Gashi Milot, Gursch Heimo, Hinterbichler Hannes, Pichler Stefan, Lindstaedt Stefanie , Thalmann Stefan
2022
Predictive Maintenance (PdM) is one of the most important applications of advanced data science in Industry 4.0, aiming to facilitate manufacturing processes. To build PdM models, sufficient data, such as condition monitoring and maintenance data of the industrial application, are required. However, collecting maintenance data is complex and challenging as it requires human involvement and expertise. Due to time constrains, motivating workers to provide comprehensive labeled data is very challenging, and thus maintenance data are mostly incomplete or even completely missing. In addition to these aspects, a lot of condition monitoring data-sets exist, but only very few labeled small maintenance data-sets can be found. Hence, our proposed solution can provide additional labels and offer new research possibilities for these data-sets. To address this challenge, we introduce MEDEP, a novel maintenance event detection framework based on the Pruned Exact Linear Time (PELT) approach, promising a low false-positive (FP) rate and high accuracy results in general. MEDEP could help to automatically detect performed maintenance events from the deviations in the condition monitoring data. A heuristic method is proposed as an extension to the PELT approach consisting of the following two steps: (1) mean threshold for multivariate time series and (2) distribution threshold analysis based on the complexity-invariant metric. We validate and compare MEDEP on the Microsoft Azure Predictive Maintenance data-set and data from a real-world use case in the welding industry. The experimental outcomes of the proposed approach resulted in a superior performance with an FP rate of around 10% on average and high sensitivity and accuracy results.
Thalmann Stefan, Fessl Angela, Pammer-Schindler Viktoria
2020
Digitization is currently one of the major factors changing society and the business world. Most research focused on the technical issues of this change, but also employees and especially the way how they learn changes dramatically. In this paper, we are interested in exploring the perspectives of decision makers in huge manufacturing companies on current challenges in organizing learning and knowledge distribution in digitized manufacturing environments. Moreover, weinvestigated the change process and challenges of implementing new knowledge and learning processes.To this purpose, we have conducted 24 interviews with senior representatives of large manufacturing companies from Austria, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Our exploratory study shows that decision makers perceive significant changes in work practice of manufacturing due to digitization and they currently plan changes in organizational training and knowledge distribution processes in response. Due to the lack of best practices, companies focus verymuch on technological advancements. The delivery of knowledge just-in-time directly into work practice is afavorite approach. Overall, digital learning services are growing and new requirements regarding compliance,quality management and organisational culture arise.
Kaiser Rene_DB, Thalmann Stefan, Pammer-Schindler Viktoria, Fessl Angela
2020
Organisations participate in collaborative projects that include competitors for a number of strategic reasons, even whilst knowing that this requires them to consider both knowledge sharing and knowledge protection throughout collaboration. In this paper, we investigated which knowledge protection practices representatives of organizations employ in a collaborative research and innovation project that can be characterized as a co-opetitive setting. We conducted a series of 30 interviews and report the following seven practices in structured form: restrictive partner selection in operative project tasks, communication through a gatekeeper, to limit access to a central platform, to hide details of machine data dumps, to have data not leave a factory for analysis, a generic model enabling to hide usage parameters, and to apply legal measures. When connecting each practice to a priori literature, we find three practices focussing on collaborative data analytics tasks had not yet been covered so far.
Fruhwirth Michael, Pammer-Schindler Viktoria, Thalmann Stefan
2019
Data plays a central role in many of today's business models. With the help of advanced analytics, knowledge about real-world phenomena can be discovered from data. This may lead to unintended knowledge spillover through a data-driven offering. To properly consider this risk in the design of data-driven business models, suitable decision support is needed. Prior research on approaches that support such decision-making is scarce. We frame designing business models as a set of decision problems with the lens of Behavioral Decision Theory and describe a Design Science Research project conducted in the context of an automotive company. We develop an artefact that supports identifying knowledge risks, concomitant with design decisions, during the design of data-driven business models and verify knowledge risks as a relevant problem. In further research, we explore the problem in-depth and further design and evaluate the artefact within the same company as well as in other companies.
Thalmann Stefan, Gursch Heimo, Suschnigg Josef, Gashi Milot, Ennsbrunner Helmut, Fuchs Anna Katharina, Schreck Tobias, Mutlu Belgin, Mangler Jürgen, Huemer Christian, Lindstaedt Stefanie
2019
Current trends in manufacturing lead to more intelligent products, produced in global supply chains in shorter cycles, taking more and complex requirements into account. To manage this increasing complexity, cognitive decision support systems, building on data analytic approaches and focusing on the product life cycle, stages seem a promising approach. With two high-tech companies (world market leader in their domains) from Austria, we are approaching this challenge and jointly develop cognitive decision support systems for three real world industrial use cases. Within this position paper, we introduce our understanding of cognitive decision support and we introduce three industrial use cases, focusing on the requirements for cognitive decision support. Finally, we describe our preliminary solution approach for each use case and our next steps.
