Final Report Summary - SMARTNETS (SmartNets – The Transformation from Collaborative Knowledge Exploration Networks into Cross Sectoral and Service Oriented Integrated Value Systems)
Executive Summary:
SmartNets is developing a new industrial model for SME collaboration all along the product and network life-cycle, with a specific focus on the transformation from development partnerships to production networks. What does that mean?
Quite often, for the successful development of innovative products and processes, especially across industry sectors, SMEs are in need of working closely together with strong partners. By combining competences and resources, they will be able to overcome obstacles like the handling of new, sensitive materials, the applying of cutting-edge process technologies or the targeting of unknown, uncertain markets. Also for the production, SME often rely on the capacities and process expertise of partners all along the value-added chain to finally be able to deliver a product with superior properties. However, partners that support the development are not necessarily involved in the final production. The network is changing along the development process.
This change is obvious and imminent, but its proactive management, its planning, its conscious execution and its control is quite difficult. Therefore, SmartNets aims at providing companies that are active in such networks with appropriate methods and easy-to-use tools that help them in this task.
These methods and tools will support networks while they are building up, while they are operated and when it is time to dissolve them. They will support each activity along the development from the creation of the idea to the final production and marketing. And most of all, they will accompany the way along this path, making suggestions and giving reminders to support an efficient development with a clear focus on the final objective.
The SmartNets Industrial Model for SME collaboration has its foundation in the idea of Smart Organizations: collaboration should not only be organisationally founded, which means that organizations must be able to form flexible virtual teams and to follow dynamic processes, but must also be supported by appropriate information and communication technologies, leading to a dedicated, conjoint development and use of knowledge and competences. Based on this idea of collaboration, the three pillars of the project, support along the product life cycle, support of the network coordination and also the support of a conscious transformation from development to production can be filled with life.
SmartNets provides eleven major complementary results. Five methodological results consist of structures, processes and guidelines to make them immediately applicable for SMEs in their industrial practice. Five technological results are implementing these ideas and make them directly executable on the project’s collaboration platform. As a final result, the SmartNet Compendium describes the mentioned results and illustrates their use in best practices.
Project Context and Objectives:
High value-adding processes for knowledge-intensive products and services are facing growing complexity and ask therefore for close collaboration of industrial partners. Especially for companies which are acting across sectoral borders functional as well as technical interoperability has become tremendously important. Only by trustful collaboration between partners, required knowledge and competence can be acquired, shared and used to target at innovative products and services. However, even by including the right partners in the first phases of development, companies have to ensure that knowledge and experience generated in these early steps will be available throughout the whole product life cycle. This will guarantee an efficient and sustainable production of products and/or delivery of valuable services. Goal of the SmartNets project is to establish and to prove ‘Smart Networks’ as an holistic industrial model for sustainable and efficient production in cross-sectoral SME collaboration both in development and production of knowledge-intensive products and services. It will provide network members with the necessary concepts, methods and tools to guide them through organization-, ICT- and knowledge-related network adaptations which are typically required in the value-adding process from idea generation to product/service exploitation. The ‘smart’ transformation from development network to production or service-providing network will guarantee an efficient use of the resources knowledge, personnel and IT throughout the whole product life cycle. SmartNets targets at 11 major results (five methodological, five technological and one overall industrial model). The results will be applied in and evaluated by value-adding SME-dominated networks, which have already been formed around product ideas at the beginning of the project. Target products are an innovative helmet (IT-GB network), a medical device (CZ-DE network) and interior textiles (BE network).
Project Results:
In the following, the SmartNets results are shortly presented. An example of the application of the result in the industrial networks of SmartNets will be given to illustrate the practical use of the result. For more details on the results, please check the result descriptions on the public website, consult the respective public deliverables and get access to the project’s success stories.
SmartNet Collaboration Model
Even though there is no collaborative development project like the other, they are not completely different either. Generally applicable structures are described in the SmartNet Collaboration Model. They are highlighting activities that have to be carried out, actors that can be involved and methods that can be applied. A simple application process enables a quick adaptation of the structure to your own projects.
Theoretical background
In all collaborative development and production projects, there are key questions always returning, like “What to do next?”, “Who can do it?”, “Which method could help me?”. The SmartNet Collaboration Model identifies and answers six key questions by connecting the activities of the development process with actors in the network and well-established methods and systematics.
To apply the SmartNet Collaboration Model in your day-to-day business, there is a simple step-by-step instruction which helps to adapt the model to your specific project to make most effective use of it.
Practical application
The Collaboration Model is strongly connected to other results of the SmartNets project. It is basis for the status identification with the SmartNet Navigator, for the proposal of suitable methods to be applied, for actor recommendations and for the transformation. Its practical implications will become more visible with these results. For example, the successful suggestion of applicable methods will be highlighted in the chapter about the SmartNets Development and Production Methods.
SmartNet Modeller
To collaborate in networks, a clear, common view of responsibilities, available resources, processes and capabilities is required. SmartNet Modeller is an easy-to-use tool that helps you to conjointly develop an understanding of the network and the roles of each partner, the available and lacking competences and the material and information flows.
Theoretical background
The SmartNet Modeller has been developed at DITF Denkendorf using the Generic Modelling Environment (GME). The strength of the XML-based modelling language is that it enables the users to model all three perspectives that characterize Smart Organizations at the same time. It promotes the identification of interrelations between organisational, knowledge and ICT layer and thus contributes to a holistic view on the network.
When applying the modelling framework in practice, you start by describing the ecosystem of the network, its basic structure, its major processes and main information and knowledge domains. Then you get into more detail by describing the network-related processes, understanding the distributed responsibilities and also the use of tangible and intangible resources in the course of the project.
Practical application
The SmartNet Modeller has been applied in all three industrial networks to get a better understanding of the necessary steps of product development, about the roles that each partner can take, and also the knowledge that will grow in the development process.
Due to a change of responsibilities within one company of the innovative helmet network, the strengths of the modelling approach became easily visible. By consulting the models it became quickly possible for the newly involved person to get acquainted with the network, the distributed competences and the documentation of information, which allowed for a quick learning and understanding of the network.
SmartNet Guide
The SmartNet Guide can be used to identify and to generate capabilities of SMEs in the context of organizational, knowledge and ICT networking. By the help of a systematic analysis of existing internal and external resources of a company and their potential contributions to the main features of Smart Networking strengths and weaknesses can be identified and potential improvement means towards each dimension can be initiated. A regular reassessment will guarantee that the Smart Network capability of SMEs will be systematically meliorated.
