Dept of Industrial & System Engineering
Systems Design Programme
2011/12
Student Briefing,12 Aug 1400h
EA-06-02
Dr. Bok Shung Hwee
Systems Design Project

Module offered as part of the B.Eng (ISE) degree
requirement

Students are in 3rd and 4th year standing; equipped
with skills and knowledge to solve complex systems
problem; time to apply

Students work in groups on an actual industrial
problem sponsored by a company over 2 semesters;
more like the real world.
Our Objectives

Apply knowledge learnt in the classroom to solving an
actual industrial problem – real world problem solving

Study, formulate and analyze an actual industrial
problem with the goal of recommending a design
solution that is practical

Appreciate intangible attributes via teamwork and
practical experience in a real world environment

Learn to communicate by setting and managing
expectations with the client company through your oral
and written skills
Company Involvement
• Identify the needs or opportunities
• Have a session with the student group to discuss on the
possible scope of the project which can be reasonably
completed within 9 months (about 200 hours per
student)
• Identify a liaison who is able to provide group guidance,
operations and economic information, and plant access.
This person will most likely interact with group members
in the subsequent follow-ups
• Participate in providing feedback on the students' work
• $2000 per project to cover administrative overhead
• Industry Profile
Benefits to Companies
• You may bring fresh perspective or “out-of-box” thinking
to old industrial problems
• Possibility of developing novel solutions which are
implementable or at least “show the way” to companies
• Documentation of the study, complete with the problem,
possible solutions and recommendation will be provided
• You are therefore the Consultant and Problem Solver in
Handling Information, Uncertainty, Providing Insights and
Good Outcomes That Have Persuaded the Company
and Your Department.
The Process - Timeline
• August
–
–
–
–
Form Team
Meet with Company Next Week or After (Latest)
Settle the Initials
Start to Understand and Define the problem
• September
– Discuss & Submit Proposal or Proposition (might need to
present)
– 1st Lecture on Case Study Development by Prof Gong on
Friday, 2 Sep 2011
The Process - Timeline
• January
– Interim presentation to company & Examiner
– Case Study Proposal, Review & Feedback
• February
– 2nd Lecture on Case Study Development on 3 Feb 2012
• April
– Final Report, Final Presentation to examiner and to
company
– Final Case Study/Teaching Note
– Poster Exhibition
(need to have separate presentation)
• Time Management is Crucial
Study Steps
• Problem Understanding
– Process Mapping
– Data Collection to show where the company is
• A good data presentation is important
– Identify bottleneck and potential for improvement
• Problem Definition
– Scope
– Understand company needs and try to satisfy their
requirement
– Keep company and supervisors constantly in the
loop. Why? Provide progress report.
Study Steps
• Model Building
– Find the most suitable model (objective)
– Proper assumption (validate or involve users)
– Not necessary sophisticated model
• Analysis
–
–
–
–
–
Statistical analysis
Intuition is the most important
Collect sufficient and meaningful data
is the mean not the goal
Verification is important
• Recommendation
– Qualitative and Quantitative
– Present the results in layman language
Deliverables Progress Report
No.
Activity
Status
Due Date
1
Problem identification
Observation trips to KD
reading past studies on KD traffic
Identifying the roots of problem with
supervisors and Jason
Done
Done
Done
27th Sep
2011
2
Proposing solutions
Ranking and choosing problems to
solve
Brainstorming solutions
Identifying methods and solutions
Done
Done
Done
4th Oct 2011
9th Oct 2011
16th Oct
2011
3
Data collection & analysis
Making data collection plan
Data collection
Data Analysis
In progress
Not started
Not started
4
Interim presentation
Not started
Dec 2011
5
System evaluation
Not started
Jan-Feb
2011
6
Solution evaluations & verification
Not started
