Report Innovation and Product Realisation

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2012 Innovation and Product Realisation

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3 3 Content Innovation and Product Realisation, IPR Introduction to IPR 4 Research groups 5 Design and Visualisation 5 Innovation Management 5 Product Realisation 5 Research projects 6 Research projects starting in Staff 15 Publications 33

4 4 Innovation and Product Realisation Innovation and Product Realisation Magnus Wiktorsson is leader of IPR and Associate professor in Product and process development Phone: Innovation and Product Realisation, IPR, is one of six research and education areas at Mälardalen University. IPR takes a multidisciplinary approach towards industry s development and innovation processes for product Realisation. The goal is to provide support to industry to realize more ideas, and to improve the development of new products and systems. In MDH s research strategy for , IPR is prioritised as one of three development environment for MDH with a research of national relevance and international recognition. The research area Innovation and Product Realisation builds bridges between disciplines as manufacturing engineering, innovation management, information design, product development and industrial design. The idea is that the different disciplines and work practices can merge to create better products, processes and services, fulfilling requirements from stakeholders concerning efficiency, flexibility, openness, robustness, communication skills and changes in mind-sets. The research is conducted in close cooperation with industry and organisations, and is of high relevance to the academy as well as to the surrounding society. Our research base is to a large degree externally funded from funding agencies and research councils. We cooperate with other universities, institutes and companies in other parts of Sweden but also in the UK, Italy, US and India. We offer education on advanced level in English and have some 30 s in our post graduate education within Innovation and Design, combining personal development with academic stringency. We also take pride in designing a stimulating physical milieu with labs and studios. Research groups Design and Visualisation Innovation Management Product Realisation

5 Innovation and Product Realisation 5 Research groups Design and Visualisation Leader: Professor Yvonne Eriksson, yvonne.eriksson@mdh.se, We use design and interpretation processes to investigate and challenge thoughts and principles for production and organisation systems, aiming at optimal problem solving. The area includes research about idea, concept and product development with reference to processes in design and design processes. Today s design research aims at development of products, processes, services; and of milieus, interfaces and other informative interpretation supporting creativity and innovation. Members: Thorbjörn Swenberg, Jennie Andersson Schaeffer, Carina Andersson, Inger Orre, Anders Wikström, Ulrika Florin, Anna-Lena Carlsson, Yvonne Eriksson, Per Erik Eriksson. innovation management is more about influence and to give prerequisites for emergence of innovation, and less about plan and control of a linear process. Participation, communication, innovation maturity, dualities and emergence are some central concepts in the research where we focus on the patterns behind realisation of innovations. Members: Sten Ekman, Anette Strömberg, Bengt Köping Olsson, Carina Sjödin, Christer Nyström, Erik Bjurström, Erik Lindhult, Helena Karlsson, Magnus Hoppe, Mikael Johnsson, Nina Bozic, Peter E Johansson, Petra Edoff, Susanna Göransson, Sven Hamrefors, Tomas Backström, Åsa Öberg, Jayakanth Srinivasan, Roberto Verganti. Product Realisation Leader: Professor Monica Bellgran monica.bellgran@mdh.se, Innovation Management Leader: Professor Tomas Backström, tomas.backstrom@mdh.se, Innovation Management is about to lead and organize processes for improvement and new development of products, services, and production systems. The research focuses on innovation in collaboration and deals with: strategy, leadership, business intelligence, design, creativity, learning, and culture. Actors in the form of entrepreneurs and organisations are driving innovation and creating value in a market, in an organisation or in society at large. The innovation system includes internal and external actors that interact to achieve technological, organisational and social innovations. IPR s innovation management research considers innovation to be continuous non-linear development in circular processes of interaction between different actors. We use a complex system perspective where Product Realisation is the work that an organisation goes through to develop, manufacture, and deliver goods or services. Product realisation includes customer related processes, design and development, purchasing, production and service provision, and control of monitoring and measuring processes. Research on product realisation concerns the design, operations and improvement of these product realisation processes. IPR s research aims at creating new knowledge, understanding, and support for designing product realisation processes by creative elemental and applied research. By examples and guidelines we provide management support to manage crucial processes and aspects of product realisation. We show success factors, system requirements, enabling system and business solutions, management systems, and performance measures required for sustainable product realisation. Members: Ragnar Tengstrand, Anna Granlund, Magnus Wiktorsson, Marcus Bengtsson, Antti Salonen, Mats Jackson, Sofi W. Elfving, Anders Fundin, Christer Johansson, Anette Brannemo, Yuji Yamamoto, Mikael Hedelind, Daniel Gåsvaer, Joakim Eriksson, Mats Deleryd, Björn Fagerström, Carin Rösiö, Jessica Bruch, Mohammed Salloum, Niklas Friedler, Jens von Axelson, Martin Kurdve, Marcus Bjelkemyr, Joel Schedin, Lina Stålberg, Erik Hellström, Monica Bellgran, Joakim Fröberg, Anders Hellström, Sten Grahn.

