Improving innovation projects by an information-based methodology

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This paper describes the application of a methodology to analyse and improve innovation projects by emphasising their information-intensive nature. The methodology eases the measurement of the information flows that emerge within a project due to coordination needs and also provides useful information to identify new coordination mechanisms and project improvements. The consistency and the usefulness of the methodology results are discussed through two case studies, namely the implementation project of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and the project for the incremental innovation of the injection pump for diesel engines. Both cases were carried out at a manufacturing plant located in the South of Italy. The plant is part of a larger networked production system operated by a German company in the automotive industry.