FebApr2011
7.
Final presentation
Not started
Apr 2011
23rd Oct
2011
Dec 2011
Dec 2011
Interaction
• Dress code and Deportment
• Update frequently on the progress
– Prepare a progress report
• Keep your supervisor in the loop
• Be punctual
• Do proper planning before collecting data
– Reduce chances of over-collecting the data, or recollecting of data
– Some companies might want a lot of data
• Discuss with supervisor before committing to scope of the problems
(or change the scope of the problem)
• Minute down the meeting, and send the minute back to the company
for them to see if you have correctly capture the points mentioned
during the meeting
• Good attitude
• Speak in the company’s language
• Work as a Team with a united understanding
• Learn to Handle Inherent and Induced Uncertainty, Awareness Helps
Evaluation Criteria
• Preliminary Examination (10%)
• Final Examination (90%)
– The final assessment of your project includes the following
items:
– working attitude (25%; awarded by supervisor/s; feedback from
company will be solicited and taken into consideration )
– project execution and achievement (25%; feedback from
company will be solicited and taken into consideration)
– report writing and case study development (10%+10%)
– final oral presentation (10%) – everyone needs to present
– Poster (5%)
– Peer Evaluation (5%)
Peer Review
• You must complete an evaluation form (to be
downloaded from ISE’s website) to evaluate yourself and
your team members so as to ascertain your personal
– contributions and your team members’ contributions to the
project. Do not discuss your evaluation with your team members
prior to submitting the form.
• The form must be completed in confidence and
submitted personally to the supervisor/s at the end of
your final oral presentation.
• Details of your form would be kept confidential although
the supervisor/s may discuss general observations and
recommendations with you and your team members.
Source: http://www.tuta.hut.fi/studies/Courses_and_schedules/Tps/TU-53.300/ob&km_Stina_031002.ppt
Adapted from Tuckman (1965), Katzenbach & Smith (1993), Montebello (1994) and Jassawal & Sashittal (1999)
Group Efficiency
Stages of Team Development Cycle
Immature Group
- Forming
* confusion
* uncertainty
* assessing
situation
* testing ground
rules
* feeling out
others
* defining goals
* getting
acquainted
* establishing
rules
Fractionated
Group
- Storming
* disagreement
over rules
* struggle for
leadership
* tension
* hostility
* clique
formation
Sharing Group
- Norming
* consensus
* leadership
accepted
* trust
established
* standards set
* new stable
rules
* co-operation
Effective Group
- Performing
* successful performance
* flexible task roles
* openness
* helpfulness
* delusion,
desillusion,
acceptance
Disbanding
Group
- Adjourning
* disagreement
* anxiety about
separation and
ending
* positive
feeling towards
leader
* sadness
* selfevaluation
Time
Note: there are many other models which explain team development cycle.
SDP Reflections
• The Outcome:
– Did you apply what you learned in ISE so far (if possible)?
– Did you learn some new subject-matter knowledge?
– Did you solve a real world problem?
IQ
• The Process:
– Did you learn how to work in a team (i.e. fellow members,
supervisors, clients)?
– Did you learn how to manage a project?
– New Contacts, New Friends
EQ
• The Experience:
– Did you write and present well?
– Your Thoughts and Feelings
AQ
Take an Industrial Engineering approach
• Be super-focused, Be super-efficient
– Do not do things which you can’t write into your report (but this is
not easy to achieve)
• Apply process-control principle
– If the process of the project is in control, then the outcome of
project is in control
– If the process is not in control, then the outcome is uncertain.
– What is a in-control project process?
• Meet your supervisors/company regularly,
– manage their expectations
– Get them to be on your side
• Constantly writing/presenting
– You only know what you wrote
Others
• Meet your supervisors and set the time to
meet company ASAP.
SDP Group and Project Allocation_AY1112
Company
Project Title
Company‘s Supervisor