6 6 Innovation and Product Realisation Research Projects Communicating Contemporaries and Connections. To interpret and communicate cultural heritage in transnational times Leader: Inger Orre Members: Ulrika Florin Research Group: Design and Visualization Start: Partners: Strömma Turism AB Overview: To be relevant, the interpretation and presentation of cultural heritage must connect to people`s personal perspectives, knowledge and experiences. The aim of this project is to improve the conditions for a democratic and constructive use of our mutual heritage. The project will evaluate and take an inventory of the existing solutions and and develop and test new methods, ways of presentation and techniques corresponding to the needs of today and tomorrow. The project consists of a number of practical efforts to develop interpretation and communication in connection to the world heritage site Birka. In this Birka will be made an interdisciplinary testbed for innovative and interactive informationdesign. One line of development for this work is to focus on Birka as a 9th century junction for communication and trade. For that reason Birka is linked up with Constantinople (Istanbul), a global metropolis of that period. Parts of this project are planned to be carried out in dialogue with researchers in interactive media design and heritage management at universities in Istanbul. DeEP - Design in European Policies Leader: Roberto Verganti Members: Sten Ekman, Helena Karlsson Research Group: Innovation Management Start: End: Partners: Politecnico di Milano (Italy), Confartiginato Lombardia (Italy), Lancaster University (UK), The Word Foundation/Big Innovation Centre (UK), Pro-Design (Poland), Mälardalen University, Munktell Science Park. Funding: EU, Enterprise & Industry Directorate General Overview: The overall objective is to create an understanding of the impact of design innovation policies by building frameworks and indicators to evaluate these actions both at a macro (regional, national, Eurupean) and micro (specific initiative, company) level. It is based on the new innovation program Europe as an Innovation Union 2020, where design has been acknowledged as a fundamental driver to innovation for growth. Within the DeEP project, IPR will focus on the micro level towards design indicators impact and there evaluation on innovation outcome. DeVIP Leader: Yvonne Eriksson, Sten Ekman Members: Sten Ekman, Yvonne Eriksson, Roberto Verganti, Anders Wikström, Åsa Öberg, Jennie Andersson Schaeffer, Ragnar Tengstrand Research Group: Design and Visualization Start: End: Partners: Bombardier, ABB Robotics, Eskilstuna Energi & Miljö, Haldex, Alfa Laval, Volvo CE Funding: The Knowledge Foundation (KKS) Overview: The overall vision of this research project is to strengthen the industry regarding innovation and product realisation capabilities through the utilization and integration of new and improved design- and visualization methods and models. The project proposal concerns resources and methods for industry in areas of organizational conditions, strategy and management, ideation and product development processes. This will facilitate decision making and strengthen the industry regarding their innovation and product realisation capabilities. Effective Outsourcing/Offshoring of Research, Development, and Engineering Leader: Jayakanth Srinivasan Members: Petra Edoff, Jayakanth Srinivasan, Christer Norström Research Group: Innovation Management Start: 2010 End: 2013 Partners: ABB, Ericsson Funding: The Knowledge Foundation (KKS) Overview: The overall vision of the proposed research project recognizes that globalization is here to stay. For Swedish organizations it implies to remain competitive in the long-run and at the same time find new ways to effectively distribute research, development and engineering work across organizational and geographical boundaries. The objective of the research project is to develop firmspecific theories of RD&E offshoring and outsourcing in Swedish organizations that enable more effective translation of organizational strategies into actual practice. Our goal with the research is to address the understanding of the complexity associated with outsourcing and offshoring through the behavioral, dynamic, and technical lenses. This will allow us to develop firm-specific theories of outsourcing and offshoring. Most research is still carried out separated from operational realities. A key contribution of the research is the development of an engagement strategy that would support greater industry and academia know ledge of co-creation.

7 Innovation and Product Realisation 7 Global Regional Cooperation with India Leader: Gudrun Paulsdottir Members: Damir Isovic, Christer Nygren Research Group: Start: End: Partners: Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Bombay and Welingkar Institute of Management Research and Development, Hyderabad, Ericsson and TATA Consulting Services, TCS, Welingkar Institute of Management Research and Development, Bangalore. Funding: The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher education (STINT) Overview: In this project Mälardalen University wishes to focus on building relations with India, the regions of Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, with universities, companies and organisations in order to create and build sustainable relationships for a number of different activities for the benefit of regional-global development. The university already has well established contacts in Mumbai, with the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Bombay and Welingkar Institute of Management Research and Development, in Hyderabad with Eriksson and TATA Consulting Services, TCS, and in Bangalore with Welingkar Institute of Management Research and Development. There are also recently initiated contacts with the University of Hyderabad and the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore that will be developed further. The university will also rely on its vast network of multinational companies to establish new relations on these three locations in India. Green Production Systems Leader: Monica Bellgran Members: Monica Bellgran, Martin Kurdve, Magnus Wiktorsson Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Haldex AB, Alfdex Concentric, Volvo Technology, Volvo Construction Equipment, Saab Automobile, All Emballage, Mälardalen University Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems Overview: The vision of the project is to develop green production systems to be a competitive mean to Swedish automotive and manufacturing industry. It requires the mindset and incentives of manufacturing industry to define and implement a green strategy in integration with a Lean philosophy. It also requires the development of knowledge as well as supporting tools to facilitate the needed visualization, control and management of environmental parameters within the production system. The project is financed during by VINNOVA within the FFI-program. The objectives of the project is formulated as: - To set the preconditions and frames of what a green production system is. - To identify best practices of green production systems. - To visualize the environmental impact and added value of a production system. - To find ways of following-up and managing a green production system. - To develop guidelines for value improvement and cost decrease by environmental strategies and actions within, and directed towards the production system. IDEAS - Innovation and Design for Euro-Asian Scholars Leader: Ann-Catrin Davis Members: Damir Isovic, Sasikumar Punnekkat Research Group: Model-Based Engineering of Embedded Systems, Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, University of Tartu, Royal University of Bhutan, The University of Abertay, Dundee, Tribhuvan University Funding: EU Mundus Overview: The IDEAS project, funded by the EU Commission s EMA2 programme, aims to establish a European- Asian academic mobility network, for achieving excellence in research and education in a global context, by identifying key themes for cooperation, leveraging on the complementary competencies and providing synergies essential for the progress and mutual benefit of the targeted Asian countries as well as the European Union. The IDEAS consortium comprises of 12 prominent higher education institutions in six European countries and five Asian countries. The project is coordinated by Mälardalen University. InMaint - Intelligent Monitoring and Maintenance in Production Industry Leader: Peter Funk Members: Peter Funk, Ning Xiong, Marcus Bengtsson, Mats Jackson Research Group: Intelligent Systems Start: End: Partners: Luleå University of Technology, Mälardalen University, Sandvik Mining and Construction, AB Boliden Mineral, AB Parker Hannifin, AB Wipro Infrastructure Engineering AB, Damill AB, Underhållsbyrå, Underhållsföretagen AB, ProjektHydraulik Sverige AB, Hägglund Drives AB, ÅF Ingemansson, AB LKAB, Kiruna Volvo Aero AB, Volvo Body Components AB