Theoretical background
The SmartNet Guide clarifies the SmartNet Framework and support SMEs to invest systematically into its various elements. Along this evolution path SMEs will become valuable partners for Smart Networks. The framework describes key areas of SmartNet Dynamic Capability. The relevant intangible and tangible assets of a company assessed by the SmartNet Audit will be evaluated along the framework and during evolution phases systematically improved.
Four resource categories of networking (Determinants of Business 1 – 4) within a SmartNet Ecosystem of industrial partners are classified. Complementary the three dimensions of collaborative work, the so-called SmartNet Hyperlinking Dimensions (A, B, C) of Smart Organisations, are introduced and the mutual relationship identified.
Practical application
The SmartNet Guide has been applied in all three networks to allocate all companies at their current point of excellence in order to individually support them to become valuable members of a Smart Network. Therefore, during the first twelve months of the SmartNets project, individual audit interviews were made with all partners. Based on the evaluation of the SmartNet Audit interviews the SmartNet Evolution process will create continuous improvement of Smart Networking capabilities towards higher maturity levels.
SmartNet Development and Production Methods
The development and production of new products is full of complex tasks. For many of these tasks, systematic approaches, methods and guidelines can make working on these tasks easier, more effective or more efficient. SmartNet Development and Production Methods provide a list and description of numerous methods and helps SMEs with the selection of appropriate methods based on the status of their development project.
Theoretical background
In the field of innovation management, there are many methods available to support the development of new products. However, they are not always well-suited for SMEs or for application in networks. SmartNet Development and Production Methods, selected from around 80 methods the most suitable for SME and for the work in collaborative settings. The methodology supports the selection of an appropriate method for the concrete development project and helps with the implementation. There is a cross-link from this result to the results of the European research project WebTEXpert, in which methods have been evaluated against and adapted for the needs of SME.
Practical application
SmartNet Development and Production Methods are applied in all three industrial networks. With the help of the methodology, in the Interior Textiles Network for example, the application of Design of Experiment and of Product Potential Analysis was suggested. The Innovative Helmet Network evaluated their customer requirements with Quality Function Deployment and the Medical Device Network constantly monitors the product-related risks with Failure Mode and Effects Analysis.
The method applications were supported through the collaboration platform Tricia and were completely successful.
SmartNet Navigator
The development and production of new products is a complex process, in particular in networks. The SmartNet Navigator is a toolset to cope with this complexity and give assistance in identifying the current status of development and production projects. Getting knowledge of the project status paves the way for choosing the next steps and selecting the best methods and partners to successfully finalise the project. Thus the SmartNet Navigator guides enterprises and networks through the development and production process of products and services.
Theoretical background
The theoretical basis for the SmartNet Navigator is the Innovation Reference Process Model which is part of the SmartNet Collaboration Model. It describes five phases from development to production and knows several activity types.
The support provided by the SmartNet Navigator is mainly focused on the identification of the current status of collaborative development and production projects. Based on the project status and the Innovation Reference Process Model, the network members can easily define their next steps. By using additional SmartNets results like the SmartNet Development and Production Methods and the SmartNet Configurator the applicants could easily answer the questions “What to do next?”, “How should I do that?” and “With whom should I do that?.”
Practical application
The SmartNet Navigator is applied in all three industrial networks to support on the one hand the project manager in following the project and on the other hand the development teams to develop their products along a structured path. For identifying the current status of the development projects, the SmartNet Navigator gathers information from documentations like meetings, tasks and results that have been described on the project’s collaboration platform and uses an implemented rule base to visualize the status in the Innovation Reference Process.
SmartNet Method Consultant
Applying the right method at the right time with well-prepared guidelines will accelerate the development process and improve effectiveness. The SmartNet Method Consultant comprises a set of methods, rules and how-to's to provide the best possible support in the selection and application of methods. It provides suggestions for best suitable methods and tools based on the current status of development for an efficient and effective development of products and services.
Theoretical background
The application of methods is a key ingredient to systematic work in networks, but the identification of most suitable methods is not at all trivial. The responsible project managers have to consider competences and experiences of available actors, information regarding the targeted product or service, the current status of the project and of course also past activities performed. All this has to be combined with strengths and weaknesses, fields of application, and expected outcomes of specific methods. The SmartNet Method Consultant integrates all this, using input from the SmartNet Navigator and the SmartNet Development & Production Methods, to suggest most suitable methods for the current situation in the development process and to provide practical help for the application of the method.
Practical application
The SmartNet Method Consultant is applied in all three industrial networks to support the project team in following a structured and method-based development of knowledge intensive products and services. For example, the Innovative Helmet Network applied a combination of Focus Group analysis, AHP and QFD to thoroughly evaluate customer expectations towards a really radical new development. The SmartNet Method Consultant was integrated into SmartNet Navigator to enable a quick and easy access to recommendations based on the current project status.
SmartNet Network Coordination Methods
The SmartNets Network Coordination Methodology gives small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in collaborative networks appropriate methods to support the coordination of the network all along the network life-cycle. That enables them to effectively initiate collaborations and to manage them in an efficient way.
Theoretical background
Network coordination covers the management of complementary and of (potentially) conflicting issues and the alignment and matching of strategic and operative objectives. The SmartNet Network Coordination methodology is therefore focusing on the recommendation of potential actors as well as concepts and methods supporting network coordination in terms of partner selection and process coordination (organisational), competence coordination, IPR & contracting (knowledge), IT coordination (ICT) and network evaluation (all three). Ad-hoc workflows are introduced as concept for setting up quick decision processes and the build-up of trust is addressed as key issue.
Practical application
Several methods have been applied in all three industrial networks. For example, all networks carried out Network Failure Mode and Effects Analysis to improve their understanding of risks that may arise by cooperating with partners in networks. Together they identified potential and perceived risks, assessed their importance and developed measures to reduce the likelihood or the impact of the risks. Moreover, with the partner profiling, the Italian companies identified resources and competences available from each partner belonging to its network (internal or external) which could be exploited to develop the innovative helmet.
SmartNet Configurator
Looking for a way to organize your collaborations with partners reliably and efficiently? The SmartNet Configurator implements the SmartNet Network Coordination Methodology and provides on the collaboration platform Tricia support for basic collaborative project management, but also for advanced coordination of network activities.
Theoretical background
Following the outline of the SmartNet Network Coordination Methodology, the SmartNet Configurator provides basic project management functionalities like a collaborative task management, meeting organization and follow-up and a flexible push/pull approach for distributing information. The task management has been extended to support also the creation and documentation of ad-hoc workflows. In addition to that, the platform follows a strict information protection scheme of three distinguished access layers and adaptable access rights.
