Interview Data Analysis

The output from the elicitation study is a model representing the early concept design process used by the SMR development team. The process used to analyse the transcriptions is described in this section and is illustrated in Figure 30.

The research relied on a variety of modelling, data capture and analysis techniques. A Systems Modelling (SM) approach was taken. SM is a method of describing the real world through simplification and interpretation of properties which represent that system (Haveman & Bonnema, 2015). Several studies have attempted to categorise System Modelling techniques to provide a framework for selecting the right technique for the right application. Haveman & Bonnema (2015) provided a summary of system

85 modelling approaches focusing on those techniques which are most applicable to the concept stage of a project. More detailed and rigid methods, such as SysML are were identified as more suitable for modelling the detailed design stages, and for formal structuring within a systems engineering context with technical stakeholders. Methods such as Soft Systems Analysis enable the views of participants to be conceptualized and verified against established procedures (Mingers & Rosenhead, 2004).

The framework developed by Giaglis (2001) (see Table 8) was used as the basis for identifying a suitable modelling technique employed during this research. According to Giaglis, the appropriate modelling technique should represent at least one of the following (Giaglis, 2001):

1. Functional perspective: Identify the process elements that define the key activities being performed.

2. Behavioural perspective: the flow and order of activities carried out, and how activities are performed such as the decision-making conditions, exit criteria, etc.

3. Organisational perspective: The technique should define where activities are performed, and the resources required to carry them out. It should also can represent the information transfer and storage mechanisms.

4. Information perspective: The ability to represent the interrelationships within a process, and the changes to “informational entities” i.e. data, in the system.

Table 8: Framework for Evaluating Process and System Modelling Techniques (Giaglis, 2001)

Fit Informational perspective Systems documentation Systems analysis & design Systems project management Software re- engineering/ systems development Systems O&M Organisational perspective Organisational structure representation

Rule redesign Human resource management Workplace design No purpose identified Behavioural perspective Business process documentation Business process re- engineering BPR project management Work flow design Work flow execution Functional perspective Task documentation Task redesign CPI/TQM project management Quality assurance/ control Automated task execution Understanding & communication Process Improvement Process Management Process Development Process Execution

86 The main output of this study was a model of the early design stage decision-making process. The elicitation study also identified key areas of uncertainty and the metrics used to understand these uncertainties at the early design phase. The focus of the analysis was then on how cost is measured, the requirements of cost information to support decision-making at the early design phase. The model perspective, project goals, and where in the project the model fits, can all be used as criteria to categorise project characteristics.

The IDEF0 model structure was used to present the information structure of the early design decision making process using cost estimating. Thematic analysis was used to understand cost requirements and use of cost information in a system, using the IDEF0 model to provide a template structure. An IDEF0 model is composed of a hierarchical series of diagrams that display increasing levels of detail describing functions and their interfaces within the context of a system (Dorador & Young, 2010). The two primary modelling components are functions (represented on a diagram by boxes) and the data and objects that interrelate those functions (represented by arrows). Within the diagram each individual box represents the activity or function, with the interfacing arrows left to right representing an input and output, respectively (Figure 34).

Figure 34: An IDEF0 function box with standard notation (NIST, 1993)

The control and mechanism are constraints on the activity. The input may arrive from a connected activity which determines how the function is activated. Likewise, the output of the function determines how the proceeding activity operates.

87 A standard set of rules for producing the IDEF0 diagram were followed (NIST, 1993):

1. The model begins with a stated purpose and viewpoint

2. The top page is the context diagram, defining the inputs, controls, outputs and mechanisms for the single, top-level function from external systems. In this study, the top-level function is the design decision process at the early concept development phase.

3. Each subsequent page represents the next level of detail down for the system. 4. The number of sub-functions for any IDEF0 function is limited to six, for the

purposes of a readable display on a page.

5. Each page and diagram interface is defined using Node numbers, Box numbers, C-numbers, and a Detail Reference Expression

The first stage of the analysis involved categorising key sections of the responses related to each nodal theme representing the process. The question guide supported the development of the IDEF0 diagrams, based on a set of themes derived from the review of company process documentation. The interview data was analysed manually to select the aspects of the response which related to each node. The nodes were then populated with selected data obtained from the transcriptions.

Figure 35: Method of analysing interview data

Once the initial text categorisation was complete, the selected data were then clustered and renamed to singular phrases which could then be used in the IDEF0 notation (IDEF0 is described further in Section 4.4). Each phrase was related to a specific IDEF0 notation as either an Activity, Input, Output, Control, or Mechanism. Each of the control, input, output, and mechanism line items were then reviewed to

88 identify similar themes and duplications. The activity-related descriptions were analysed, firstly to identify and combine similar activities described by different participants, and then to order each activity in the NPD process. The nodal categories were then used to produce several hierarchical levels of IDEF0 diagrams. The line items were then assigned to the relevant activities for the Level 2 diagrams. A set of preliminary IDEF0 diagrams were then generated for the verification of the model.