8 8 Innovation and Product Realisation Funding: The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF), PROVIKING Overview: The goal is to increase the scientific and industrial applicability of knowledge concerning maintenance, with the aim to increase productivity, reduce production costs and to generate valuable input for improved engineering design of products and production. The objective of the project is to Develop an approach that can help integrate maintenance needs at the engineering design stage such as Design for (or out) maintenance, RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Supportability) integration to optimize the total life cycle costs (LCC) for the products. Develop theoretical models to understand and forecast the cost productivity for all investments made towards maintenance cost of manual and automatic machines such as LHD machines. (Load Haul Dump machines). To develop flexible decision making models, methods and techniques for implementation of sensor and experience based condition monitoring in manufacturing. Develop an approach for condition based maintenance agents and diagnostics for manufacturing systems so as to make the manufacturing process disturbance free to achieve higher product quality and productivity and a cycle of continuous improvement. INNOFACTURE - innovative manufacturing development Leader: Mats Jackson Members: Mats Deleryd, Antti Salonen, Anders Fundin, Anna-Lena Carlsson, Anette Strömberg, Christer Johansson, Fredrik Ore, Christer Osterman, Anna Sannö, Narges Asadi, Natalia Svensson Harari, Lina Stålberg, Joel Schedin, Richard Häggström, Siavash Javadi, Farhad Norouzilame, Bhanoday Reddy Vemula, Catarina Bojesson, Ali Rastegari, Magnus Wiktorsson, Yvonne Eriksson, Tomas Backström, Jessica Bruch, Monica Bellgran, Björn Fagerström, Giacomo Spampinato, Roberto Verganti, Marcus Bengtsson Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: ABB, Atlas Copco, Bombardier, Leax, Fuji Autotech, Scania, TPC Components, Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Powertrain, Mälardalen University Funding: The Knowledge Foundation (KKS) Overview: INNOFACTURE focuses on production innovation as a strategic solution to the future challenges of the manufacturing industry. By the establishment of an industrial graduate school within innovative production system development, Mälardalen University, in cooperation with strong manufacturing companies, will strengthen the well-established and growing research area of production system development within the university. The graduate school will educate 15 industrial PhDs with a state-of-theart profile for the profession as production development engineers thus contributing to the future competitiveness of Swedish manufacturing industry. Interactive Invitations. Evaluation of Techniques and Processes in an Exhibition Context Leader: Inger Orre Research Group: Design and Visualization Start: End: Partners: The Living History Forum Funding: The Living History Forum Overview: The purpose of this project is to study and evaluate interactivity in exhibition context. The intention is a thorough investigation and documentation of the complex interplay taking place in the meeting between visitors, concepts and technique. The concept of interaction is understood in a wide perspective, where also the individuals interaction with each other and with the technical device is reflected upon. Both planned and spontaneous interaction will be studied. To identify the conditions for interaction is necessary for a good interpretation of the content. This case study is an assignment from the public authority The Living History Forum. The methods are qualitative and consists of fieldwork and interviews in connection to an exhibition on intolerance. The purpose of the exhibition is to strengthen the democratic desire and readiness among young people with an ambivalent ideological attitude. Kaikaku Leader: Mats Jackson Members: Yuji Yamamoto, Daniel Gåsvaer, Mats Jackson, Bengt Köping Olsson, Nina Bozic, Tomas Backström, Monica Bellgran, Jennie Andersson Schaeffer Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Swerea IVF, NPU (Nätverket för produktionsutveckling), DEVA Mecaneyes, CH Industry, Volvo Construction Equipment, Solö Mechanical Solutions, TPS Components, Leine & Linde, Minerva Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems Overview: The overall project goal is to conduct research on how Kaikaku - Innovative and radical production development should be undertaken. The project s more specific learning goals is to create knowledge in a field about innovative and radical production changes in order to realize the production strategy, which ties together areas such as production strategies, design of production systems and development of new technologies, processes and methods.

9 Innovation and Product Realisation 9 LEAD - Lean Automation Development Leader: Magnus Wiktorsson Members: Niklas Friedler, Anna Granlund, Sten Grahn, Erik Hellström, Mats Jackson Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Mälardalen University Innovatum AB, Robot Application Center, Volvo CE, Volvo GTO, Scania CV, LEAX Mekaniska AB, Haldex Brake Products, GKN Driveline, GKN Aerospace Sweden AB and SKF Sverige AB. Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems Overview: The process of developing automation is often time consuming, costly, and difficult to manage. This due to: insufficient procurements skills; difficulties deciding on appropriate solution; and unclear, unstructured, and poorly supported automation development process. The ideas of this reserach project is to adopt a lean perspective to the automation development processes. The objective is to develop support to the process of developing automation and hence contribute to sustainable automation solutions, with shorter and less resource demanding development processes, and higher return of investments. There are three work packages in the project: WP1: Improvement of the process of planning, developing and acquiring automation WP2: The development of an automation strategy model supporting automation decisions WP3: The standardization and specification of IT-support The expected result is besides acadmic publications an industrial automation handbook including models, methods, guidelines and tools that support the process of developing automation. Lean and Green Production Navigator Leader: Magnus Wiktorsson Members: Monica Bellgran, Magnus Wiktorsson, Martin Kurdve Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Volvo Technology, Swerea IVF, Volvo Cars Corporation, Finnveden Gjutal, Mälardalen University, University of Skövde, Stockholm University Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (FFI) Overview: This project contributes to strengthen the improvement capability of production systems. This project takes the lean production approach one step further by investigating how to integrate environmental consciousness in lean concepts and how to support work station development. The following areas are addressed in specific in this project: Green Lean shop floor (WP 1), Workstation optimization (WP 2), Lean & Green Commitment (WP 3). MEMIMAN Leader: Marcus Bjelkemyr Members: Magnus Wiktorsson, Martin Kurdve, Sasha Shahbazi Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Lund University, Alfa Laval, Concentric, Scania, Swerea IVF, Volvo AB, Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Group Truck Technology Funding: MISTRA - The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research Overview: The MEMIMAN project primarily aims to improve industrial waste management in the metalworking and automotive industry. The idea is to assess how different future scenarios will affect industrial waste management, and then to incorporate this knowledge into the current waste management practice. This will enable us to see patterns in waste management and to identify the limiting factor for each waste type.the project is divided into four workpackages: WP1: Future analysis and scenarios WP2: Current state of industrial waste management WP3: Development of improves waste management system (WMS) WP4: Environmental assessmentplanned results: WP1: Report on waste management scenarios. WP2: (1) a verified and published method for waste flow mapping with material efficiency for different material types and (2) tools for efficient industrial waste management. In addition maps of waste material and information flows in the participating companies will be delivered to WP3; the results will then be fed into the method and the tool. WP3: a guide to changes in incentives, regulations, and business models towards improved recycling, as well as a model of obstacles in the residual material flow. This will be disseminated in a report and fed into the WMS-method. WP4: a report on the assessed models and routes in relation to environmental impact using LCA and chemical risk assessment scoring method and chemical legislation for recycling of industrial engineering waste. The reports will be further advanced into scientific publications. Throughout the project at least one journal publication is planned for each work package, in addition to conference papers. Also, one licentiate and one doctoral thesis will also be presented by members in the project. MITC - Mälardalen Industrial Technology Center Leader: Michael Rydell, Mats Jackson, Anna Bird Members: Mats Jackson, Anders Wikström, Martin Kurdve, Malin Rosqvist, Anders Martinsen, Mats Deleryd, Björn Fagerström, Anders Fundin, Jessica Bruch, Joakim Eriksson Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End:

