Conference heron::euro_swas_ai

237.0. "AI-IST Business Plan" by YIPPEE::JONES () Wed Oct 17 1990 09:46

	Attached is the AI-IST Business Plan for your information (8 pages).
    
    	AI-IST is basically the same group that has existed in Valbonne for
    	a number of years now, the difference being that we are now part
    	of EIS (allowing us to take advantage that infrastructure provides)
    	and that a major focus is now on customer projects/activities.

    	We will be discussing this as part of the forthcoming Competency
    	Circle, and we can hopefully have some informal discussions at
    	the same time to see how we can best collaborate in the future.
    
    	Any comments welcomed, both at the CC and/or in replies here.
    
    	Steve
    



                        CROSS INDUSTRIES EIC

                        AI-IST BUSINESS PLAN
                              FY91-FY92


	1. OPPORTUNITY AND OBJECTIVES

		1.1 Mission
		1.2 Markets and Business Opportunity
		1.3 Objectives

	2. METHODOLOGY

		2.1 Strategies
		2.2 Linkages and Dependancies
		2.3 Services Available
		2.4 Supporting Activities

	3. RESOURCES REQUIRED

		3.1 Human
		3.2 Financial
		3.3 Other

	APPENDIX A AI-IST CUSTOMER PROJECT FORECAST

	APPENDIX B AI-IST FINANCIAL FORECAST







							Version 2.2 
							28 September 1990


			CROSS INDUSTRIES EIC

			AI-IST BUSINESS PLAN
			      FY91-FY92


	1. OPPORTUNITY AND OBJECTIVES

	1.1 Mission

		Provide and maintain a centre of advanced expertise in
	Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support customer activities
	enabling Digital and its customers to take advantage of and to 
	apply the technology effectively, thus contributing to Digital's 
	revenue goals.


	1.2 Markets and Business Opportunity

		The wise investment in technology is no longer just a means
	of improving productivity; in an ever more demanding business
	environment, technology must now be used as a means of gaining
	competitive edge (e.g. by offering new services or reducing time
	to market). Many of Digital's existing and potential customers have
	realised this and are now looking for ways (in many cases further ways,
	since they have already begun to apply the technology) to apply AI
	technology to their business.

		Until recently, AI tended to be apart from the more
	conventional IT infrastructure, causing limitations both in the
	IT deployed and in the widespread acceptance of AI technology. Now, 
	many aspects of AI technology have passed into the mainstream of IT,
	and it is essentially through an integrated approach of conventional
	plus AI (embedded) that the right solutions can be achieved. We rarely
	now talk of AI applications/systems; instead, it is often by the 
    	addition of an AI component to a conventional application that 
	significant benefits are realised.

		The technology is applicable to, and already being used in,
	all markets: from scientific and aerospace for e.g. real-time control,
	through telcomms and manufacturing to service industries where
	particularly complex business problems, hitherto unable to be solved/
	automated effectively, are now finding solutions via AI technology.



	1.3 Objectives

		Revenue Generation
		o Stimulate and satisfy the needs for customer activities
	(projects and consultancy), achieving the IST's business goals
	thus making a positive impact to Digital's revenue.

		Promotion
		o Ensure wide visibility and understanding of the AI-IST
	competencies and services, throughout the regional/account teams
	in Europe.

		Re-useable Platforms
		o Through the customer project activities, contribute to
	Digital's available re-useable platforms either via ASSETS (PASS)
	and/or via special expertise in customer application areas.

		Technology Transfer
		o Increase the expertise/capability in the field EIS
	organisation in the practical use of AI technology.

		Expertise
		o Maintain a highly motivated group of specialists in 
	the field of AI, ensuring that the group is continually in an
	advanced state with emerging technologies.




	2. METHODOLOGY

	2.1 Strategies

	2.1.1 Promotion

		o Planned presentation of AI-IST capabilities and services
	to targeted regional/account teams.
			Metric: 30 presentations made resulting in 15 customer
				projects. 5 account teams to have AI focus
				and expertise as part of their account plan.

		o Identify and pursue appropriate Sales and Marketing Forums
	(Executive Events) where the AI-IST can participate: 1). as a leverage
	in the objectives of that forum; 2). as a means of identifying
	customer contacts/leads.
			Metric: Participate in 5 forums resulting in 2
				customer projects.

		o Set-up and run AI Customer Seminars twice yearly as a means
	of responding to customer needs/interest in this area whilst at the
	same time stimulating interest in new areas (technology, application)
	for collaboration on customer projects.
			Metric: 5 customer projects resulting plus one 
				seminar to be paid by attendees.

		o Promotion and publication of AI-IST services/success stories 
	via appropriate media (Sales Update, EIS Journal, trade shows etc.)
			Metric: One article in DECsell. AI demos in customer
			centres.