Last but not least, the Configurator uses the SmartNet Collaboration Model to provide suggestions for potential actors in the SmartNet Navigator. Selected methods for network coordination are also incorporated and can be directly executed on the platform.
Practical application
The SmartNet Configurator was applied in all three networks. Their development activities were distinguished into development projects. All these projects made use of the support provided by the Configurator. The Italian network, for example made extensive use of the task management to organize their particular activities (like indicated in the Gantt Chart). Within, the Belgian network, Devan applies the Configurator also for their internal organization of work.
SmartNet Transformation Methods
Considering potential strengths and weaknesses of production already early in the process is crucial for an efficient development. The Transformation Method guides your development network along its transformation into a robust production network in terms of knowledge, organisation, and ICT transformation: Which knowledge to use, which processes to implement, and which ICT means to apply!
Theoretical background
The SmartNet Transformation Methods provide a dedicated process as well as respective guidelines and tools in order to pro-actively support the transformation from development related activities, organizational as well as knowledge structures and ICT means towards a well-integrated production system. The methodology is segmented into small, easy-to-apply sub-methods to facilitate and support implementation within your SME.
• from individual, ad-hoc activities to repeatable and robust processes
• from implicit and evolving knowledge to explicit and reliable knowledge available in documents, manuals, and also in ICT systems
• from flexible stand-alone IT services to whole application systems
Practical application
The methodology provided has been carried out and evaluated in all three industrial networks. For example, in the medical device network, "Partner profiling" has been carried out to identify in an early stage competences that might be required later on and to already determine potential partners that could be included to cover this kind of gap. With help of the method, several scenarios could be evaluated so that the necessary contributions of partners and the need for network extension became apparent. In all three networks, not only the amount of knowledge grew in the course of the process, but also the predominance of the knowledge type. Using our project collaboration platform Tricia stimulates and guides the exchange of knowledge, its documentation and combination and also the evolution of knowledge structures.
SmartNet Transformation Manager
Considering potential strengths and weaknesses of production already early in the process is crucial for an efficient development. The Transformation Method guides your development network along its transformation into a robust production network in terms of knowledge, organisation, and ICT transformation: Which knowledge to use, which processes to implement, and which ICT means to apply!
Theoretical background
According to the SmartNet Transformation Methodology, transformation has to be consciously carried out in all three levels of Smart Networking. The SmartNet Transformation Manager systematically implements suggested methods on a collaboration platform, like the analysis of targeted processes, required partners for production, missing competences and/or missing structure of knowledge as well as appropriate interfaces to existing ICT solutions.
The results of the method application can then be used as impulse for active transformation activities. For example, having not established development data structures which can be connected to the company's ERP system might lead to indicating that the final phase V of the development process cannot be entered.
Practical application
Main functionalities of the SmartNet Transformation Manager are linked directly to the SmartNet Navigator and as such are used in all three industrial networks. Participants of the development project can immediately recognize which activities are suggested to be tackled next. The score is calculated from the overall progress in the process, but can also integrate findings from applications of methods. As an example, in the medical device network, Partner Profiling and Target Structure Analysis have been supported by Tricia. The results of the analyses have been integrated in the further description of the project, allowing a quick check up early on.
Potential Impact:
The overall industrial model and each of the single results have been applied and evaluated in three industrial SMEs networks involved in the project. The evaluation focused on the applicability of the industrial model for SMEs and on the benefits and disadvantages arising through the application.
The three networks carried out in total a number of eight collaborative development projects (some of them divided into several sub-projects) according to the ideas of the industrial model and they applied the provided methods and tools. Overall, twelve SmartNets project partners (eight SMEs, one small company as part of a bigger group, three research centres) were directly involved in these networks and a number of external partners were addressed. The projects covered five different industry sectors (special chemistry, textile, medical, protective gear, machinery) and connections to three further sectors have been established.
For the evaluation of the industrial model, a threefold approach has been taken. First of all, the participating companies were asked to present their experiences in the frame of the demonstration activities so that they can express the perceived advantages and disadvantages in their own words. We recommend visiting the SmartNets YouTube channel to access the demonstration videos and to get an impression of the application of the industrial model in practice. The created success stories are also used to support the application guidelines that are presented in the end of this deliverable.
As a second point, an impact study, which is in detail presented in the public deliverable D11.1 has been conducted by using structured interviews with project partners and project externals. These interviews focused on the impact that the industrial model has in particular on the networking capabilities of an organisation. An improved networking capability leads directly to increased success rates of collaborative projects, to improved communication, a better incorporation of and reactivity to customer needs, a more effective management of collaborations and an efficient handling of projects. This in turn will also impact the number of iterations that have to be made, reducing efforts, costs, waste and energy required for concluding e.g. prototyping and sampling activities.
The third part of the evaluation was conducted through an on-line questionnaire that is focusing in more detail on three key aspects that have been issued by companies as most critical to them to evaluate the success of the industrial model: a) the improvement of the success rate, b) the improvement of cost efficiency and c) an improved planning and in-time implementation of collaborative development and production projects. To get an in-depth analysis of the influence of the industrial model, these three aspects were broken down into ten domains which comprise in total 39 statements that companies had to assess.
The questionnaire asked the participants to rate their agreement or disagreement with the issued statements using the Likert scale. With a rating from 1 to 5, 1 indicates a strong disagreement with the statement, 5 indicating strong agreement.
All statements were formulated in such way that a high rating, i.e. strong agreement, signals a positive impact of the SmartNets industrial model, methods and tools (SMT). A low rating accordingly would mean a negative impact of the industrial model. 16 persons participated in the survey.
To sum up the results of the survey, every single statement was assessed with an average value of above 3, meaning the participants attest a positive effect of SmartNets on each of the 39 statements. Overall, the project partners most strongly agreed to the following statements (with average rating in brackets):
• “SMT provide a comprehensive overview of the full project and its progress” (4.8)
• “SMT provide an improved overview of performed work.” (4.7).
• “SMT allow to better share knowledge in prototyping in general.” (4.6)
• “SMT help in detecting early if a project is in trouble (e.g. delayed, taking wrong directions, not properly integrating partners).” (4.5)
• “SMT enable to detect potential delays of any of the partners’ work in time.” (4.3)
Least agreement, but still agreement was given to the following statements:
“The risk of being blocked by other patents is reduced.” (3.4)
“The cost for prototyping can be reduced.” (3.5)
“The overall effort for prototyping can be reduced.” (3.5)
Obviously, these results can only be considered as indicative rather than statistically significant. However, in combination with the demonstration activities and the impact study, they show that for the companies involved in the project, the SmartNets industrial model significantly boosts the chances to finish a collaborative project successfully. Furthermore, the respondents considered themselves to have a good proficiency of the industrial model, its methods and tools which hints also towards a good applicability of the SmartNets results in practice.