10 10 Innovation and Product Realisation Partners: Almi, Eskilstuna municipality, Eskilstuna Fabriksförening, SWEREA IVF, Munktell Science Park, Teknikcollege Mälardalen Funding: European Regional Development Fund, Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket) Overview: Competence development through increased cooperation between industry and university, which will strengthen the industrial competitiveness, contribute to the economic development in the region, and strengthen the academic sector. Expected results in the project are contribution to industrial competitiveness through development within the four focus areas innovation, product development, production development, and energy and environmental improvements. Modular Lightweight Robotics Leader: Giacomo Spampinato Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: ABB Robotics Funding: The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) Overview: Robotics and automation have played a strategic role in manufacturing since half of the twentieth century. Today the competition at the global level ifs very tough, and the modern industries are identifying a clear trend towards more sustainable, flexible and cost efficient solutions, especially with respect to robotized processes. According to the European Robotics Technology Platform (EUROP) strategic research agenda (07/2009), lightweight robotics in manufacturing has been identified as one of the key factor to guarantee flexibility and cost savings, with huge impacts on the energy consumption. ABB, as one the biggest players in the robotics field, is not ignoring the new trend, that opens up new markets and new robot concepts, so the R&D is moving towards new research directions, and new academic collaborations. The objective of the project is to identify and validate new modular and lightweight solutions to structure the new generations of industrial robots where flexibility and energy saving are the main requirements against the current solutions. The expected results for the project are 1) Identification of the best strategies and methodologies to be used in lightweight and modular robotic structures, 2) Validation of the proposed solutions in terms of selected performance indexes, 3) Design and build one or two physical prototypes. ProDrive Leader: Mats Jackson Members: Joakim Fröberg Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: 2012 Partners: BAE Systems Hägglunds, Atlas Copco Funding: Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten) Overview: The overall objective of the ProDrive project is to develop a modular, standardized and configurable electric hybrid powertrain for heavy vehicles that will eventually be able to meet the needs of several vehicle manufacturers and automotive applications. ProDrive 1 includes identifying and analyzing the impact factors for the development of the powertrain product. Analysis will identify weaknesses and propose changes to working practices and supporting methods. The purpose is to deliver better information for making decisions regarding development of the product. The goal is to answer questions about how to define requirements on a system product, and to answer questions about how the system product scope is chosen, defined and maintained. The purpose of investigating and proposing methodological support is thus to provide tools to work effectively with the development of the systems product throughout its lifecycle. Produktionslyftet i Östra Mellansverige Leader: Antti Salonen, Anna Bird Members: Magnus Wiktorsson, Anders Hellström, Niklas Friedler, Martin Kurdve, Mats Jackson, Antti Salonen, Anna Bird Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Swerea IVF, Chalmers, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Engineering Jönköping University, Luleå University of Technology, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Mid Sweden University, University of Gävle, Mälardalen University, Teknikföretagen, IF Metall Funding: The Knowledge Foundation (KKS), VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems, Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket) Overview: Produktionslyftet is a Swedish national lean manufacturing initiative for small and medium sized enterprices (SMEs). By the involvement of 8 universities and the national coordination from the research institute Swerea IVF, SMEs are supported in their lean efforts. The program includes coaching, education and seminars. Produktionslyftet is funded by the KK Foundation, VINNOVA and Tillväxtverket. More information is found on

11 Innovation and Product Realisation 11 PROLOC - Manufacturing Footprint during the Product s Life Cycle Leader: Monica Bellgran Members: Monica Bellgran, Magnus Wiktorsson, Jessica Bruch, Carin Rösiö, Mohammed Salloum Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Lund University, Mälardalen University, Haldex AB, Alfa Laval, Seco Tools, Volvo CE Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems Overview: PROLOC is a three year research project funded by VINNOVA within the programme Production Strategies and Models for Product Realisation. The project is a joint project between Mälardalen University and Lund University (LU). It deals with production location and the manufacturing footprint of globally present manufacturing companies. A manufacturing strategy for tomorrow s successful industry has to consider an entire new set of aspects influencing the design of the manufacturing footprint. This research project will create a decision support model for efficient localisation by integrating aspects from the production system portfolio, the product portfolio life cycle and manufacturing performance into a combined valuation in economic terms. Relatonic simulation - a tool for organisational improvement: About emergence of organisation with interactions and relationships as a base for change Leader: Tomas Backström Research Group: Innovation Management Start: End: Partners: Municipalities in Mälardalen Funding: AFA Försäkring Overview: To maintain its fitness, organisations must adapt to the outside world. But reorganisations are difficult to implement without harming the business and those who work in it. The project will investigate how a particular simulation tool can be used to show the consequences of changes. The project will generate knowledge on work-integrated competence flows by focusing on the relationships within organisations and to develop a tool that describes, presents and simulates the impact of organisational changes. Development of simulation tool is in collaboration with municipalities. Several computer programs, including the so-called social network analysis, where you see who have relations with whom, are used. The goal is more healthy organisational change. SCEME Scenario for material efficiency Leader: Carina Sjödin Members: Carina Sjödin, Magnus Wiktorsson Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems Overview: This pre-study is based on foresight methodology to study product and residual materials related trends for manufacturing industry. The ultimate goal of a fullscale project is to develop methodology and to describe future needs as well as obstacles and enabling factors influencing the establishment of radically more efficient materials management in the industry, based on closed material flows. This work ties together expertise in product development with expertise in environmental analysis and foresight. It is in line with the call s section on Sustainable product realization and is based on the trends towards individualized offers, environmental consideration, material shortages and increasing integration of service and product offerings. The pre-study is led by researchers from Mälardalen University, where also students are involved. Ericsson, ABB, Volvo AB, Stena are important actors in surrounding projects that will be involved. Expertise in environmental systems and environmental economics from the University of Lund and Swerea IVF is also involved through surrounding projects. SIMGIC - Service Innovation Management in Global Industrial Companies Leader: Erik Lindhult Members: Erik Lindhult, Carina Sjödin, Christer Nygren, Tomas Backström, James Hazy, Gerald Midgley, Per Kristensson Research Group: Innovation Management Start: End: Partners: Ericsson Global Services Research, ABB Process Automation Funding: The Knowledge Foundation (KKS) Overview: The aim is improved theoretical and methodological knowledge on service innovation management in industrial companies. The project is focusing on the challenges in servitization: the innovation of an organization s capabilities, systems and processes to shift from selling products to selling integrated products and services that deliver value in use. The project study and contribute to servitization of Swedish global industrial companies, organizing corporate innovation systems for service innovation, and development of open, participatory and collaborative approach to innovation management appropriate for services. The theoretical aim is the development of complexity theory for service innovation management, using action research methodology to further improved understanding and facilitation of servitization.

