A multi-organizational “skunk works” for product design in a small business

Author

Aucoin, B. Michael

Author_Institution

Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

27-31 Jul 1997

Firstpage

439

Lastpage

441

Abstract

This paper has presented a case study of the commercial design management of an instrumentation system to detect fallen power lines on electric distribution systems. The design was performed in an ad hoc “skunk works” consisting of individuals from several different organizations brought to a small business organization for the sole purpose of accomplishing the project on an aggressive schedule. The project successfully met its objectives of schedule cost and product requirements, and serves as an excellent study of new product design in an innovative environment

Keywords

design engineering; distribution networks; economics; instrumentation; power system measurement; product development; project management; scheduling; aggressive schedule; design organisation management; electric distribution systems; fallen power lines detection; innovative new product; multi-organizational skunk works; new product design; product requirements; project design objectives; project financial environment; project performance; schedule cost; small business; technology commercialisation; Circuits; Commercialization; Conductors; Electrical fault detection; Instruments; Intellectual property; Licenses; Power industry; Power system reliability; Product design;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Innovation in Technology Management - The Key to Global Leadership. PICMET '97: Portland International Conference on Management and Technology

Conference_Location

Portland, OR

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3574-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PICMET.1997.653451

Filename

653451