Group Members
Supervisors
1
SATS Airport
Services
Implement and optimize processes in
Fresh Food Distribution Centre in
Perishables Handling Centre setting.
Ms. Winnie Pang
65418377; 97877484
Winnie_pang@sats.com.sg
Boey Zhi Ren, Dong
Huijun, Rudy Hendra
Saleh, Yeap Shi Yi, Zhang
Weiliang
Dr. Adam Ng &
Dr. Teo Kwong
Meng
2
SATS Airport
Services
Introduction of One-Stop Cargo
Acceptance Concept for SATS
Export Airfreight Terminals (AFTs) 3,
4 and 5
Mr. Lucas Lin
65413929; 96189422
Lucas_lin@sats.com.sg
Fu Xiangshan,
Krishnamachari Kiran, Liu
Yulong, Tan Ri Wei
Lucas, Yeo Eng Keat
Dr. Adam Ng &
Dr. Teo Kwong
Meng
3
IBM
Improve and streamline warehouse
process for greater efficiency
Chong Shang Kai
64184281; chongsk@sg.ibm.com
Huang Zhenyu, Song
Zhixing, Xu Xiaofan, Yang
Jiaxi, Yeo Joon Ming
A/Prof. Lee Loo Hay
& Dr. Boray Huang
4
IBM
Hardware Appliances Failure
Analysis Tracking System
Ben Sung
66037524; sungb@sg.ibm.com
Chen Wei’an, Png Chang
Liang, Wu Jiaqi, Xu Nan,
Zhang Xing
A/Prof. Lee Loo Hay
& Dr. Boray Huang
Chan Jing Hua Gabriel,
Lim Junming, Loy Jue
Ying, Tay Guo Hao, Wong
Daquan
A/Prof. Lee Loo Hay
& A/Prof. Ng Szu Hui
Gr
p
5
IBM
High End Project Bridge
Mr. Ma Ming
66037582; maming@sg.ibm.com
6
Khoo Teck
Puat Hospital
Job Despatch and Tracking System
for Portering and Transport
Department
Ms Jolia Low
92292060;
low.jolia.hy@alexandrahealth.com.sg
Chua Jiajun Anthony,
Ethan Wu Ying Tang, Low
Ching Wing, Lui Lok Yiu
Prof Tang LC & Dr.
Ng Kien Ming
7
Keppel FELS
Limited
Optimization of the Blasting Halls
Mr. Andy Ng
68638918; 91900081
Andy.ng@keppelfels.com
Chua Xin Qian, Fan Siyu,
Gan Wei Ming, Shao
Xuna, Zheng Qingyu
Dr. Teo Kwong
Meng & Dr. Michel
Cardin
8
Keppel FELS
Limited
Improvement of the materials flow
inside NC (Cutting) Shop in
throughput and efficiency
Mr. Andy Ng
68638918; 91900081
Andy.ng@keppelfels.com
Liang Shiyuan, Liu Xiang,
Ruan Wenbo, Shan Qi,
Shao Chen
A/Prof. Aaron Chia &
Dr. Ng Kien Ming
updated 2 Aug
SDP Group and Project Allocation_AY1112
Gr
p
Company
Project Title
Company‘s Supervisor
Group Members
Supervisors
Panel Line Manpower Optimization
Mr. Andy Ng
68638918; 91900081
Andy.ng@keppelfels.com
Cheryl Margarita Korintus,
Christian Indra Kusuma, Goh
Chuan Ching, Lenora
Gunawan, Valerie Djie
A/Prof. Aaron Chia &
Dr. Ng Kien Ming
Quek Choon Kiat
65915534;
choonkiat.quek@keppelshipyard.co
m
Saranya Seetharaman, Sun
Qifang, Vivi Sanjaya, Xue
Yuan, Yu Yuan
A/Prof Lee LH &
A/Prof. Poh Kim
Leng
Ning Chao, Ying Weng Hong
Clement, Zhou Bin, Hu
Wenjun
Dr. Adam Ng &
Dr. Chen Nan
9
Keppel FELS
Limited
10
Keppel
Offshore and
Marine
Technology
Centre
Item tracking system
11
JTC
Corporation
Cluster Industrial Complex with
Megahoist System
12
Global
Foundries
Multivariate control on Electrical
parameters
Mr Lee Khoon Leng
98169819
leekleng@globalfoundries.com
Anna Heng Xiao Yuan, Chai
Jorene, Nie Tongxin, Ong Yu
Heng
Prof. Tang Loon
Ching & A/Prof. Ng
Sze Hui
13
Pepper +
Fuchs (Mfg)
Pte. Ltd.
Work instruction improvement
Mr. Alexander Ecsedi
67799091 ext 2207
aecsedi@sg.pepperl-fuchs.com
Heng Zhongwei, Phyu Phyu
Thinn, Vaishali, Yeo Han
Liang
Prof. Tang Loon
Ching &
Prof Gong DahChuan
14
National
University
Hospital
ED roster OR study
Quek Jasmine
67726212; 98279535
Jasmine_quek@nuhs.edu.sg
Chua Yuan Shen, Li Zirui,
Meng Yue, Zheng Long, Zhou
Xuan
A/Prof. Chew Ek
Peng & Dr. Boray
Huang
15
Singapore
General
Hospital
Effective scheduling of preconsultation examination/s to reduce
time spent in SGH by patients spend
Mr. Geoffrey Gui Kah Tack
63266082; 91265810
geoffrey.gui.k.t@sgh.com.sg
Somasundaram Sankar, Han
Chengwei, Jin Can, Pang
Danyang, Wang Lei
A/Prof. Chew Ek
Peng & Dr. Boray
Huang
16
Cummins
Diesel Sales
Corporation
Warehouse process improvement
and LEAN Implementation (Cont’d)
Sriram Parameswaran
66613585; 96535766;
sriram.parameswaran@cummins.c
om
Angel Astaman, Chay Yu Wei,
Theresia Gladies Novena,
Wang Huan
A/Prof. Poh Kim
Leng & Dr. Kim Sujin
Aloysius Handono
68833138, 91252938
lwanh@jtc.gov.sg
updated 10 Aug 2011
Making Appointment
• Your Company and your supervisors
appointment time first priority
• My priority is lesser
Q&A