Dissemination activities
The resulting SmartNets industrial model and its related results have been widely disseminated in order to reach the aspired impact of improving European industry as a whole. While main target group for dissemination of course has been industry in various sectors, in particular those already involved in the project, significant efforts have been dedicated to disseminate the scientific progress made to the scientific community and to win over associations and consultants as future mediators of the industrial model.
Following the conjointly elaborated dissemination plan, scientific articles have been published in journals, books and conference proceedings, presentations have been held at scientific and industrial events, workshops with industry, academia and potential mediators have been organised and on-line dissemination has been carried out.
Scientific Publications
Overall, sixteen peer-reviewed publications have been accepted in scientific books, journals and conference proceedings in the course of the project. All single results and the overall concept have been covered in these articles. The following list points out some articles that might be interesting to start with:
• A. Lau, M. Hirsch, and H. Matheis, „From Collaborative Development to Manufacturing in Production Networks: The SmartNets Approach“, in Robust Manufacturing Control. Proceedings of the CIRP Sponsored Conference RoMaC 2012, Bremen, Germany, 18th-20th June 2012, K. Windt, Ed., Lecture Notes in Production Engineering. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 2013, p. 287–299.
• A. Lau, T. Fischer, M. Hirsch, and H. Matheis, „SmartNet Collaboration Model – A framework for collaborative development and production“, in 18th International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE 2012 Conference Proceedings, 18-20 June 2012, Munich, Germany, 2012, p. 519–528.
• M. Hauder, S. Roth, F. Matthes, A. Lau, and H. Matheis, „Supporting Collaborative Product Development through Automated Interpretation of Artifacts“, in Proceedings of BMSD 2013 - Third International Symposium on Business Modeling and Software Design, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, 2013, p. 151–156.
• S.-V. Rehm and S. Gross, “Towards a conceptual model of the resource base for hyperlinking in innovation networks”, in Workshop Proceedings of I-ESA 2014, forthcoming.
• A. Lau, M. Tilebein, and Th. Fischer, “The industrial model of Smart Networks for SME collaboration – Implementation and success stories”, in Workshop Proceedings of I-ESA 2014, forthcoming.
• M. Hirsch, D. Opresnik, and H. Matheis, “Application of the SmartNets Methodology in Manufacturing Service Ecosystems”, in Workshop Proceedings of I-ESA 2014, forthcoming.
Dissemination Events
In addition to these scientific publications, SmartNets was disseminated in 46 dissemination activities for particular target groups. These activities comprise exhibitions at industrial fairs and events of the European Commission, presentations at scientific conferences and industrial events, organised workshops with academia, industry, incubators and associations and training events for industry.
As an example, SmartNets was presented at the Industrial Technologies 2012 in Aarhus. The conference was organised by the European Commission to bring together researchers, people from industry and policy makers in the area of nanotechnology, materials and production. The Innovative Helmet Network presented together with members of the Core Group its product and its means of collaboration at a conjoint conference booth. Many guests from academia and industry discussed both the SmartNets approach for collaboration and the specific material characteristics for the helmet. Furthermore, SmartNets had its own three-hour workshop at this event. The project itself, targeted and already achieved results and also preliminary work was presented in this workshop by DITF, WHU, Centexbel and InfoAsset. In a very open discussion with practitioners and young researchers, the approach of the project was very much appreciated.
Another example is the workshop that has been organised to communicate the final results of the project to the scientific community, in particular in the field of enterprise interoperability and concurrent enterprising. The 17th International Conference on Interoperability for Enterprise Systems and Applications (I-ESA 2014) in Mines Albi, France, brought together the world’s leading researchers and practitioners in the area of Enterprise Interoperability for the development of new Enterprise solutions based on the Internet of the Future. The SmartNets workshop took place on March 25, 2014 and was focusing on all aspects of collaborative development and production of knowledge-intensive products and services. The goal of the workshop was to get the participants acquainted with the idea of Smart Networking and to present most recent research and practical applications in this field. Two workshop contributions came directly from the SmartNets consortium and presented project results achieved in the last three years. Three workshop papers complemented the SmartNets results with additional perspectives on networking, enterprise collaboration, servitization, interoperability and IT support. The workshop attracted more than 20 leading researchers in the field as well as participants from the European Commission. The presented results were received very positively and in the following discussions further research topics and potential synergies have been identified and further elaborated.
On-line dissemination
SmartNets was also widely disseminated through the Internet and through Social Media. While the on-line materials of course were communicated at all dissemination activities as source of further information for interested parties, they have also been designed to attract and to inform a wider public about the project and its results. In this chapter, some examples of on-line dissemination will be given. The SmartNets Website (www.smart-nets.eu) for example provided to the public an overview on the project news and events, short explanations of the project concept, the involved partners and the achieved results as well as access to the project’s public deliverables. Furthermore, it contains also the web space for the SmartNets Community (registration required) in which more detailed result descriptions, success stories and also a sandbox for using the developed results can be accessed.
SmartNets news, information about upcoming events and interesting related topics have been shared on the social messaging platform Twitter under the name handle @SmartNetsEU. The media has also been used to connect the project with other related research projects, project partners and with interested industrial and scientific communities, like for example several Enterprise Europe Networks.
Project videos can be accessed through the video platform YouTube in the project’s own video channel (www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1weeGAiuCbNozFHFGib-A/). It contains the project’s demonstration video, easily understandable explanations of the achieved results and also short statements of project partners on their view on the SmartNets project. Even though in use not much more than the last half year of the project, already more than 700 viewers have visited and watched SmartNets videos.
Exploitation
The following list of exploitable results has been defined within the cooperation of the Core Group of the project.
Products
1 Easy-cleaning textiles for rollerblinds and curtains
2 Innovative motorcycle helmet
3 New type of inner shell for motorcycle helmet with increased shock absorbtion and related production process
4 Graft material for new type of stentgraft and related production process
5 New finishing products based on sol-gel for textile
Methods
6 SmartNet Guide
7 SmartNet Development and Production Meth.
8 SmartNet Network Coordination Meth.
9 SmartNet Transformation Meth.
10 SmartNet Modeller
Tools
11 TRICIA to support Collaborative Innovation in Smart networks
12 TRICIA for Collaborative EU Project and Information Management
List of Websites:
Website: www.smart-nets.eu
Coordinator contacts:
Dr. Armin Lau, DITF Denkendorf - Centre for Management Research, Koerschtalstr. 26, 73770 Denkendorf, Germany
E-Mail: armin.lau@ditf-mr-denkendorf.de
SmartNets is developing a new industrial model for SME collaboration all along the product and network life-cycle, with a specific focus on the transformation from development partnerships to production networks. What does that mean?