12 12 Innovation and Product Realisation Stärkt samverkan - Increased collaboration Leader: Yvonne Eriksson Research Group: Design and Visualization Start: End: Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems Overview: The project aims for new knowledge about how universities can be managed strategically using indicators for greater collaboration and co-production. The work is based on the implementation of MDH s research and education strategy, earlier development work on indicators and research on management of co-production. Apart from MDH s ambition to establish itself as a pilot college in the area, is a general need to develop a general knowledge of management of higher education institutions towards greater collaboration and co-production. Wings of Innovation Leader: Helena Karlsson, Mikael Johnsson Members: Helena Karlsson, Mikael Johnsson, Thomas Karlsson, Anders Wikström Research Group: Innovation Management Start: End: Partners: Munktell Science Park (MSP), Calix AB, Eskilstuna Elektronikpartner AB, Helekopter Funding: Swedish savings bank foundation (Sparbanksstiftelsen Rekarne) Overview: Wings of Innovation strengthen companies capability to innovate new products, services and processes. The program s excepted result is that the participating companies adopt an innovative mind-set for a continuous increased innovation performance over time, both in knowledge and practical methodology. Munktell Science Park is an actor within the business and innovation knowledge area and supports the project with relevant competence. Wings of Innovation focus on leadership-, organisation-, creativity-, and practical development-related innovation work. XPRES Leader: Magnus Wiktorsson Members: Magnus Wiktorsson, Monica Bellgran, Mats Jackson, Åsa Lundkvist, Christer Johansson, Marcus Bengtsson, Antti Salonen, Erik Hellström, Sofi W Elfving, Jens von Axelson, Marcus Bjelkemyr, Giacomo Spampinato, Mats Deleryd Research Group: Product realisation Start: End: Partners: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Mälardalen University, Swerea Funding: Governmental funding from Strategic Research Area (SRA) initiative Overview: The initiative for Excellence in Production Research, XPRES, is a joint initiative between KTH, MDH and Swerea. XPRES was elected as one of two strategic initiatives within Manufacturing engineering in Sweden by the government in XPRES will establish a long term internationally competitive platform for production research to meet future challenges of world leading Swedish industry. By complementing each others scientific competences and roles, the unique research and education consortium of KTH, MDH and Swerea covers the fields of Production processes, Production systems and Digital engineering. The industrial partners represent world leading Swedish manufacturing industries including: heavy vehicle, machine, component manufacturing and aircraft.

13 Innovation and Product Realisation 13 Projects starting in 2013 EQUIP: User-Supplier integration in production equipment design Leader: Jessica Bruch, Monica Bellgran Members: Jessica Bruch, Monica Bellgran, Marcus Bengtsson, Carin Rösiö, Antti Salonen, Erik Dahlquist, Monica Bellgran Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Volvo CE, AstraZeneca, Siemens, Goodtech Solutions, GKN Drivelines, Griesser & Kunzmann GmbH & Co Funding: The Knowledge Foundation (KKS) Overview: EQUIP is a three year research project funded by KK foundation within the HÖG programme. The overall vision of the EQUIP project is to improve the preconditions for manufacturing companies to achieve sustainable and highly competitive production systems through integrating the unutilized potential of creating innovative and unique solutions by a closer and earlier integration between the user (the manufacturing company) and the supplier (of machines and production equipment) during these early design phases where requirements are specified and conceptual solutions are generated and evaluated. This will facilitate the industry in their efforts of creating sustainable and competitive production equipment. The expected main deliverable is an integrated production equipment design methodology to be used by users and equipment suppliers in order to increase creativity and innovation resulting in new solutions for sustainable and competitive production equipment. Partners in the 3-year project are Volvo CE, AstraZeneca, Siemens, Goodtech Solutions, GKN Drivelines, Griesser & Kunzmann GmbH & Co. Innovation gym Leader: Tomas Backström Members: Nina Bozic, Bengt Köping Olsson, Peter E Johansson Research Group: Innovation Management Start: End: Partners: Eskilstuna municipality, Munktell Science Park Funding: Sparbanken Rekarne, Eskilstuna municipality Overview: In the innovation gym, individuals, groups and organizations can get support in their innovation process and train their innovation skills. LEAD - Lean Automation Development Leader: Magnus Wiktorsson Members: Anna Granlund, Niklas Friedler, Sten Grahn, Magnus Wiktorsson, Erik Hellström Research Group: Product Realisation Start: End: Partners: Mälardalen University Innovatum AB, Robot Application Center, Volvo CE, Volvo GTO, Scania CV, LEAX Mekaniska AB, Haldex Brake Products, GKN Driveline, GKN Aerospace Sweden AB and SKF Sverige AB. Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems Overview: The process of developing automation is often time consuming, costly, and difficult to manage. This due to: insufficient procurements skills; difficulties deciding on appropriate solution; and unclear, unstructured, and poorly supported automation development process. The ideas of this reserach project is to adopt a lean perspective to the automation development processes. The objective is to develop support to the process of developing automation and hence contribute to sustainable automation solutions, with shorter and less resource demanding development processes, and higher return of investments. There are three work packages in the project: WP1: Improvement of the process of planning, developing and acquiring automation WP2: The development of an automation strategy model supporting automation decisions WP3: The standardization and specification of IT-support The expected result is besides acadmic publications an industrial automation handbook including models, methods, guidelines and tools that support the process of developing automation. Light. Touch. Matters Leader: Roberto Verganti Members: Roberto Verganti, Åsa Öberg, Caroline Blomberg, Claudio Dell Era Research Group: Innovation Management Start: End: Partners: Technische Universiteit Delft, Netherlands, Trend Union SAS, France, Diffus Design IS, Denmark, Fuelfor Design and consulting, Spain, Fjord Spain SLU, Spain, Pilotfish GmbH, Germany, Lamb Industries Ltd, United Kingdom, Minima Design Ltd, United Kingdom, Vanberlo BV, Netherlands, Grado Zero Espace SRL, Italy, Aito Interactive OY Finland, Material Connexion Italia SRI., Italy, Bax & Willems, Spain, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschapplijk Onderzoek TNO, Netherlands, Brunel University, United Kingdom, University College London, United Kingdom

