User-centered Data Driven Approach to Enhance Information Exploration, Communication and Traceability in a Complex Systems Engineering Environment

Organizations working on complex engineering projects have data scattered across many different systems. The data is often disconnected, and its potential remain largely untapped. Enterprises large and small find it difficult to explore the information cluttered around different systems. A major factor in this difficulty is a lack of the user perspective in complex engineering environments. The presented research focused on a case study of information exploration needs of engineers testing sub-sea equipment. The case study observed that enterprise software tools in complex systems engineering environment are often designed for the content producer and not the consumer. Which makes these tools difficult, and time consuming to use and discourage their adoption. By utilizing user-centered design and co-creation, the experience and needs of users is identified to design, a data driven approach for enhance information exploration. The proposed design has the potential to make modifications to existing information systems, that would create a large impact in information exploration, data utilization and would provide a better experience for engineers, management and other stakeholders and enhance the productivity of teams, equipment testing and design.