	2.1.2 Revenue Generation

		o Provide consulting services and delivery of customer
	solutions in response to field demand.
			Metric: End FY91 50% of AI-IST costs (Q2-Q4) funded by
				customer (revenue) activites; end calendar 1991
				moving to 70%.

		o Customer demand in excess of available resources.
			Metric: sufficient past record of success and backlog
				of customer demand to justify continued, and
				eventually increased, investment in AI-IST
				for FY93 budget cycle.

		o Collaboration on customer projects with other ISTs e.g.
	Imaging and Mapping.
			Metric: 3 cross-IST/cross-industry customer projects 
				initiated.

		o Support the European AI Business Fellowship program.
			Metric: Ability to meet the demand generated by 
				this program, having the resources in place
				to manage customer apprenticeship activities.


	2.1.3 Re-useable Platforms/Products     

		o Deliver improved AI tools to the EIS field organisation.
			Metric: 4 AI tools/environments into ASSETS (PASS).

		o Focus on specific application domains where we can 
	capitalise on our expertise and at the same time increase the 
	opportunity for customer projects/solutions based on a standard shell.
			Metric: 2 focus areas (scheduling, intelligent 
				information retrieval) with a product
				strategy identified.

	
	2.1.4 Technology Transfer 

		o Ensure as far as possible that each customer development
	project in which the AI-IST is involved has the active participation
	of a local EIS specialist.
			Metric: 80% of the customer projects involve 
				development collaboration between AI-IST and
				local EIS, resulting in increased local 
				AI capabilities.

		o Set-up and run an effective and dynamic AI Competency Circle,
	both as a means of sharing knowledge and as an effective channel for
	customer activities.
			Metric: Vibrant and active participation both at the
				formal meetings plus outside via notes etc.

		

	2.1.5 Expertise

		o Ensure the AI-IST is on the forefront of understanding 
	and applying emerging AI technologies.
			Metric: Ability to meet customer demand in our
				application of new technology for the
				customer solution. Ability to shorten time-
				to-market; ability to identify new market
				opportunities.

		o Ensure that a minimum of the AI-IST's activities
	are on customer project/development work (to ensure the group
	maintains its practical expertise) as opposed to pre-sales and 
	consultancy activities).
			Metric: 50% of IST activities on project development.

		o Be viewed by the field organisation (regional/account teams)
	as an excellent partner in helping deliver (and leverage sales in) the
	customer solution.
			Metric: 3 customer projects attributed to AI-IST
				being the deciding winning factor.

 
	2.2 Linkages and Dependancies

		o EIS infrastructure providing visibility of and channels to
	the AI-IST.

		o EIC infrastructure providing expertise as appropriate for
	complementary project development activities.
		
	
	2.3 Services Available

	    	o Consultancy/Advisory

		- Strategic AI application planning; identify where applying
		the technology can be of greatest benefit.

		- Provide high-level design consulting/reviews to customers 
		building their own systems.

		
		o Project Proposals

		- Initial requirements analysis and feasibility study of
		an application area where AI technology is believed to be
		appropriate; overall project proposal with costs.

		- In-depth analysis of identified AI application; technical
		feasibility, costs, overall design.

		
		o Project Development

		- Ideally working with the customer on jointly developing
		application from initial requirements; can, if desired,
		work on a full turnkey approach.

		- Develop program plan, education and user involvement plans,
		design specs, build proof-of-concept prototype and basic shell,
		field test, release and maintenance procedures.

		
		o Project Management

		- Ideally local EIS would provide project management. In cases
		where this is not feasible, we provide specialist knowledge
		and methodologies (consistent with DPM) for AI projects
		development/management.


		o Seminars and Training

		- Both management and technical training.

		- Tailored seminar to a specific customer need.


		o AI Business Fellowship

		- Extended customer training curriculum complemented by
		customer apprenticeship on Digital site supported/managed
		by senior AI expert.


	2.4 Supporting Activities

		o Market research/support: 3rd party, competition, products
	and application domains/shells.

		o Technology research: technology developments, links to
	universities, EERP.




        3. RESOURCES REQUIRED

	3.1 Human

		Through effective career and people development, fostered by
	EIS, we will maintain and attract highly qualified experts in the field
	of AI. The nature of the work combining both the practical application 
	of the technology to real-life solutions together with on-going
	involvement with the emerging technologies will ensure a motivated
	and professional group.

	3.1.1 FY91 Resource Plan:

		o Internal Projects: 4 man years
		o Fellowship: 0.5 man years
		o Customer Activities: 5.5 man years
		o Contracting: 1 man year
		o Total: 11 man years
		
	3.1.2 FY92 Resource Plan:

		o Internal Projects: 6 man years
		o Fellowship: 1.5 man years
		o Customer Activities: 7.5 man years
		o Contracting: 3 man years
		o Total: 18 man years

			Note: Growth in permanent resource is due to 
			organisational re-alignement, not to an absolute
			increase in resource: as of FY92 the current	 
			Manufacturing-AI specialists in Valbonne will become
			part of the AI-IST.
	

	3.2 Financial

		o Funding to support customer seminars and competency circle
	activities. 

		o See Appendix A for the forecast of customer activities.
		o See Appendix B for the financial forecast.		
	

	3.3 Other

		o The collaboration of university students/stagiaires can be
	of particular benefit to the AI-IST; we plan on having 2-3 stagiaires
	on an on-going, long-term (9 months) basis.