This project aims to assist a company in developing Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and Human Factors modeling (HFM) capabilities. Simultaneously the project aims to explore the impact of alternative engineering designs with a Human Factors (HF) focus. These two aims will help understand factors that affect the uptake and application of the DES and HFM in work system design. The participating company is Research In Motion (RIM), which is a well known Waterloo, Ontario based telecommunication company.

Software testing in one of the imporant phases in software development process and has a significant impact on the final product quality. However, the spent cost and time for testing are high, and often increase after several releases. This project aims at test case selection and prioritization at Research in Motion (RIM) Company. The objective is to investigate the current testing process at TIM, and propose a systematic approach for improving efficacy and efficiency of test case selection and prioritization.

Integrating human factors (HF) considerations into the design of production systems can improve productivity and quality results while reducing injury risks to system operators. The researchers are currently conducting an action research study with Canadian electronics manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) to improve their production system design process (PSDP) and thereby their production systems by integrating human factors (HF). One of the first requirements is a clear understanding of the PSDP as a means of identifying and coordinating process improvements.

Research In Motion (RIM) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions. High-quality reliable products are critical in today’s competitive manufacturing environment. To help monitor and improve their processes and products, manufacturers collect large amounts of data from a variety of sources including warranty claims, customer surveys, usage data, inspection, reliability testing and the manufacturing process. The goal of this research project is to determine how to model and make sense of these complex data.