Quite often, for the successful development of innovative products and processes, especially across industry sectors, SMEs are in need of working closely together with strong partners. By combining competences and resources, they will be able to overcome obstacles like the handling of new, sensitive materials, the applying of cutting-edge process technologies or the targeting of unknown, uncertain markets. Also for the production, SME often rely on the capacities and process expertise of partners all along the value-added chain to finally be able to deliver a product with superior properties. However, partners that support the development are not necessarily involved in the final production. The network is changing along the development process.
This change is obvious and imminent, but its proactive management, its planning, its conscious execution and its control is quite difficult. Therefore, SmartNets aims at providing companies that are active in such networks with appropriate methods and easy-to-use tools that help them in this task.
These methods and tools will support networks while they are building up, while they are operated and when it is time to dissolve them. They will support each activity along the development from the creation of the idea to the final production and marketing. And most of all, they will accompany the way along this path, making suggestions and giving reminders to support an efficient development with a clear focus on the final objective.
The SmartNets Industrial Model for SME collaboration has its foundation in the idea of Smart Organizations: collaboration should not only be organisationally founded, which means that organizations must be able to form flexible virtual teams and to follow dynamic processes, but must also be supported by appropriate information and communication technologies, leading to a dedicated, conjoint development and use of knowledge and competences. Based on this idea of collaboration, the three pillars of the project, support along the product life cycle, support of the network coordination and also the support of a conscious transformation from development to production can be filled with life.
SmartNets provides eleven major complementary results. Five methodological results consist of structures, processes and guidelines to make them immediately applicable for SMEs in their industrial practice. Five technological results are implementing these ideas and make them directly executable on the project’s collaboration platform. As a final result, the SmartNet Compendium describes the mentioned results and illustrates their use in best practices.
Project Context and Objectives:
High value-adding processes for knowledge-intensive products and services are facing growing complexity and ask therefore for close collaboration of industrial partners. Especially for companies which are acting across sectoral borders functional as well as technical interoperability has become tremendously important. Only by trustful collaboration between partners, required knowledge and competence can be acquired, shared and used to target at innovative products and services. However, even by including the right partners in the first phases of development, companies have to ensure that knowledge and experience generated in these early steps will be available throughout the whole product life cycle. This will guarantee an efficient and sustainable production of products and/or delivery of valuable services. Goal of the SmartNets project is to establish and to prove ‘Smart Networks’ as an holistic industrial model for sustainable and efficient production in cross-sectoral SME collaboration both in development and production of knowledge-intensive products and services. It will provide network members with the necessary concepts, methods and tools to guide them through organization-, ICT- and knowledge-related network adaptations which are typically required in the value-adding process from idea generation to product/service exploitation. The ‘smart’ transformation from development network to production or service-providing network will guarantee an efficient use of the resources knowledge, personnel and IT throughout the whole product life cycle. SmartNets targets at 11 major results (five methodological, five technological and one overall industrial model). The results will be applied in and evaluated by value-adding SME-dominated networks, which have already been formed around product ideas at the beginning of the project. Target products are an innovative helmet (IT-GB network), a medical device (CZ-DE network) and interior textiles (BE network).
Project Results:
In the following, the SmartNets results are shortly presented. An example of the application of the result in the industrial networks of SmartNets will be given to illustrate the practical use of the result. For more details on the results, please check the result descriptions on the public website, consult the respective public deliverables and get access to the project’s success stories.
SmartNet Collaboration Model
Even though there is no collaborative development project like the other, they are not completely different either. Generally applicable structures are described in the SmartNet Collaboration Model. They are highlighting activities that have to be carried out, actors that can be involved and methods that can be applied. A simple application process enables a quick adaptation of the structure to your own projects.
Theoretical background
In all collaborative development and production projects, there are key questions always returning, like “What to do next?”, “Who can do it?”, “Which method could help me?”. The SmartNet Collaboration Model identifies and answers six key questions by connecting the activities of the development process with actors in the network and well-established methods and systematics.
To apply the SmartNet Collaboration Model in your day-to-day business, there is a simple step-by-step instruction which helps to adapt the model to your specific project to make most effective use of it.
Practical application
The Collaboration Model is strongly connected to other results of the SmartNets project. It is basis for the status identification with the SmartNet Navigator, for the proposal of suitable methods to be applied, for actor recommendations and for the transformation. Its practical implications will become more visible with these results. For example, the successful suggestion of applicable methods will be highlighted in the chapter about the SmartNets Development and Production Methods.
SmartNet Modeller
To collaborate in networks, a clear, common view of responsibilities, available resources, processes and capabilities is required. SmartNet Modeller is an easy-to-use tool that helps you to conjointly develop an understanding of the network and the roles of each partner, the available and lacking competences and the material and information flows.
Theoretical background
The SmartNet Modeller has been developed at DITF Denkendorf using the Generic Modelling Environment (GME). The strength of the XML-based modelling language is that it enables the users to model all three perspectives that characterize Smart Organizations at the same time. It promotes the identification of interrelations between organisational, knowledge and ICT layer and thus contributes to a holistic view on the network.
When applying the modelling framework in practice, you start by describing the ecosystem of the network, its basic structure, its major processes and main information and knowledge domains. Then you get into more detail by describing the network-related processes, understanding the distributed responsibilities and also the use of tangible and intangible resources in the course of the project.
Practical application
The SmartNet Modeller has been applied in all three industrial networks to get a better understanding of the necessary steps of product development, about the roles that each partner can take, and also the knowledge that will grow in the development process.
Due to a change of responsibilities within one company of the innovative helmet network, the strengths of the modelling approach became easily visible. By consulting the models it became quickly possible for the newly involved person to get acquainted with the network, the distributed competences and the documentation of information, which allowed for a quick learning and understanding of the network.
SmartNet Guide
The SmartNet Guide can be used to identify and to generate capabilities of SMEs in the context of organizational, knowledge and ICT networking. By the help of a systematic analysis of existing internal and external resources of a company and their potential contributions to the main features of Smart Networking strengths and weaknesses can be identified and potential improvement means towards each dimension can be initiated. A regular reassessment will guarantee that the Smart Network capability of SMEs will be systematically meliorated.
