CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

11 August 2009

Company News

CONTACT Software Explores New Approaches in Knowledge Management

CONTACT Software GmbH and ATB Institute for Applied Systems Technology Bremen GmbH now start an ambitious research project in the field of knowledge management. This technology partnership is directed to explore innovative knowledge management solutions within distributed collaborative environments, shifting from solely user-driven data retrieval procedures to task- and situational driven methods as e.g. supplied by PDM/PLM systems such as CIM DATABASE. Thanks to its innovative approach, the two year project is funded in half by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Results from the research project will be incorporated in CONTACT’s future PDM/PLM platform releases.

The envisaged marketing of the new CIM DATABASE module for knowledge management promises a high return-on-investment potential due to its innovative approach and the expected unique benefits compared to similar PDM/PLM products on the market. Both CONTACT and ATB see especially the automotive, the Mechanical Engineering and Plant Construction industries with their engineering and production processes spanning various departments as prospective customers, but also public utilities, the telecom industry and other infrastructure providers. “If nothing else, we were also granted the ministry funds because we provided a sound exploitation concept”, comments Karl Heinz Zachries, managing director of CONTACT Software GmbH, regarding the potential of the now starting research project. Up to now, there is no task- and situation driven PDM/PLM-based knowledge management tool in the market, although tangible benefits are to be expected for both the individual user as well as the entire company.

Competence and strength of any enterprise are nowadays determined by an affluence of digital documents, distributed and administered in various IT systems and sub-systems. To capitalize on this know-how is of high priority for a company’s success, one reason more to make it available as simple and efficient as possible. Today, users must adhere to complex search algorithms and work through extensive hit-lists. Their retrieval procedure is usually pre-determined by their own knowledge of historic documents (usually their own), so that know-how of colleagues and from older projects is only sporadically utilized. In summary because data retrieval is most time-consuming and results by nature usually fragmentary, invaluable company know-how is often left untapped. An efficient knowledge management that incorporates third party know-how with the user’s context is indispensable within a networked and fragmented job environment.

This aspect as well as the fact that “usability” plays a decisive role is well considered by CONTACT and ATB with their innovative approach: within the framework of the research project, it is planned to develop a dedicated software assistant as part of the CIM DATABASE PDM/PLM platform. Ultimate goal is to make employees in a dynamic and context driven way all relevant company data across diverse IT applications accessible within the enterprise available.

About ATB

ATB is a non-profit research institute founded jointly by the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen and leading industrial enterprises in 1991. ATB specialises in systems analysis and design, knowledge management and software systems technology. It closely cooperates with industrial partners and conducts successful research on national and international level.

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