Creating an Information Factory

"Q: How many interpretations of systems				promoting the sharing
development are there?A: How many analysts				and re-using of resources. It also ensures they
and programmers have you got?"				are collected,
- Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONBack in the early				stored and retrieved in a timely manner.Project
1980's, Japan's MITI (Ministry of International				Management (Production Control) - used to plan,
Trade & Industry) coordinated a handful of				estimate,
Japanese computer				schedule, report, and control project work.Why
manufacturers in establishing a special				an "Information Factory" as opposed to a
environment for producing				"Software Factory"? One
system software, such as operating systems				of the key failures in the Japanese "Software
and compilers. This				Factories" experiment
effort came to be known as Japanese				was its limited scope. It failed to address all of
"Software Factories" which				the information
captured the imagination of the industry. Although				resources of an enterprise, especially business
the experiment				processes,
ended with mixed results, they discovered				administrative procedures, manual files, printed
organization and discipline				reports,
could dramatically improve productivity.Why the				human and machine resources, business
experiment? Primarily because the Japanese				functions, etc. all of
recognized				which are essential to a total systems solution.
there are fundamentally two approaches to				The term
manufacturing				"Information Factory," therefore, is an admission
anything: "one at a time" or mass production.				there is more to
Both are consistent				information resources than just software.THE
approaches that can produce a high quality				NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERINGThe
product. The difference				mechanics and infrastructure of an "Information
resides in the fact mass production offers				Factory" are
increased volume at				fairly easy to grasp, but it requires a special kind
lower costs. In addition, workers can be easily				of person to
trained and put into				implement: an Industrial Engineer.The American
production. On the other hand, the "one at a				Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Third
time" approach is				Edition)
slower and usually has higher costs. It requires				defines Industrial Engineering as: "The branch of
workers to be				engineering that is
intimate with all aspects of the product. Which is				concerned with the efficient production of
the most appropriate				industrial goods as affected
approach for a development organization to				by elements such as plant and procedural design,
take? That depends on the				the management of
organization's perspective of systems				materials and energy, and the integration of
development.ART VERSUS SCIENCEThere are				workers within the overall
those who believe systems development to be				system." An Industrial Engineer considers the
some sort				products to be build and
of art-form requiring peculiar knowledge and skills				employs work study techniques in order to
to perform. There				improve productivity. Such
are significant differences between an "art" and a				a group of people is critical to the implementation
"science." An "art"				of any mass
depends on an individual's intuitive instincts about				production facility, including an "Information
a particular subject. Such				Factory." The
intuition is difficult to teach and apply in a				Industrial Engineer has to be one part engineer
consistent manner. An art-form,				and one part social
by definition, implies non-conformity and				scientist, studying the behavior of people (e.g.,
represents an expression of				why they work in
personal style and taste. In contrast, a "science"				the manner they do). This is another element
is based on proven				missed by the Japanese
principles and, as such, can be taught and applied				"Software Factories."In an "Information Factory"
in a uniform manner by				the Industrial Engineer is responsible
many people.In order for systems development				for:1. Defining the infrastructure of the factory
to move from an art to a science, a body				(methodologies to be used,
of knowledge has to be defined in terms of				resource management, and project
proven concepts and standard				management). This includes the progression
terminology. Unfortunately, this is where the				and synchronization of work, along with the tools
industry has been				and techniques to be
wallowing for the last 30 years. The Japanese				used (5W+H).2. Establishing the types of people
example reveals it				needed to perform the work, along
is not necessary to invent any new theories of				with the required skill sets (and how to evaluate
management, but rather				performance). This
to re-use existing management principles that				also includes specifying the types of training
have already been proven				required to do the job.3. Reviewing work products
over time. By doing so, they are attempting to				(work sampling) in order to evaluate
move the industry				product quality and production problems, thereby
from an art to a science.FIVE BASIC ELEMENTS				triggering the need
OF MASS PRODUCTIONAssuming we want to				for improvement.4. Constantly looking for new
establish an environment of mass production to				tools and techniques to improve the process. It
develop our information resources, it is				is generally agreed techniques and tools will come
necessary to understand				and go, and will
its fundamental nature. As any introductory text				evolve over time. As such, the Industrial Engineer
book on manufacturing				is a student of
can explain, there are five basic elements of				the industry.EFFECT ON CORPORATE
mass production:1. Division of Labor - to break the				CULTUREThe mechanics of the "Information
production process into				Factory" are easy to assimilate and
separate tasks performed by specialists or				implement. The real problem lies in changing the
craftsmen. Such division				behavior and
specifies the type of skills required to perform				attitudes of people, specifically, the corporate
