frequently • 4 used daily • Depends on program • No standardized names / locations

  13. Preliminary Survey Results • 90% in favor of re-designed competency website • Key features including • Org charts • Test documents • Regular updates

  14. Phase II: Preliminary Design Features • Interactions • Chat feature • Org chart linked to other information such as • Location • E-mail • Documents • Centralize locations • Accessible across different programs • Customizable • Turn on / off features

  15. Phase III

  16. Phase III: Major Accomplishments • Interviewed SEIT focus group participants • 8 members • Varied from new hires to more experienced employees • Discussed initial prototype • Complete analysis of preliminary survey and SEIT focus groups • Refined design for competency website to incorporate SEIT focus group results • Completing feasibility analysis and implementation plan for website • Completing other recommendations

  17. Prototype competency website

  18. Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test Home Page People Documents Options Help Announcements 01/29/10: Reminder – Weekly meeting on Monday, February 1st at 10:00 AM in Kracken Login Username Password Links Internal Home Page QMS Oracle Timecard iRobot News & Events G & I Division Home Robotics Division Bookmarks People Brittney Kawa Audra Sosny Documents Test Procedure A Websites Google.com Weather.com Chat Outside Testing Bob Jones Julie Smith Storage Tools Windchill SVN

  19. Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test People Documents Options Help What do you want to do? Search for Employee: View Other Competency Edit Personal Information Update Status Enter Name Enter Status

  20. Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test People Documents Options Help What do you want to do? Search for Employee: View Other Competency Edit Personal Information Update Status Audra Sosny Program: Warrior Job Title: SEIT Intern Phone: (###)-###-#### E-mail: asosny@irobot.com Location: C132, 3rd aisle from the window, 1st section, 5th desk toward the cafeteria Free or Busy: Busy View Outlook Calendar Current Projects: MQP About me: Senior at WPI studying Industrial Engineering. I’m addicted to Starbucks Coffee. I enjoy napping on the beach and listening to all types of music. Enter Name Enter Status

  21. Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test People Documents Options Help Search Tool Bar Type: Doc #: Part: Facility: Doors: Windchill: SVN: All: Environmental Template Search x X Recent Searches Design & Construction Battery & Power Management System Characterization & Performance Environmental Manipulation Maintainability & Safety Recently Opened Procedure A Procedure B Results A Storage Tools Doors SVN Windchill QMS

  22. Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test People Documents Options Help Documents TEM_PB_NON-OPERATIONAL TEMPERATURE Procedure, Operating, Cold, Chassis Procedure, Room Temperature, Arm Procedure, Room Temperature, Chassis Template, Operating, Room Temperature, Arm Recent Searches Temperature Operating Hot Cold Room Non-Operating Hot Cold Room Part Chassis Arm Equipment & Facilities -Temperature Chamber -Available On-Site

  23. Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test People Documents Options Help Recent Searches Temperature Operating Hot Cold Room Non-Operating Hot Cold Room Part Chassis Arm

  24. Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test Page People Documents Options Help Customize Modify Home Page Content Modify Home Page Layout Edit Home Page Links Edit Home Page Storage Tools Edit Organization Chart Personal Information Edit Status Turn Chat On / Off Login asosny ********* Chat Outside Testing Bob Jones Julie Smith

  25. Systems Engineering, Integration, and Test People Documents Options Help Search Tool Bar Topic: Modify Results Modify Content Modify Layout User Guide / Tutorials Competency Website Tutorial How to….Index of Topics iRobot Acronyms and Glossary Support / Contact IT

  26. Other Recommendations • Moderating Information • Keeping charts updated • Universality in naming documents • Increasing Interactions • Promote collaboration, decrease competition • Encourage contact outside of e-mail • Street Signs / Standard locations in all buildings • Discussion boards • Utilize the benefits of matrix structure to further increase sharing of information

  27. Conclusions • Great learning experience • Visualize effects of expansion and growth in a company • Able to apply IE concepts outside of classroom • Benefits to iRobot Corporation: • Receive a fresh perspective of company culture • Receive recommendations • Long term benefits as company continues to grow • Design simplifies access & centralizes cometency information

  28. Thank you! Questions?

More Related