Development of a computer integrated system

Kvaerner commenced the development of a suite of computer systems for use throughout its Global EPC operation in 1989. The company´s original vision is briefly described followed by a look at the methodology used to develop the system and the lessons learned. By 1989 the company had grown by acquisition from the original John Brown offices in London and Portsmouth (UK) to a large multi-location concern with operations in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. The vision we had was that each of these operations should be able to work together using fully integrated computer systems for engineering, procurement and construction. We also perceived that some of our clients valued the ongoing use of the data and deliverables our system would manage and that they would be able to reduce their plant lifetime cost as a result of continuing to use the information. The main systems developed were the Project Engineering Database system known as ENGINES and the Project Management Database system known as SCOPE. Both developments employed ORACLE as their main ingredient with the operating system being Unix in client server mode