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Business Plan in 2005
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"Sapporo IT Carrozzeria" aims at making the products of IT industries in Hokkaido from "invisible and intangible software" to "visible and tangible prototype." Making full use of industrial design methods and high quality of embedding technology to produce such prototypes can boost Hokkaido's IT prototypes to world-class. Creating a manufacturing base with high level of such added values is the ultimate objective of this initiative.
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The problem that is common among many of the IT companies in Hokkaido is the low operational efficiency caused by recurring sequences, which occur much more frequently than those of other countries, due to defects during software development. In response to demands from IT companies to solve this problem, Sapporo IT Carrozzeria Project established "Usability Testing Lab" that is among the largest in Japan in FY 2004, as a beginning stage of commercialization. This lab utilizes research subjects of Otaru University of Commerce specialized in the area of usability, to reinforce the software development, which is the strength of Sapporo region. This lab can be the core location to test and inspect manufacturing, and through its activity, data and know-how can be gathered. Through its research, human resource development can be implemented in Sapporo's IT companies, aiming at "creating a group of companies that can maneuver a total business from planning to software development."
On the other hand, while promoting the development of informational industry, in order for the IT companies in Hokkaido to form a new industrial cluster that will support the management bases of the prefecture's core industries, namely agriculture, fishery, tourism, and biotechnology, as well as the aging society, this project aims at creating high-quality prototypes based on the users' industrial needs, integrated with usability design derived from "research and development rooted in local users' industrial needs."
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| Creation of Additional Values in IT Industry of Hokkaido |
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« Main Research Implementation Plan » |
As for the fiscal year 2005, at an early point, we are to create a system with usability as its core by thorough selection and focusing, and proceed with researches in collaboration with the industry of Hokkaido's strength. In the meantime, we are to propose practical business frameworks, and focus on carrying out the research and development that are necessary for the action plans to implement "IT Atelier for Manufacturing."
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« Main Objectives » |
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To develop usability solutions focused on software design, and build platforms based on design environment support system |
- To build process management support systems for system development and software development
- According to usability solutions, to define concepts and required specifications, and build systems related to UI design
- To promote embedded system upgrades
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« Overview of Joint Research » |
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« Promotion Framework » |
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1 ) Committee organization and role reinforcement |
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Research promotion working group conference
It is to confirm the progress of each research; discuss about commercialization strategy of each project; and suggest and implement practical plans for collaboration among projects.
Consequently, the organizing members shall be composed of, in addition to each research project leader and related experts, the company personnel of the joint research. |
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Commercialization promotion working group conference
It is to discuss about practical operational strategies and functions based on the action plan of "IT Atelier for Manufacturing" initiative; find challenges of each project commercialization for the implementation of the initiative; suggest practical plans for commercialization; and select the theme for transitioning to commercialization support system, etc. Consequently, experts from local IT companies and major companies should be added to the organizing members. |
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2 ) Implementation of new science & technology coordinators |
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New coordinators are implemented to reinforce the activities benefited from the connection with Sapporo's IT companies, such as sales activities, learning the needs of the companies, solidifying regional cluster formation, operation of the commercialization promotion work group, publicity/PR activities, etc. |
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3 ) Strengthening the commercialization framework of each research project itself |
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Each research project needs to discuss its own business model, in order to connect its research findings to commercialization, therefore, each research project is to allocate an adviser who is expert in commercialization. |
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4 ) Efforts to implement "IT Atelier for Manufacturing" |
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The preliminary operational body for the actual commercialization of "IT Atelier for Manufacturing," and its commercialization itself should be developed under the initiative of private enterprises, and a local core IT company should lead the implementation of actual activities, hence the action plan should be carried out by "Business Strategy Inspection Committee (tentative name)."
Also, until the actual business foundation is established, it is necessary to obtain collaborative supports from academic, business, and governmental circles. As a preliminary organization, a consortium (considering the involvement of NPO, etc.) should be established, to develop a project parallel to the research.
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« Regional Efforts » |
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This initiative is meant be catalytic to the creation of regional new industries, through the research and development to implement "IT Atelier for Manufacturing" by the collaboration of academic, business, and governmental circles. For this reason, the following measures should be pressed forward. |
- In order to reinforce the ties with existing industries of Hokkaido, this initiative is to be carried out in collaboration with Hokkaido Information and Communication Technology Association, and Hokkaido IT Cluster Forum, and through the information exchange with agriculture, food, tourism, construction, biotechnology, and other business associations, the information on IT needs in each business should be collected and reflected as feedbacks to the initiative.
- In order to proceed with continuous business development of established technologies and concepts, such as embedding designs, design plans, usability assessments, etc., human resource development in the region should be promoted.
- Business management sessions should be held to provide information for industries, finance, press, etc. Through this initiative, networks should be created with various businesses to promote the business of this initiative, and obtain input to learn their latest needs that shall be reflected to the business of this initiative.
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