Theoretical background
The SmartNet Guide clarifies the SmartNet Framework and support SMEs to invest systematically into its various elements. Along this evolution path SMEs will become valuable partners for Smart Networks. The framework describes key areas of SmartNet Dynamic Capability. The relevant intangible and tangible assets of a company assessed by the SmartNet Audit will be evaluated along the framework and during evolution phases systematically improved.
Four resource categories of networking (Determinants of Business 1 – 4) within a SmartNet Ecosystem of industrial partners are classified. Complementary the three dimensions of collaborative work, the so-called SmartNet Hyperlinking Dimensions (A, B, C) of Smart Organisations, are introduced and the mutual relationship identified.
Practical application
The SmartNet Guide has been applied in all three networks to allocate all companies at their current point of excellence in order to individually support them to become valuable members of a Smart Network. Therefore, during the first twelve months of the SmartNets project, individual audit interviews were made with all partners. Based on the evaluation of the SmartNet Audit interviews the SmartNet Evolution process will create continuous improvement of Smart Networking capabilities towards higher maturity levels.
SmartNet Development and Production Methods
The development and production of new products is full of complex tasks. For many of these tasks, systematic approaches, methods and guidelines can make working on these tasks easier, more effective or more efficient. SmartNet Development and Production Methods provide a list and description of numerous methods and helps SMEs with the selection of appropriate methods based on the status of their development project.
Theoretical background
In the field of innovation management, there are many methods available to support the development of new products. However, they are not always well-suited for SMEs or for application in networks. SmartNet Development and Production Methods, selected from around 80 methods the most suitable for SME and for the work in collaborative settings. The methodology supports the selection of an appropriate method for the concrete development project and helps with the implementation. There is a cross-link from this result to the results of the European research project WebTEXpert, in which methods have been evaluated against and adapted for the needs of SME.
Practical application
SmartNet Development and Production Methods are applied in all three industrial networks. With the help of the methodology, in the Interior Textiles Network for example, the application of Design of Experiment and of Product Potential Analysis was suggested. The Innovative Helmet Network evaluated their customer requirements with Quality Function Deployment and the Medical Device Network constantly monitors the product-related risks with Failure Mode and Effects Analysis.
The method applications were supported through the collaboration platform Tricia and were completely successful.
SmartNet Navigator
The development and production of new products is a complex process, in particular in networks. The SmartNet Navigator is a toolset to cope with this complexity and give assistance in identifying the current status of development and production projects. Getting knowledge of the project status paves the way for choosing the next steps and selecting the best methods and partners to successfully finalise the project. Thus the SmartNet Navigator guides enterprises and networks through the development and production process of products and services.
Theoretical background
The theoretical basis for the SmartNet Navigator is the Innovation Reference Process Model which is part of the SmartNet Collaboration Model. It describes five phases from development to production and knows several activity types.
The support provided by the SmartNet Navigator is mainly focused on the identification of the current status of collaborative development and production projects. Based on the project status and the Innovation Reference Process Model, the network members can easily define their next steps. By using additional SmartNets results like the SmartNet Development and Production Methods and the SmartNet Configurator the applicants could easily answer the questions “What to do next?”, “How should I do that?” and “With whom should I do that?.”
Practical application
The SmartNet Navigator is applied in all three industrial networks to support on the one hand the project manager in following the project and on the other hand the development teams to develop their products along a structured path. For identifying the current status of the development projects, the SmartNet Navigator gathers information from documentations like meetings, tasks and results that have been described on the project’s collaboration platform and uses an implemented rule base to visualize the status in the Innovation Reference Process.
SmartNet Method Consultant
Applying the right method at the right time with well-prepared guidelines will accelerate the development process and improve effectiveness. The SmartNet Method Consultant comprises a set of methods, rules and how-to's to provide the best possible support in the selection and application of methods. It provides suggestions for best suitable methods and tools based on the current status of development for an efficient and effective development of products and services.
Theoretical background
The application of methods is a key ingredient to systematic work in networks, but the identification of most suitable methods is not at all trivial. The responsible project managers have to consider competences and experiences of available actors, information regarding the targeted product or service, the current status of the project and of course also past activities performed. All this has to be combined with strengths and weaknesses, fields of application, and expected outcomes of specific methods. The SmartNet Method Consultant integrates all this, using input from the SmartNet Navigator and the SmartNet Development & Production Methods, to suggest most suitable methods for the current situation in the development process and to provide practical help for the application of the method.
Practical application
The SmartNet Method Consultant is applied in all three industrial networks to support the project team in following a structured and method-based development of knowledge intensive products and services. For example, the Innovative Helmet Network applied a combination of Focus Group analysis, AHP and QFD to thoroughly evaluate customer expectations towards a really radical new development. The SmartNet Method Consultant was integrated into SmartNet Navigator to enable a quick and easy access to recommendations based on the current project status.
SmartNet Network Coordination Methods
The SmartNets Network Coordination Methodology gives small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in collaborative networks appropriate methods to support the coordination of the network all along the network life-cycle. That enables them to effectively initiate collaborations and to manage them in an efficient way.
Theoretical background
Network coordination covers the management of complementary and of (potentially) conflicting issues and the alignment and matching of strategic and operative objectives. The SmartNet Network Coordination methodology is therefore focusing on the recommendation of potential actors as well as concepts and methods supporting network coordination in terms of partner selection and process coordination (organisational), competence coordination, IPR & contracting (knowledge), IT coordination (ICT) and network evaluation (all three). Ad-hoc workflows are introduced as concept for setting up quick decision processes and the build-up of trust is addressed as key issue.
Practical application
Several methods have been applied in all three industrial networks. For example, all networks carried out Network Failure Mode and Effects Analysis to improve their understanding of risks that may arise by cooperating with partners in networks. Together they identified potential and perceived risks, assessed their importance and developed measures to reduce the likelihood or the impact of the risks. Moreover, with the partner profiling, the Italian companies identified resources and competences available from each partner belonging to its network (internal or external) which could be exploited to develop the innovative helmet.
SmartNet Configurator
Looking for a way to organize your collaborations with partners reliably and efficiently? The SmartNet Configurator implements the SmartNet Network Coordination Methodology and provides on the collaboration platform Tricia support for basic collaborative project management, but also for advanced coordination of network activities.
Theoretical background
Following the outline of the SmartNet Network Coordination Methodology, the SmartNet Configurator provides basic project management functionalities like a collaborative task management, meeting organization and follow-up and a flexible push/pull approach for distributing information. The task management has been extended to support also the creation and documentation of ad-hoc workflows. In addition to that, the platform follows a strict information protection scheme of three distinguished access layers and adaptable access rights.
Last but not least, the Configurator uses the SmartNet Collaboration Model to provide suggestions for potential actors in the SmartNet Navigator. Selected methods for network coordination are also incorporated and can be directly executed on the platform.
