De nition of information concepts

Our hypothesized information exchanged between processes can be quite detailed. Therefore, we propose more comprehensive information concepts, partially based on the above-stated base concepts, for use in our model. In absence of specific reference, some of these may only describe rough outlines.

3.6.3.1 Objectives and main tasks

The communication of objectives, as stipulated in our hypothesized process, includes a rough description of work to be performed and preliminary constraints of the necessary tasks (as defined above) to achieve them. These constraints include desired time or priority, and budget limitations, if applicable. It is implied that objectives are subject to negotiation with the recipient before tasks are specified.

Main tasks are considered on an intermediate level between a project and a ‘workable’ task. They should be comprehensive enough to allow for preliminary flexible planning, but sufficiently detailed for facilitating estimations on constraints and competence needs. When main tasks are communicated, their work description as well as these constraints and competence needs are implied to be included.

3.6.3.2 Competence needs and competence availability

As explained in the base concept above, every employee is considered to have certain competences and skill levels. For ease of reading, skill levels are not mentioned explicitly in the process descriptions and maps. When a planning instance specifies competence needs, this means that the competences and skill levels for achieving an objective or completing a (main) task are estimated. This estimation includes the amount of time needed and the constraints of the task, however not the task description itself.

As the complementary concept, competence availability is the accumulated com- petence and skill a planning instance has access to. It does not stipulate a direct assignment of a particular person; in fact, it is its purpose to avoid this. This means, when an instance reports the competence availability to another one, it confirms that the other one can have access to some resource with the specified competence and skill level under given time and constraints.

3.6.3.3 Resource needs and resource availability

When tasks are planned more precisely, they are assigned a resource, i.e. a person, to perform them. For this purpose, a planning instance will specify resource needs, which in fact coincide with the competence needs as defined above. However, rather than only ensuring if such competence can be provided, a specification for resource needs results in the allocation of a specific person.

This allocation is expressed, when reporting the resource availability. It assures the requesting instance that the specific person will be able to perform for the amount of time and under the constraints given.

3.6.3.4 Workload and capacity

Workload is the amount of working time within a certain time interval (e.g. one week). This includes previous tasks and tasks currently under performance, but also future tasks. In other words, it is the total amount of time made available, as competence or resource. Similarly, the capacity is the total amount of time, which could be available within the same time interval.

When they are reported, we imply that both values are categorized. However, we can make only few assumptions about the particular categorization as suitable for the recipient (i.e. general management). We at least consider total working time, time paid for by customers (see section 3.2.1 – Business performance of service providing

companies), and a division by main firm competences as straightforward categories.

3.6.3.5 Initiation (of a project)

In our hypothesized process, projects are first integrated into a portfolio and later initiated. Initiation means the instruction to commence planning of a particular project and communicating all project-specific information, i.e. at least the objectives, and if available also main tasks.

3.6.3.6 Deviations

When the actual performance differs from plans in terms of time, budget, or other constraints, this may affect other planning instances or firm performance. Therefore, these deviations are reported. However, we do not further make assumptions in which form.

3.6.3.7 Potential

By potential, we mean sales’ information on potential engagements (projects, main- tenance, etc.), which can be useful for consideration in planning processes. This should at least include anticipated competence needs (including preliminary time boundaries) and expected revenue. The latter might not only be in direct financial form, but also involve strategic meaning. It should be quantified (e.g. in terms of expected successor projects’ revenues) in order to allow comparison. As the certainty of this information can be assumed to be increasing throughout a sales process, the probability of an agreement should also be estimated.

3.6.3.8 Marketing decisions

We consider marketing decisions as directives, which competences should preferably be pursued for selling. Possibly, this could also give instructions which clients have strategic importance.

3.6.3.9 R&D and team development

Based on the discussion in section 3.2.3 (Learning perspective), we assume that a certain amount of time in an interval (e.g. one week) is reserved for firm-internal research and development. Additionally, team development time can be used to build competences on an individual level. We consider the communication of research & development (R&D) and team development as the directive to a planning instance, to plan these activities and have them performed.

3.6.3.10 Impact on competence needs

Planning and performance within one process might affect the future oncoming tasks and therefore the competence needs of another. Where this is predictable (as of section 3.2.2 – Project business models), the estimated changes in competence needs of the recipient are provided.

3.6.3.11 Need for rescheduling / renegotiation

Reporting need for rescheduling to another instance means, to instruct the recipient to reschedule its tasks according to changed competence needs, e.g. due to deviations of this or another project. Similarly, such deviations might make it necessary to rearrange commercial matters with a client, which is expressed by the need for renegotiation.