Sarah Duehr interned at ABS where she created dynamic Visio diagrams of DPW plant flowpaths that calculate key metrics for process improvement. She researched dynamic Visio, databases, and data cubes to design the first draft with dummy data. Connecting Visio to the real data proved challenging, as did migrating to SharePoint which required redesigning without VBA. Her final product included a main page with flowpath diagrams linking to PC-level data displays, helping ABS with Kaizens. She learned technical skills in VBA, SQL, and platforms as well as business lessons in projects, partners, setbacks, and deadlines.

1. Sarah Duehr
Summer 2015 Information Systems Intern
Supervisor / Mentor: Patrick Harding
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2. About Me
Grew up in Bloomington – Normal, IL
Senior at Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Majoring in Computer Science
 with Minor in Mathematics
Student organization leadership:
 Secretary for UNICEF at ISU
• Aug. 2014 – May 2015
 Treasurer for UNICEF at ISU
• May 2015 – Present
 Treasurer for Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
• May 2015 – Present
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3. Project Overview
Diagram all the flowpaths at DPW, with data
Calculate and display: cycle time, takt time, theoretical inventory, and
average estimated recovery weight for each PC and flowpath
Used for Kaizens and plant improvements
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4. First steps: research and requirements
Research
 Dynamic Visio diagrams
 Visio – database connection
 Data cubes
Gathering requirements
 What did ABS want on diagrams?
 How would diagrams be used?
Narrowing down requirements
 What can be done in 3 months?
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5. First Draft: a dynamic diagram with dummy data
Dynamic Visio diagram
 Redraws based on excel workbook
 Written in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
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6. Connecting Visio to data: my first big roadblock
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Visio
Data
Cube
Database
Visio
Data
Cube
DatabaseExcel

7. Migration to Sharepoint: second big roadblock
Makes diagram accessible
Limitations of Visio in Sharepoint
 Won’t support VBA code
Redesigned diagram to use hyperlinks
 Same functionality, different implementation
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8. Final Product: DPW Plant Flowpath main page
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9. Final Product: Plate Heat Treat flowpaths with flowpath level data
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10. Final Product: PH2 flowpath with PC level data
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11. Final Product: detailed data for single PC
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12. What I learned
Technical
 Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
 SQL Server Analysis Services
• Data cubes
 SharePoint, Visio services, excel services
 Real world examples of SQL
 Version control
Business
 Project timelines
 Working with business partner
 Real world setbacks and workarounds
 Having a supervisor
• Working on my own
 Hard deadlines
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