Practical application
The SmartNet Configurator was applied in all three networks. Their development activities were distinguished into development projects. All these projects made use of the support provided by the Configurator. The Italian network, for example made extensive use of the task management to organize their particular activities (like indicated in the Gantt Chart). Within, the Belgian network, Devan applies the Configurator also for their internal organization of work.
SmartNet Transformation Methods
Considering potential strengths and weaknesses of production already early in the process is crucial for an efficient development. The Transformation Method guides your development network along its transformation into a robust production network in terms of knowledge, organisation, and ICT transformation: Which knowledge to use, which processes to implement, and which ICT means to apply!
Theoretical background
The SmartNet Transformation Methods provide a dedicated process as well as respective guidelines and tools in order to pro-actively support the transformation from development related activities, organizational as well as knowledge structures and ICT means towards a well-integrated production system. The methodology is segmented into small, easy-to-apply sub-methods to facilitate and support implementation within your SME.
• from individual, ad-hoc activities to repeatable and robust processes
• from implicit and evolving knowledge to explicit and reliable knowledge available in documents, manuals, and also in ICT systems
• from flexible stand-alone IT services to whole application systems
Practical application
The methodology provided has been carried out and evaluated in all three industrial networks. For example, in the medical device network, "Partner profiling" has been carried out to identify in an early stage competences that might be required later on and to already determine potential partners that could be included to cover this kind of gap. With help of the method, several scenarios could be evaluated so that the necessary contributions of partners and the need for network extension became apparent. In all three networks, not only the amount of knowledge grew in the course of the process, but also the predominance of the knowledge type. Using our project collaboration platform Tricia stimulates and guides the exchange of knowledge, its documentation and combination and also the evolution of knowledge structures.
SmartNet Transformation Manager
Considering potential strengths and weaknesses of production already early in the process is crucial for an efficient development. The Transformation Method guides your development network along its transformation into a robust production network in terms of knowledge, organisation, and ICT transformation: Which knowledge to use, which processes to implement, and which ICT means to apply!
Theoretical background
According to the SmartNet Transformation Methodology, transformation has to be consciously carried out in all three levels of Smart Networking. The SmartNet Transformation Manager systematically implements suggested methods on a collaboration platform, like the analysis of targeted processes, required partners for production, missing competences and/or missing structure of knowledge as well as appropriate interfaces to existing ICT solutions.
The results of the method application can then be used as impulse for active transformation activities. For example, having not established development data structures which can be connected to the company's ERP system might lead to indicating that the final phase V of the development process cannot be entered.
Practical application
Main functionalities of the SmartNet Transformation Manager are linked directly to the SmartNet Navigator and as such are used in all three industrial networks. Participants of the development project can immediately recognize which activities are suggested to be tackled next. The score is calculated from the overall progress in the process, but can also integrate findings from applications of methods. As an example, in the medical device network, Partner Profiling and Target Structure Analysis have been supported by Tricia. The results of the analyses have been integrated in the further description of the project, allowing a quick check up early on.
Potential Impact:
The overall industrial model and each of the single results have been applied and evaluated in three industrial SMEs networks involved in the project. The evaluation focused on the applicability of the industrial model for SMEs and on the benefits and disadvantages arising through the application.
The three networks carried out in total a number of eight collaborative development projects (some of them divided into several sub-projects) according to the ideas of the industrial model and they applied the provided methods and tools. Overall, twelve SmartNets project partners (eight SMEs, one small company as part of a bigger group, three research centres) were directly involved in these networks and a number of external partners were addressed. The projects covered five different industry sectors (special chemistry, textile, medical, protective gear, machinery) and connections to three further sectors have been established.
For the evaluation of the industrial model, a threefold approach has been taken. First of all, the participating companies were asked to present their experiences in the frame of the demonstration activities so that they can express the perceived advantages and disadvantages in their own words. We recommend visiting the SmartNets YouTube channel to access the demonstration videos and to get an impression of the application of the industrial model in practice. The created success stories are also used to support the application guidelines that are presented in the end of this deliverable.
As a second point, an impact study, which is in detail presented in the public deliverable D11.1 has been conducted by using structured interviews with project partners and project externals. These interviews focused on the impact that the industrial model has in particular on the networking capabilities of an organisation. An improved networking capability leads directly to increased success rates of collaborative projects, to improved communication, a better incorporation of and reactivity to customer needs, a more effective management of collaborations and an efficient handling of projects. This in turn will also impact the number of iterations that have to be made, reducing efforts, costs, waste and energy required for concluding e.g. prototyping and sampling activities.
The third part of the evaluation was conducted through an on-line questionnaire that is focusing in more detail on three key aspects that have been issued by companies as most critical to them to evaluate the success of the industrial model: a) the improvement of the success rate, b) the improvement of cost efficiency and c) an improved planning and in-time implementation of collaborative development and production projects. To get an in-depth analysis of the influence of the industrial model, these three aspects were broken down into ten domains which comprise in total 39 statements that companies had to assess.
The questionnaire asked the participants to rate their agreement or disagreement with the issued statements using the Likert scale. With a rating from 1 to 5, 1 indicates a strong disagreement with the statement, 5 indicating strong agreement.
All statements were formulated in such way that a high rating, i.e. strong agreement, signals a positive impact of the SmartNets industrial model, methods and tools (SMT). A low rating accordingly would mean a negative impact of the industrial model. 16 persons participated in the survey.
To sum up the results of the survey, every single statement was assessed with an average value of above 3, meaning the participants attest a positive effect of SmartNets on each of the 39 statements. Overall, the project partners most strongly agreed to the following statements (with average rating in brackets):
• “SMT provide a comprehensive overview of the full project and its progress” (4.8)
• “SMT provide an improved overview of performed work.” (4.7).
• “SMT allow to better share knowledge in prototyping in general.” (4.6)
• “SMT help in detecting early if a project is in trouble (e.g. delayed, taking wrong directions, not properly integrating partners).” (4.5)
• “SMT enable to detect potential delays of any of the partners’ work in time.” (4.3)
Least agreement, but still agreement was given to the following statements:
“The risk of being blocked by other patents is reduced.” (3.4)
“The cost for prototyping can be reduced.” (3.5)
“The overall effort for prototyping can be reduced.” (3.5)
Obviously, these results can only be considered as indicative rather than statistically significant. However, in combination with the demonstration activities and the impact study, they show that for the companies involved in the project, the SmartNets industrial model significantly boosts the chances to finish a collaborative project successfully. Furthermore, the respondents considered themselves to have a good proficiency of the industrial model, its methods and tools which hints also towards a good applicability of the SmartNets results in practice.
