February's newsletter focuses on  Translation Theme 4 - Support the Organisation 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

Congratulations to Ponpot Jartnillaphand, who graduated with Honours in Mathematical Sciences on Friday, 15 February.  Theme 3 researchers Sandy Spiers , Ryan Loxton , Hoa Bui , and Mojtaba Heydar joined Ponpot before the ceremony to congratulate him.

Team News 

New members joining the Centre in February include:

  • Dermot Ryan and Mitin Hirani, the new Roy Hill representatives on the Operating Committee and PhD Support Panel, respectively.  Laks Bhatti has moved to a new role at Roy Hill and has handed over to Dermot.   Thanks to Laks for her support of and commitment to the Centre, and we wish her all the very best in her new role;
  • Rebecca Lange, who is the new Alcoa representative on the  PhD Support Panel . Before joining Alcoa, Rebecca was a data scientist with the Curtin Institute for Computation;
  • Kyle Fethers, who will be completing an Honours at Curtin with Theme 3. 


THEME 4 - SUPPORT THE ORGANISATION

Theme 4 is dedicated to supporting the implementation of data science innovations developed by the Centre into the workplace. The output of maintenance analytics creates new decision-making challenges for maintainers, engineers, and managers. A significant risk is that improved solutions may not be used in organisations. This translation project will work with the industry partners to implement a plan based on individual roles and the organisation as a whole. A framework around "person, tasks, and culture" will be developed that is specific to the maintenance context of the organisation.  Theme 4 comprises Prof Mark Griffin,  Director of the Future of Work Institute (FOWI) at Curtin University, and Dr Keyao (Eden) Li, Research Fellow at FOWI.  Eden is currently working on the Data Fit Organisation (DFO) project with Tamryn Barker  and Zane Prickett from Core Innovation . See below for more information about the DFO project.

Theme 4 research has two main objectives:

  1. identify critical factors that enhance or hinder the successful implementation of data science innovation;
  2. investigate the capabilities required for both individuals and organizations to unleash the potential of the above-mentioned critical factors, thus in turn drive data science innovation.


Theme 4 Activities

Data Fit Organisation

Eden Li, Tamryn Barker, and Zane Prickett  are working with Roy Hill to construct a holistic data capability framework and tool to map, assess and improve data capability for all data roles within an organisation. The model is unique in integrating 'social' capital, or culture, with skills and technology, as well as behaviours.

Transforming maintenance through data science - Case studies of innovation

CTMTDS aims to transform the maintenance management process, to enable its industry partners lead the way of maintenance planning and implementation.

In this project, Eden Li proposes to identify the factors that enhance or hinder data science innovations. The findings of the case studies will provide the following benefits:

  • Communicate approaches for innovation in maintenance planning;
  • Support industry partners to enhance innovation;
  • Provide new training resources for maintenance workers in partner industries.

Eden interviewed the Centre's researchers and industry practitioners working on data science projects.  She recently presented her research at the  annual conference of the  University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN).  This conference brings together up to 1000 managers, practitioners and researchers in the field of entrepreneurial universities, collaborative innovation and university-industry interaction each year. 

Eden submitted the outcomes of her research to Technovation , an international journal of technical innovation, entrepreneurship and technology. We look forward to seeing her paper published soon.

Maintenance supervisor capabilities to adopt data science solutions

Eden Li is working with Roy Hill to map the capabilities and skills needed for individuals to adopt data science solutions in industry. The focus at Roy Hill is on maintenance supervisors and the uptake of data science solutions within their team. Eden's research uses the  MAPnet skills framework, developed by Curtin's Future of Work Institute. The MAPNet framework provides a new way of thinking about skills and capabilities based on the deep structure of work activities. To find more information check out FOWI's Thrive at Work Website .

Four types of capability are conceptualised: 

  1. Foundation skills: the foundation concept of mastery which reflects proficient performance when task requirements are relatively stable and independent; 
  2. Transformational skills: adaptivity explains how people can adjust themselves to change and maintain both motivation and effectiveness in the face of uncertainty; proactivity is a set of self-starting, action-oriented behaviours that improve personal or organisational effectiveness; 
  3. Networked skills: teamwork allows individuals to achieve something more significant than their individual capabilities through utilising a network of skills and abilities;
  4. Integration skills: the above skills do not function in isolation. By leveraging and integrating different skills, individuals can achieve high-performance outcomes.

Eden has identified that foundational and integration skills are vital in improving data awareness and usage through her activities at Roy Hill.

Stay tuned for our next issue in March where we will cover:

  • Research Theme 3
  • New publications
  • Research updates

Do you have news to share?

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