Pammer-Schindler Viktoria, Thalmann Stefan, Fessl Angela, Füssel Julia
2018
Traditionally, professional learning for senior professionalsis organized around face-2-face trainings. Virtual trainingsseem to offer an opportunity to reduce costs related to traveland travel time. In this paper we present a comparative casestudy that investigates the differences between traditionalface-2-face trainings in physical reality, and virtualtrainings via WebEx. Our goal is to identify how the way ofcommunication impacts interaction between trainees,between trainees and trainers, and how it impactsinterruptions. We present qualitative results fromobservations and interviews of three cases in differentsetups (traditional classroom, web-based with allparticipants co-located, web-based with all participants atdifferent locations) and with overall 25 training participantsand three trainers. The study is set within one of the BigFour global auditing companies, with advanced seniorauditors as learning cohort
d'Aquin Mathieu , Kowald Dominik, Fessl Angela, Thalmann Stefan, Lex Elisabeth
2018
The goal of AFEL is to develop, pilot and evaluate methods and applications, which advance informal/collective learning as it surfaces implicitly in online social environments. The project is following a multi-disciplinary, industry-driven approach to the analysis and understanding of learner data in order to personalize, accelerate and improve informal learning processes. Learning Analytics and Educational Data Mining traditionally relate to the analysis and exploration of data coming from learning environments, especially to understand learners' behaviours. However, studies have for a long time demonstrated that learning activities happen outside of formal educational platforms, also. This includes informal and collective learning usually associated, as a side effect, with other (social) environments and activities. Relying on real data from a commercially available platform, the aim of AFEL is to provide and validate the technological grounding and tools for exploiting learning analytics on such learning activities. This will be achieved in relation to cognitive models of learning and collaboration, which are necessary to the understanding of loosely defined learning processes in online social environments. Applying the skills available in the consortium to a concrete set of live, industrial online social environments, AFEL will tackle the main challenges of informal learning analytics through 1) developing the tools and techniques necessary to capture information about learning activities from (not necessarily educational) online social environments; 2) creating methods for the analysis of such informal learning data, based on combining feature engineering and visual analytics with cognitive models of learning and collaboration; and 3) demonstrating the potential of the approach in improving the understanding of informal learning, and the way it is better supported; 4) evaluate all the former items in real world large scale applications and platforms.
Hasitschka Peter, Sabol Vedran, Thalmann Stefan
2017
Industry 4.0 describes the digitization and the interlinkingof companies working together in a supply chain [1]. Thereby,the digitization and the interlinking does not only affects themachines and IT infrastructure, rather also the employees areaffected [3]. The employees have to acquire more and morecomplex knowledge within a shorter period of time. To copewith this challenge, the learning needs to be integrated into thedaily work practices, while the learning communities shouldmap the organizational production networks [2]. Such learningnetworks support the knowledge exchange and joint problemsolving together with all involved parties [4]. However, insuch communities not all involved actors are known and hencesupport to find the right learning material and peers is needed.Nowadays, many different learning environments are usedin the industry. Their complexity makes it hard to understandwhether the system provides an optimal learning environment.The large number of learning resources, learners and theiractivities makes it hard to identify potential problems inside alearning environment. Since the human visual system providesenormous power for discovering patterns from data displayedusing a suitable visual representation [5], visualizing such alearning environment could provide deeper insights into itsstructure and activities of the learners.Our goal is to provide a visual framework supporting theanalysis of communities that arise in a learning environment.Such analysis may lead to discovery of information that helpsto improve the learning environment and the users’ learningsuccess.
Geiger Manfred, Waizenegger Lena, Treasure-Jones Tamsin, Sarigianni Christina, Maier Ronald, Thalmann Stefan, Remus Ulrich
2017
Research on information system (IS) adoption and resistance has accumulatedsubstantial theoretical and managerial knowledge. Surprisingly, the paradox that end userssupport and at the same time resist use of an IS has received relatively little attention. Theinvestigation of this puzzle, however, is important to complement our understanding ofresistant behaviours and consequently to strengthen the explanatory power of extanttheoretical constructs on IS resistance. We investigate an IS project within the healthcare ...
Thalmann Stefan, Thiele Janna, Manhart Markus, Virnes Marjo
2017
This study explored the application scenarios of a mobile app called Ach So! forworkplace learning of construction work apprentices. The mobile application was used forpiloting new technology-enhanced learning practices in vocational apprenticeship trainingat construction sites in Finland and in a training center in Germany. Semi-structured focusgroup interviews were conducted after the pilot test periods. The interview data served asthe data source for the concept-driven framework analysis that employed theoretical ...