Dissemination activities
The resulting SmartNets industrial model and its related results have been widely disseminated in order to reach the aspired impact of improving European industry as a whole. While main target group for dissemination of course has been industry in various sectors, in particular those already involved in the project, significant efforts have been dedicated to disseminate the scientific progress made to the scientific community and to win over associations and consultants as future mediators of the industrial model.
Following the conjointly elaborated dissemination plan, scientific articles have been published in journals, books and conference proceedings, presentations have been held at scientific and industrial events, workshops with industry, academia and potential mediators have been organised and on-line dissemination has been carried out.
Scientific Publications
Overall, sixteen peer-reviewed publications have been accepted in scientific books, journals and conference proceedings in the course of the project. All single results and the overall concept have been covered in these articles. The following list points out some articles that might be interesting to start with:
• A. Lau, M. Hirsch, and H. Matheis, „From Collaborative Development to Manufacturing in Production Networks: The SmartNets Approach“, in Robust Manufacturing Control. Proceedings of the CIRP Sponsored Conference RoMaC 2012, Bremen, Germany, 18th-20th June 2012, K. Windt, Ed., Lecture Notes in Production Engineering. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 2013, p. 287–299.
• A. Lau, T. Fischer, M. Hirsch, and H. Matheis, „SmartNet Collaboration Model – A framework for collaborative development and production“, in 18th International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE 2012 Conference Proceedings, 18-20 June 2012, Munich, Germany, 2012, p. 519–528.
• M. Hauder, S. Roth, F. Matthes, A. Lau, and H. Matheis, „Supporting Collaborative Product Development through Automated Interpretation of Artifacts“, in Proceedings of BMSD 2013 - Third International Symposium on Business Modeling and Software Design, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, 2013, p. 151–156.
• S.-V. Rehm and S. Gross, “Towards a conceptual model of the resource base for hyperlinking in innovation networks”, in Workshop Proceedings of I-ESA 2014, forthcoming.
• A. Lau, M. Tilebein, and Th. Fischer, “The industrial model of Smart Networks for SME collaboration – Implementation and success stories”, in Workshop Proceedings of I-ESA 2014, forthcoming.
• M. Hirsch, D. Opresnik, and H. Matheis, “Application of the SmartNets Methodology in Manufacturing Service Ecosystems”, in Workshop Proceedings of I-ESA 2014, forthcoming.
Dissemination Events
In addition to these scientific publications, SmartNets was disseminated in 46 dissemination activities for particular target groups. These activities comprise exhibitions at industrial fairs and events of the European Commission, presentations at scientific conferences and industrial events, organised workshops with academia, industry, incubators and associations and training events for industry.
As an example, SmartNets was presented at the Industrial Technologies 2012 in Aarhus. The conference was organised by the European Commission to bring together researchers, people from industry and policy makers in the area of nanotechnology, materials and production. The Innovative Helmet Network presented together with members of the Core Group its product and its means of collaboration at a conjoint conference booth. Many guests from academia and industry discussed both the SmartNets approach for collaboration and the specific material characteristics for the helmet. Furthermore, SmartNets had its own three-hour workshop at this event. The project itself, targeted and already achieved results and also preliminary work was presented in this workshop by DITF, WHU, Centexbel and InfoAsset. In a very open discussion with practitioners and young researchers, the approach of the project was very much appreciated.
Another example is the workshop that has been organised to communicate the final results of the project to the scientific community, in particular in the field of enterprise interoperability and concurrent enterprising. The 17th International Conference on Interoperability for Enterprise Systems and Applications (I-ESA 2014) in Mines Albi, France, brought together the world’s leading researchers and practitioners in the area of Enterprise Interoperability for the development of new Enterprise solutions based on the Internet of the Future. The SmartNets workshop took place on March 25, 2014 and was focusing on all aspects of collaborative development and production of knowledge-intensive products and services. The goal of the workshop was to get the participants acquainted with the idea of Smart Networking and to present most recent research and practical applications in this field. Two workshop contributions came directly from the SmartNets consortium and presented project results achieved in the last three years. Three workshop papers complemented the SmartNets results with additional perspectives on networking, enterprise collaboration, servitization, interoperability and IT support. The workshop attracted more than 20 leading researchers in the field as well as participants from the European Commission. The presented results were received very positively and in the following discussions further research topics and potential synergies have been identified and further elaborated.
On-line dissemination
SmartNets was also widely disseminated through the Internet and through Social Media. While the on-line materials of course were communicated at all dissemination activities as source of further information for interested parties, they have also been designed to attract and to inform a wider public about the project and its results. In this chapter, some examples of on-line dissemination will be given. The SmartNets Website (www.smart-nets.eu) for example provided to the public an overview on the project news and events, short explanations of the project concept, the involved partners and the achieved results as well as access to the project’s public deliverables. Furthermore, it contains also the web space for the SmartNets Community (registration required) in which more detailed result descriptions, success stories and also a sandbox for using the developed results can be accessed.
SmartNets news, information about upcoming events and interesting related topics have been shared on the social messaging platform Twitter under the name handle @SmartNetsEU. The media has also been used to connect the project with other related research projects, project partners and with interested industrial and scientific communities, like for example several Enterprise Europe Networks.
Project videos can be accessed through the video platform YouTube in the project’s own video channel (www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1weeGAiuCbNozFHFGib-A/). It contains the project’s demonstration video, easily understandable explanations of the achieved results and also short statements of project partners on their view on the SmartNets project. Even though in use not much more than the last half year of the project, already more than 700 viewers have visited and watched SmartNets videos.
Exploitation
The following list of exploitable results has been defined within the cooperation of the Core Group of the project.
Products
1 Easy-cleaning textiles for rollerblinds and curtains
2 Innovative motorcycle helmet
3 New type of inner shell for motorcycle helmet with increased shock absorbtion and related production process
4 Graft material for new type of stentgraft and related production process
5 New finishing products based on sol-gel for textile
Methods
6 SmartNet Guide
7 SmartNet Development and Production Meth.
8 SmartNet Network Coordination Meth.
9 SmartNet Transformation Meth.
10 SmartNet Modeller
Tools
11 TRICIA to support Collaborative Innovation in Smart networks
12 TRICIA for Collaborative EU Project and Information Management
List of Websites:
Website: www.smart-nets.eu
Coordinator contacts:
Dr. Armin Lau, DITF Denkendorf - Centre for Management Research, Koerschtalstr. 26, 73770 Denkendorf, Germany
E-Mail: armin.lau@ditf-mr-denkendorf.de