the work.2. Assembly Line - describing the units of				culture. The goal
work along with the				of an "Information Factory," as it is with any
dependencies between the steps thereby				mass production
defining the progression				facility, is to develop a homogeneous
and synchronization of product development.3.				development environment
Precision Tooling - for mechanical leverage in				(as opposed to a heterogeneous environment
developing products.4. Standardization of Parts -				where everyone is
for interchangeability of parts between				allowed to develop products as they see fit).To
products, thereby lowering costs and shortening				counter the "Tower of Babel" effect found in
development time, and				most development
allowing assembly by unskilled and semi-skilled				organizations, the "Information Factory" seeks
workers.5. Mass Demand - this represents the				consistency and
impetus for mass production;				quality through uniformity and standardization. It
customers demanding standardized and reliable				is not uncommon
products at lower				for the concept of a factory-like environment to
costs. In the IRM world this is represented by				strike fear in the
end-users who require				hearts of software developers as they may see
standard and reliable systems at lower costs to				it as a threat to their
support their				free-spirited individuality. Such an environment
information needs.The rationale behind mass				need not sacrifice
production is improved productivity;				freedom of expression or creativity. It is simply
producing more quality products at less cost.				a means to channel
Most people fallaciously				such creative energies in a uniform manner.The
equate productivity with efficiency, which simply				biggest problem though rests in reorienting people
gauges how fast we can				to believe they
perform a given task. Effectiveness, on the				are in the business of building products, not just
other hand, validates the				writing code. Acceptance
necessity of the task itself. There is nothing				of the "Information Factory" environment can be
more unproductive than to				achieved if people
do something efficiently that should not have				understand the overall process, where they fit in
been done at all. An				it,
industrial robot, for example, can efficiently				what is expected of them, and how their work
perform tasks such as				affects others. We have
welding. However, if it welds the wrong thing or				found most people prefer organization and
at the wrong time,				discipline as opposed to
then it is counterproductive. It therefore				chaos. Further, they can achieve superior results
becomes important in the				when standards
production of any product to define WHO is to				are imposed; such discipline results in uniform and
perform WHAT work, WHEN,				predictable
WHERE, WHY, and HOW (we refer to this as				work products,CONCLUSIONIt is possible to
"5W+H").We therefore have long touted the				employ the same concepts and techniques as
following formula:Productivity = Effectiveness X				used in mass production towards the
EfficiencyIt is our belief improved productivity can				development of information
be instituted by				resources. But creating a "factory"-like
implementing the five elements of mass				development environment
production and devising a				takes more than simply calling yourself one. It is
manufacturing facility whereby are				a significant
found:Assembly Lines - increments of work				reorientation effort. Fortunately, it is not without
sequenced in such a way to				precedent
develop products. Along the assembly line, a				and the concepts have already been introduced
series of tools and				to devise an
techniques will be deployed, some implemented				"Information Factory" based on other engineering
by the human being,				manufacturing
others through automated assistance, such as				disciplines.The benefits of an "Information
robots.Materials Management - the business				Factory" are no different
function concerned with				than any other mass production environment:
standardizing parts so they may be shared and				standardization,
re-used in various				improved productivity, reduced costs, better
product assemblies. Further, it is concerned with				change control, faster
collecting,				employee start-up and more effective use of
storing and retrieving parts (inventorying) in the				human resources. However,
most efficient				the impact of implementing such an environment
means possible (e.g., JIT - "Just In				should definitely not be
Time").Production Control - oversees the				underestimated. It affects people's perceptions
assembly lines and				regarding
materials management, looking for unanticipated				development and ultimately affects the
delays or				corporate culture.In order to move from an art
accelerations of production schedules.				to a science, it is necessary to
Consequently, corrective				define and standardize our terminology and
action can be taken as required to resolve				concepts for developing
problems.These three components establish a				information resources. Only when this happens
"checks and balances" in				can we teach it
manufacturing and can also be utilized to develop				to others in a uniform manner and gain the
an "Information				legitimacy as a
Factory" to develop an organization's information				profession that has long eluded developers.For
resources,				more information on our philosophies of
whereby are found:Methodologies (Assembly				Information Resource
Lines) - defines the work environment				Management (IRM), please see the "Introduction"
(5W), thereby synchronizing the flow of work.				section of "PRIDE"
Within the phases				at: Bryce is the Managing Director of M. Bryce &
of the methodology, a variety of tools and				Associates (MBA)
techniques may be				of Palm Harbor, Florida and has 30 years of
deployed defining HOW the work is to be				experience in the field.
performed.Resource Management (Materials				He is available for training and consulting on an
Management) - identifies and				international basis.
classifies information resources, thereby

Pyramid Steel

Creating an Information Factory

More in Articles