Thalmann Stefan, Larrazábal Jorge, Pammer-Schindler Viktoria, Kreuzthaler Armin, Fessl Angela
2017
n times of globalization, also workforce needs to be able to go global. This holds true especially for technical experts holding an exclusive expertise. Together with a global manufacturing company, we addressed the challenge of being able to send staff into foreign countries for managing technical projects in the foreign language. We developed a language learning concept that combines a language learning platform with conventional individual but virtually conducted coaching sessions. In our use case, we developed this ...
Thalmann Stefan, Pammer-Schindler Viktoria
2017
Aktuelle Untersuchungen zeigen einerseits auf, dass der Mensch weiterhin eine zentrale Rolle in der Industrie spielt. Andererseits ist aber auch klar, dass die Zahl der direkt in der Produktion beschäftigten Mitarbeter sinken wird. Die Veränderung wird dahin gehen, dass der Mensch weniger gleichförmige Prozese bearbeitet, stattdessen aber in der Lage sein muss, sich schnell ändernden Arbeitstätigkeiten azupassen und individualisierte Fertigungsprozesse zu steuern. Die Reduktion der Mitarbeiter hat jedoch auch eine Reduktion von Redunanzen zur Folge. Dies führt dazu, dass dem Einzelnen mehr Verantwortung übertragen wird. Als Folge haben Fehlentscheidungen eine görßere Tragweite und bedeuten somit auch ein höheres Risikio. Der Erfolg einer Industrie 4.0 Kampagne wird daher im Wesentlichen von den Anpassungsfähigkeiten der Mitarbeiter abhängen.
Pammer-Schindler Viktoria, Fessl Angela, Weghofer Franz, Thalmann Stefan
2017
Die Digitalisierung der Industrie wird aktuell sehr stark aus technoogischer Sicht betrachtet. Aber auch für den Menschen ergebn sich vielfältige Herausforderungen in dieser veränderten Arbeitsumgebung. Sie betreffen hautsächlich das Lernen von benötigtem Wissen.
Pammer-Schindler Viktoria, Fessl Angela, Wiese Michael, Thalmann Stefan
2017
Financial auditors routinely search internal as well as public knowledge bases as part of the auditing process. Efficient search strategies are crucial for knowledge workers in general and for auditors in particular. Modern search technology quickly evolves; and features beyond keyword search like fac-etted search or visual overview of knowledge bases like graph visualisations emerge. It is therefore desirable for auditors to learn about new innovations and to explore and experiment with such technologies. In this paper, we present a reflection intervention concept that intends to nudge auditors to reflect on their search behaviour and to trigger informal learning in terms of by trying out new or less frequently used search features. The reflection intervention concept has been tested in a focus group with six auditors using a mockup. Foremost, the discussion centred on the timing of reflection interventions and how to raise mo-tivation to achieve a change in search behaviour.
Thalmann Stefan, Manhart Markus
2016
Organizations join networks to acquire external knowledge. This is especially important for SMEs since they often lack resources and are dependent on external knowledge to achieve and sustain competitive advantage. However, finding the right balance between measures facilitating knowledge sharing and measures protecting knowledge is a challenge. Whilst sharing is the raison d’être of networks, neglecting knowledge protection can be also detrimental to network, e.g., lead to one-sided skimming of knowledge. We identified four practices SMEs currently apply to balance protection of competitive knowledge and knowledge sharing in the network: (a) share in subgroups with high trust, (b) share partial aspects of the knowledge base, (c) share with people with low proximities, and (d) share common knowledge and protect the crucial. We further found that the application of the practices depends on the maturity of the knowledge. Further, we discuss how the practices relate to organizational protection capabilities and how the network can provide IT to support the development of these capabilities.
Thalmann Stefan, Ilvonen Ilona, Manhart Markus , Sillaber Christian
2016
New ways of combining digital and physical innovations, as well as intensified inter-organizational collaborations, create new challenges to the protection of organizational knowledge. Existing research on knowledge protection is at an early stage and scattered among various research domains. This research-in-progress paper presents a plan for a structured literature review on knowledge protection, integrating the perspectives of the six base domains of knowledge, strategic, risk, intellectual property rights, innovation, and information technology security management. We define knowledge protection as a set of capabilities comprising and enforcing technical, organizational, and legal mechanisms to protect tacit and explicit knowledge necessary to generate or adopt innovations.
Fessl Angela, Thalmann Stefan
In times of globalization, also workforce needs to be able to go global. This holds true especially for technical experts holding an exclusive expertise. Together with a global manufacturing company, we addressed the challenge of being able to send staff into foreign countries for managing technical projects in the foreign language. We developed a socio-technical language learning concept that combines an online language learning platform with gamification features and conventional individual but virtually conducted coaching sessions. We report from a project we conducted with an international manufacturing company in which native Spanish speakers learned English within two months. The approach was tested in a four weeks trial with 10 participants.The target audience for this talk are HR-professionals, educational technologists and all people interested in language learning. We expect that our talk will spark discussions about the combination of ICT mediated learning and f-to-f learning in language learning and also about the role of gamification in this process.