14 14 Innovation and Product Realisation Funding: EC-FP7-NMP-2012-SME-6 Overview: In Light.Touch.Matters, product designers and material researchers will collaborate to jointly develop a fully new generation of smart materials that combine touch sensitivity with luminosity, based on latest developments in polymeric piezo materials and flexible OLEDs. Manufactured on plastic substrates, these novel light touch materials will be thin, flexible and formable, allowing seamless integration into products. They promise to greatly expand design freedom and unlock totally new modes of product-user interaction, enabling us to take the next step in product design: using touch sensitivity and luminosity to produce simple, affordable and intuitive user interfaces so that eventually the product becomes the user interface. Light.Touch.Matters focuses on products for care and well-being applications that can help consumers feel better, monitor or improve their health and increase comfort, such as rehabilitation aids, wearable alarms, and diet coaches, though we expect strong spin-off to other sectors. Light.Touch.Matters will use a proprietary design-driven research methodology based a comprehensive body of industrial product design knowledge that has been built up over the past decades. It consists of iterated cycles of materials-inspired and design-driven materials research with direct and prolonged design-researcher interaction, leading to a convergence of the conceptual designs and feasible materials in 4-6 interaction showcases. Analysis of results will include end user value, commercial value and environmental impact (LCA/critical materials). The design-driven research on integrated piezo plastics and OLEDs can directly contribute to innovation and competitiveness in a large number of related sectors, many of which are strategic to the EU: not only design, (health)care and consumer goods, but also the chemical, automotive and printing industries, as well as mechanical-, electrical-, packaging- and systems engineering. Reducing maintenance-related waste Leader: Monica Bellgran, Marcus Bengtsson Members: Marcus Bengtsson, Antti Salonen Research Group: Product Realisation Start: Start: Partners: Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Global Trucks Operations, Leax, Volvo Car Corporation, Dyna- Mate Industrial Services Funding: VINNOVA, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems Overview: The purpose of the project Reducing maintenance-related waste is to develop and test a generic methodology that facilitates systematic maintenancerelated waste reduction in Swedish automotive manufacturing industry. Multiple case studies will be carried out. The goal of the methodology is to optimize maintenance activities and cost based on the relationships between maintenance effectiveness and efficiency while taking into account indirect and direct maintenance cost. Music in Motion - A Project that combines Arts with Science Leader: Baran Cürüklü Members: Afshin Ameri E., Jennie Andersson Schaeffer, Baran Çürüklü Research Group: Design and Visualization Start: End: Overview: Music in Motion aims to develop a system, which can be installed on any artifact of choice and interacts with people surrounding it, by composing and playing a unique tailored melody (in a broad sense of the word) for them. It will also recognize when there are several people interacting with the system and assign different sounds to each person, this way people can collaborate with each other to create a soundscape together. (Jennie Andersson Schaeffer is part of the Design and Visualization group)

15 Innovation and Product Realisation 15 Staff at IPR Mats Ahlskog is an industrial at Mälardalen University in Innovation, Design and Engineering department. Mats has been working as a production engineer at Volvo GTO in Köping since 2007 and has become a member of INNOFACTURE research school since October His research interests are within Production Systems Design, New Product Development and Production Equipment Acqusition. Mats has received his M.Sc. in 2007 from Mälardalen University in the area of Electronics. Ahlskog, Mats, Peter Andersson is an industrial at ABB Offshore Wind Connections mainly situated in Gothenburg while pursuing his PhD in Eskilstuna, Mälardalen University. Peter is working on HVDC offshore platforms with respect to installation and production system development. Andersson, Peter, Jennie Andersson Schaeffer is a at IPR. Licentiate degree Lecturer information design Spatial design, School of Innovation, Design and Engineering (IDT), Mälardalen University. Part-time teaching and collaboration project in the area of Spatial Design Program coordinator Information Design Spatial Design. Responsible for the Spatial-design program in ground education and the team of teachers teaching at the program Lecturer Information Design Spatial design School of Innovation, Design and Engineering (IDT), Mälardalen University. Full time teaching and collaboration project in the area of Spatial Design Kopparlund-upper secondary school. Teacher fulltime in Graphic Design/ Exhibition. Andersson Schaeffer, Jennie,, Lecturer Narges Asadi is an industrial at Mälardalen University in Innovation, Design and Engineering department. Narges has been working as a research assistant at product Realization division since September 2011 and has become a member of INNOFACTURE research school since September Her research interests are within Production Systems and Product Development and she is currently involved in a research project on Product Requirements in Production Systems. Narges has received her M.Sc. in 2011 from Mälardalen University in the area of Product and Process Development and has a background in Industrial Engineering for her bachelor studies. Asadi, Narges,

