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Sample Project: Innovative Technical Knowledge Database/GUI

Overview

The industry leader in high performance industrial digital printing hardware, we maintain a core R&D engineering group in Lebanon, NH. This group manages multiple concurrent product development and technology exploration projects. The proposed project would create the architecture and process for an integrated, graphically organized technical knowledge database and manage the pilot implementation of this system. Utilizing Web 2.0 tools, it must combine database multi-user flexibility and search abilities with an intuitive graphical interface.

Goals

The overall goal is to migrate technical information from static repositories to a dynamic environment where test plans, project activities, scientific problem solving and product planning ideas are shared and manipulated in a real time network environment. Engineers, managers and technicians would use this environment for all daily technical interaction sharing varying levels of read/write access. If designed and implemented properly, the technical knowledge base would organically grow as a densely linked, topically comprehensible entity.

A crucial addition to any available commercial package, even if one does exist that meets most specifications, will be the design of an architecture that facilitates technical communication and physics based problem solving to match the personality of this dynamic R&D group.

Deliverables

Work with potential users to define scope, specifications and desired features.
Review existing mind mapping and database interface software packages, evaluate capabilities and present the options, along with customization possibilities, to key decision makers.
Innovate the knowledge base software architecture in conversation with beta users.
Implement, in conjunction with the IT department, customizing a commercial product and/or creating new graphical input and output algorithms and database designs.
Train, interact with pilot users, specify, debug, and make recommendations for next phase.

Knowledge Areas Needed for Project

Software engineering
Product design
Project management
Modeling and optimization

Proprietary Information and Confidentiality Requirements

Confidentiality required for sponsor-provided information
Intellectual property ownership rights retained by sponsor
Sponsor accepts responsibility to discuss IP ownership directly with the student project team and project advisor