Multi-agent system for simulation of team behaviour in product development.

doctoral thesis

• Title (croatian): Višeagentski sustav za simulaciju ponašanja tima u razvoju proizvoda.
• Author: Marija Majda Perišić
• Mentor: Vedran Podobnik (mentor)
• Mentor: Mario Štorga (komentor)
• Committee member: Vedran Podobnik (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Mario Štorga (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing; (Department of Telecommunications); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2020, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: TECHNICAL SCIENCES; Computing; Information Systems
• Universal decimal classification (UDC): 004 - Computer science and technology. Computing. Data processing

Abstract

Teams play a crucial role in many product development activities. However, teams – as complex socio-technical systems – are challenging to study in a real-world setting. Computational models and simulations offer easily controllable and cost-effective tools for supporting team studies, and prove especially valuable in studies on the sufficient conditions for the emergence of various team properties and behaviours. As a consequence, computational models offer a possible explanation of the observed phenomena and provide means for theory-testing and hypothesis generation. Thus, this work develops a computational model of team behaviour in product development with the aim of enabling computational studies of team learning and adaptation. The dissertation develops a multi-agent system capable of representing various aspects of product development teams. Building on the existing theories, empirical studies and current teamwork models, the thesis derives a detail theoretical model of a designer, its cognition, its tasks, and interactions with others. The thesis implements the theoretical model in a multi-agent system directed at studies of the emergence of team properties and behaviours – in particular, team learning and adaptation. Extensive testing of the derived computational model concludes the goal of obtaining a multi-purpose research tool for studies of product development teams and confirms the appropriateness of the chosen simulation technique – agent-based modelling – for the intended research goal.

Abstract (croatian)

Timovi imaju važnu ulogu u mnogim aktivnostima razvoja proizvoda, no istraživanja timova u stvarnom okruženju dugotrajna su te izuzetno zahtjevna. Računalni modeli i simulacije omogućavaju izvršavanje velikog broja ispitivanja u kratkom vremenu, a posebno su pogodni za istraživanja kompleksnih sustava poput timova. Računalni modeli omogućavaju ispitivanje dovoljnosti uvjeta za pojavu raznih timskih svojstava i ponašanja koja proizlaze iz interakcija članova tima, nudeći objašnjenje uočenih pojava te pružajući sredstvo za testiranje postojećih teorija i stvaranje hipoteza. U ovom radu razvijen je računalni model ponašanja tima u razvoju proizvoda s ciljem omogućavanja simulacijskih studija timskog učenja i prilagodbe. U radu je razvijen višeagentski sustav za simulaciju ponašanja tima u razvoju proizvoda. Oslanjajući se na teorije, empirijske studije i postojeće modele timskog rada, u disertaciji je opisan teorijski model člana razvojnog tima s posebnim naglaskom na prikaz njegovih kognitivnih procesa, teorijski model konstrukcijskih problema te model interakcija među članovima tima u razvoju proizvoda. Na temelju teorijskog modela izrađen je računalni prototip čija je svrha proučavanje raznih timskih svojstava, a posebice timskog učenja i adaptacije. Opsežnim testiranjem razvijenog računalnog modela omogućeno je postizanje cilja ovog rada: stvaranje višenamjenskog istraživačkog alata za proučavanje timova u razvoju proizvoda te je potvrđena prikladnost odabrane tehnike simulacije – modeliranja zasnovanog na agentima – za ostvarenje navedenog cilja.

• Keywords: Agent-based modelling and simulations; product development teams; emergent team properties; team learning; team adaptation
• Keywords (croatian): Modeliranje i simulacije zasnovane na agentima; timovi u razvoju proizvoda; svojstva tima koja proizlaze iz interakcija njegovih članova; timsko učenje; timska prilagodba.
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:168:941029
• Promotion: 2020
• Study programme: Title: Computer Science; Study programme type: university; Study level: postgraduate; Academic / professional title: Doktor znanosti (Doktor znanosti)
• Catalog URL: https://lib.fer.hr:8443/cgi-bin/koha/catalogue/detail.pl?biblionumber=51852
• Type of resource: Text
• Extent: 237 str.
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access; Embargo expiration date: 2022-07-01
• Created on: 2020-09-14 14:55:01