16 16 Innovation and Product Realisation Karin is a doctoral student within Innovation and Design. Karin has long experience from working both strategically and operatively in different managing roles with matters concerning the University s co-operation and co-production with its surrounding community, both in the private and public sector, latest in her role as deputy vice-chancellor. She has also has done extensive work within innovation and entrepreneurship, as a head of division, lecturer and not least through her creation and development of Idélab at Mälardalen University, a creative meeting place and business incubator. She also has experience from starting up and managing her own business in the field of innovation, creativity and project management. Axelsson Karin, Tomas Backström has performed research in working life since 1982 as a part of multi disciplinary research units. Aims have been both high scientific quality and to give actionable knowledge to Swedish working life. His main focus has been on organizations with a high degree of participation and distribution of leadership to employees and phenomena like leadership, learning, creativity, culture and relatonics. Backström, Tomas, Professor Bellgran, Monica, Professor M.Sc. from Luleå Technical University, PhD in Assembly Technology at Linköping University of Technology 1998, Lecturer at Mid Sweden University, Part time senior researcher at Chalmers University of Technology, Adjunct Professor in Innovative Production Development at MDH , Full professor in Production Development at MDH campus Eskilstuna 2012 and ongoing. Has published a book on Production Development for Springer Verlag and Studentlitteratur. Industrial experience: Director of Production Technology and Systems at Haldex AB and Production Engineering Manager at Volvo Construction Equipment Involved in many national initiatives to strengthen the manufacturing field in Sweden, through the Swedish Engineering Association and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Science (IVA). Marcus Bengtsson is a researcher in maintenance management. He studied Mechanical Engineering Design at Mälardalen University, in Eskilstuna Sweden. He received a M.Sc. from Mälardalen University in 2002, and a PhD in 2007 for a thesis on implementation of condition based maintenance in industrial settings. Marcus is currently working at Mälardalen University as a Researcher and at Volvo Construction Equipment Operations Eskilstuna as a Maintenance Engineer, where he is responsible for the implementation of condition based maintenance within the maintenance organization. Bengtsson, Marcus, Researcher, PhD Anna has several years experience of project management in a research environment. She holds a masters degree from the Department of Management at London School of Economics and is currently undergoing the IPMA Project Management certification process. Bird, Anna, Research Coordinator

17 Innovation and Product Realisation 17 Marcus Bjelkemyr has been employed part-time as Post Doc in Product Realisation at MDH since 2011, the other part (40%) he is a Post Doc in Production Engineering at KTH. His research is focused on both complexity and sustainability in product realisation, and wrote his thesis on system-of-systems issues in production. Currently he is working on closed loops in product realisation, specifically towards remanufacturing and industrial waste management; and on production localization issues. Bjelkemyr, Marcus, Post Doc Erik Bjurström was born in 1966 and grew up in Malung, Dalecarlia. He studied theology in Uppsala and made his civil service in Congo before taking up business studies at Stockholm University and Kassel University, Germany. He worked as a business controller, consultant and operations analyst e.g. at the Karolinska hospital and the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) while entering into academic research, rendering a PhD from Uppsala University in His research interests have been broad and crossed over different, overlapping fields, such as: 1) Intellectual captial & Integrated reporting, especially in networks and different cultural contexts, 2) The meaning of lean and quality work as expressions of management control, 3) Business & intelligence (including methodology) in an ill-structured world. Bjurström, Erik, Caroline Blomberg joined Mälardalen University in 2012 as a Research Coordinator at the School of Innovation, Design and Engineering. Caroline comes from a position as an International Coordinator at the City Executive Office at Västerås stad, working with internationalisation strategically for the municipality. Before that she worked as Director for the International Exchange Unit at Stockholm University ( ) and as Head of the International Office at Stockholm Institute of Education ( ). Caroline holds a MSc. in Business Administration from Mälardalen University. Blomberg, Caroline, Research Coordinator Catarina Bojesson is a at Innovation and Product Realization in collaboration with Bombardier Transportation. She received her MSc degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from Lund University in 2010 and has been a part of the Innofacture research school since Her research currently focuses on development efficiency and how it can be increased by finding the right balance and linkages between the areas of internal efficiency, external effectiveness, and process improvements. Bojesson, Catarina, Nina Bozic is a at Mälardalen University in the field of innovation. She graduated in marketing and communications at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. She later worked as communications responsible at the publishing house Sanje, as a management consultant at Deloitte and director of CEED Slovenia (Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development). In 2010 she started to collaborate with Mälardalen University which resulted in starting a PhD in September Within her PhD she researches how companies can develop innovation capacity towards more radical innovation, especially by developing a special type of mindset and leadership. Her specific niche is to try to use principles, knowledge and tools from creative processes of performing artists to help companies improve their innovation mindset and leadership. Bozic, Nina,

