The University of Alabama in Huntsville's Industrial & Systems Engineering and Engineering Management (ISEEM) department will be presenting research at the Southeast Symposium on Contemporary Engineering Topics (SSCET) event this Friday, August 26, at Jackson State University in Mississippi. The SSCET provides a forum for regional universities and industry to discuss engineering challenges, innovations, best practices, and research, as well a networking opportunities between thought leaders, researchers, and practitioners.
ISEEM professors Dr. Paul Collopy (Chair) and Dr. Bryan Mesmer, along with graduate research assistant Giulia Palma, will present their current research on the use of modeling and storytelling in systems. "We'll be talking about the importance of how stakeholder preferences are communicated," says Dr. Collopy.
Under the advisement of Dr. Mesmer, Palma's research explores the benefits of using storytelling to understand the characteristics that make it an effective tool in the communication process.
“This process is extremely important to the success of a system and it is unfortunately quite hard to understand. Current methods of communicating are limited by the means in which information is expressed and distributed,” says Palma.
Documentation-focused communication methods that focus on requirements and constraints do not fully convey the stakeholders’ and engineers’ needs, which all too often result in cost overruns and schedule delays. “Preference communication is key for systems and design engineers where benefits can be seen by adopting storytelling methods such as the dramatic curve and drama triangle,” says Palma.
She will be presenting an overview of how communication happens right now, and how and why storytelling would be beneficial to preference communication.