18 18 Innovation and Product Realisation Anette Brannemo is an industrial at Volvo Construction Equipment Components AB in Eskilstuna, Mälardalen University. Anette is working on sourcing and subcontracting issues and is a project leader for industrialization issues. Her research is focused on developing a decision model that will support industry to take more analyzed decisions about sourcing. Brannemo, Anette, Jessica Bruch was born in 1981 in Schotten, Germany. She was awarded a M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering and Management in 2006, a Licentiate in Engineering in 2009, and a PhD in Production Development in She currently works as a Post-Doc at the department of Product Realisation at Mälardalen University. Besides research and education Jessica is also a member of the Mälardalens Industrial Technology Center (MITC). Bruch, Jessica, Post Doc Carlsson, Anna-Lena, Lecturer Anna-Lena Carlsson is a senior lecturer and reseracher in Information Design, at Visualisation and Design, Mälardalen University. She received her PhD in Aesthetic at UppsalaUniversity 2005 and held a post doc, financed from NOS-H and Rausings stiftelse, She has been involved in/ written papers on Nietzsche and aesthetics; Nietzsche and entrepreneurship; aesthetic and poietic elements in Information design; and artistic visualisations in manufactory industry. She is currently on the Board of Nordic Society of Aesthetics and a member in the management team for the research school Innofacture. She teaches courses in Science & Design, Research Process, and Text Design and is a coordinator for the PhD Education program Innovation and Design at MDH. She is also a supervisor for a. Stefan Cedergren is a senior researcher within the Software Engineering Laboratory. He defended his PhD thesis Performance in product development - the case of complex products in January 2011 and he received an M.Sc. in applied physics and electrical engineering from Linköping University His current research is funded by the KK foundation together with Volvo Construction Equipment. The overall aim of his research is to develop methods and tools for effectively managing performance in the development of complex products. Especially focusing on improving the processes and tools needed to handle future complexity. Cedergren, Stefan, Associate Senior Lecturer Cürüklü Baran, Senior Lecturer Baran is a member of the Computational perception laboratory. He received his PhD from MDH in April His thesis supervisor was Prof. Anders Lansner, Computational neuroscience and Neurocomputing Laboratory, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. After working at MDH until October 2005, as a researcher, he joined the Computer Vision and Pattern Analysis Lab, headed by Prof. Aytül Erçil, Sabanci U., Istanbul, Turkey, as a postdoc. The researched conducted at the VPALAB was on driver fatigue. In April 2007 he joined the Ivanka Savic Berglund Group, Karolinska Inst. as a postdoc. He returned to MDH in August 2007 as a senior lecturer and is also director of studies since His main research interests are information processing in the brain, and human-robot interaction.

19 Innovation and Product Realisation 19 Ann-Catrin Davis joined the School of Innovation, Design and Engineering in 2013 as a Project Manager. Ann-Catrin joined Mälardalen University in 2002 and comes from a position as an International Liaison Officer and Project Manager at the International Division, working with internationalisation support for the four Schools. Before that she lived and worked in Lichtenstein, Germany and the U.S. and has an educational background in Political Science, Economic History and History (University of Gothenburg & SCC, Seattle). Davis, Ann-Catrin, Project Manager Mats is Professor in Product - and Process Development (with responsibility of Quality - and Organizational development). He has a PhD in the field of Quality Management from Luleå University of Technology, Mats Deleryd is employed as Senior Vice President Quality Development, Environmental Care & Safety at Volvo Construction Equipement. Since 2004 he has been employed part-time at Mälardalen University (MDH) at the School of Innovation, Design and Technology. Deleryd, Mats, Professor Petra is a in Innovation and design. She studied the Innovation management program in Eskilstuna, and Bangkok, Thailand. She received a B.Sc. in Occupational Psychology in 2007, and a M.Sc. in Innovation Management in Large multinationals continually innovate to produce products and services that meet the needs of a global market, and techniques such as offshoring and outsourcing are used to distribute work across multiple sites. This requires them to address organisational and cultural aspects when coordinating distributed product development activities. Current research investigates the emergence of offshoring strategies, the interpretation of these strategies on different levels of the firm and the ways companies secure organisational knowledge during global restructuring. Edoff, Petra, Sten Ekman is senior researcher in Innovation Science & Management with focus on design inspired innovation and innovation management. He holds a PhD from The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) with research in Sweden and Japan. He has been head of department of Innovation, Design and Product Development (IDP) , initiated and implemented a multiscientific milieu and was therefore awardedt - the entrepreneur of the year in academic leadershipt - in Sweden in He is co-author of the bookt - Design Inspired Innovationt - (2006) together with partners in USA, UK and Italy. Currently he is co-leader of the DeVIP research project on design and innovation and collaborating with Indian, US and Italian partners on design, creativity, innovation and management since Ekman, Sten, Senior Lecturer Sofi earned her PhD in Innovation & Design in 2007 on the topic Collaborative Product Development. From 2007 to 2011 she was working as a consultant within Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) in Telecom industry. In 2010 Sofi returned to academia and is now combining her position as Senior Services Research at Ericsson AB with a post doc position at MDH within Product Development. Elfving, Sofi W, Post Doc

20 20 Innovation and Product Realisation Joakim Eriksson is a PhD Post-Doc since 2012 at Mälardalen University. His research focuses on bringing decision sciences into research on complex product development project management. Specifically, the research aims at providing insight into decision-making behaviour in management of project deviations. In addition, he has been working within concept development methodology and co-founded a consultancy in 2004, working with clients on creativity increasing programs in early phases of product development projects. Eriksson, Joakim, PhD Post-Doc Pelle is a cinematographer. He earned his MA degree from Stanford University in 2003 in Communication. Employed as a lecturer in videomaking and documentary filmmaking at Högskolan Dalarna since Since 2009 Pelle is a in Design and Visualization at MDH. Eriksson, Pelle, Eriksson, Yvonne, Professor Yvonne Eriksson is Professor in Information Design. She is in charge of the group Design and Visualisation. She studied at Tema Kommunikation at Linköping University and she received a PhD in Art History at Göteborg University She has been working at the Department of Art History and Visual Studies at Göteborg University, Växjö University and at the Swedish Library of Talking Books and Braille. She has been chair of the art magazine Paletten and is board member of The Swedish Braille Authority. Yvonne Eriksson is a member of Riksbankens Jubileumsfonds (RJ) working committee. The main interest for her research is visual communication, and especially the perceptual and cognitive processes that are involved in interpretation of visuals and build milieus. One focus area for her research is gender issue in relation to visual studies. Björn Fagerström works as general manager at Inocean Sweden AB and has been adjunct professor at MDH since Björns main research interest is directed towards product planning, project management, decision making, product structuring and R&D management. Björn works as supervisor for s, but he is also guest teacher in some courses within product development. Björn has also been responsible for several PhD courses within research methodology. He also works with research funding. Fagerström, Björn, Adjunct Professor Ulrika Florins research is focusing both artistic problems and on themes linked to society. Her project leading experience and involvement in great projects such as The Art Break Project has given her opportunity to study processes, among artists and academics together. The Art Break Project (Projekt Konstpaus) is a development project partially financed by the European Union (EU). The project team consisted of several artists, and academics such as archaeologists, cultural geographers, biologists and geologists. The main objective of the project is to provide the basis for the construction of a culturally inspired walking and bicycle path designed with artistic character influenced primarily by the municipality s extensive nature/cultural heritage. Florin, Ulrika,