mse-415: product design lecture #3

1Rev: 5/05/07 MSE-415: B. Hawrylo

Chapter 16Managing Projects

MSE-415: Product DesignLecture #3

MSE-415: Product DesignLecture #3


Lecture Objectives:

Lecture Objectives:

•Homework #1 (Hand in blank paper with name if not done for attendance points)

•Group Formation•Lab Notebook procedure•Chapter 16 - Managing Projects

Fundamental characteristics of interacting tasks

•Agree upon design project


Chapter 16 – Managing ProjectsChapter 16 – Managing Projects

3 Types of tasks



We’re going to talk about task-based…



Project task


Practice

Practice

A B C D E F G H I J

A *

B X * X

C * X X X

D * X

E * X

F X * X

G X X *

H X * X X

I X *

J X X X *

• Task C requires information from what tasks?• Task D transfers information to what tasks?

Example #1 Example #2

A B C D E F G H I J

A * X

B *

C * X X

D *

E X * X

F X *

G X *

H X *

I X *

J X X X *

• Task E requires information from what tasks?• Which tasks are interdependent coupled?


Practice

Practice

A B C D E F G H I J

A *

B X * X

C * X X X

D * X

E * X

F X * X

G X X *

H X * X X

I X *

J X X X *

• Task C requires information from D, F, I• Task D transfers information to C, G

Example #1 Example #2

A B C D E F G H I J

A * X

B *

C * X X

D *

E X * X

F X *

G X *

H X *

I X *

J X X X *

• Task E requires information A, F• E, F tasks are interdependent coupled.


Gantt BasicsGantt Basics

•Basically, a timeline with tasks that can be connected to each other

•Can be created with simple tools like Excel, but specialised tools like Microsoft Project make life easier


Making a Gantt chartMaking a Gantt chart

•Step 1 – list the tasks in the project


•Step 2 – add task durations



•Step 3 – add dependencies (which tasks cannot start before another task finishes)



•The arrows indicate dependencies.

•Task 1 is a predecessor of task 2 – i.e. task 2 cannot start before task 1 ends.

•Task 3 is dependent on task 2. Task 7 is dependent on two other tasks

•Electrics, plumbing and landscaping are concurrent tasks and can happen at the same time, so they overlap on the chart. All 3 can start after task 4 ends.

•Painting must wait for both electrics and plumbing to be finished.

•Task 9 has zero duration, and is a milestone



•Step 4 – find the critical path

The critical path is the sequence of tasks from beginning to end that takes the longest time to complete.

It is also the shortest possible time that the project can be finished in.

Any task on the critical path is called a critical task.

No critical task can have its duration changed without affecting the end date of the project.



• MS Project can work out the critical path for you!• The length of the critical path is the sum of the lengths

of all critical tasks (the red tasks 1,2,3,4,5,7) which is 2+3+1+1.5+2+1 = 10.5 days.

• In other words, the minimum amount of time required to get all tasks completed is 10.5 days

• The other tasks (6,8) can each run over-time before affecting the end date of the project


• The amount of time a task can be extended before it affects other tasks is called slack (or float).

• Task 6 can take an extra day and a half before it affects the project’s end date, so each has 1.5 day’s slack.



Critical tasks, by definition, can have NO slack.

Tip:

If ever asked Can task X’s duration be changed without affecting the end date of the project?, if it is a critical task the answer is always NO!



This PERT chart follows the “Activity on Arrow” style.

•The tasks are shown by arrows. Task name are shown by letters, in this case.

•The circles are called nodes. The nodes indicate the start or end of tasks.

•Task durations are the shown by the numbers.

PERT ChartsPERT Charts


The path duration is:

•A-B-C-E-I = 2+3+1+4+3=13

•A-B-D-F-I = 2+3+3+3+3=14

•A-G-H-I = 2+2+5+3 = 12

Therefore,

•Completion time = 14

•Critical path is A-B-D-F-I

•Slack time of A-B-C-E-1 = 1

•Slack time of A-G-H-1 = 2

PERT ChartsPERT Charts


Pert Example

Pert Example

A.1

B.2

C.1

D.2

E.3

F.1

G.1

H.2

I.2

J.1

K.2

L.1

M.1

What is the duration to complete path A-D-H-J-L?What is the critical path?How does the project duration change if task E is shorten to 2? How about 1?What is the best way to shorten the total duration?



Baseline Project Planning

The Contract BookProject Task ListTeam Staffing and OrganizationProject ScheduleProject BudgetProject Risk Plan



The Contract Book Documents the project plan

Mission Statement, Customer needs list, competitiveanalysis, product specifications, sketches, concept report,sales forecast, economic analyses, manufacturing plan,project plan, project performance, incentives…



Project Task List

List the tasks which make up the project.Estimate the amount of time required for each task

Task Estimated Person-WeeksTask 1 8Task 2 16Task 3 24



Team Staffing and Organization The speed at which a team can complete a projectis based upon 7 criteria.

1. There are 10 or fewer members of the team.2. Members volunteer to serve on team.3. Members serve on the team from the time of concept

development to launch.4. Members are assigned to the team full-time.5. Members report directly to team leader.6. The key functions are on the team.7. Members are located within conversational distance to

one another.



Project Schedule Merger of the project task and project timeline.

1. Use the DSM or PERT to identify dependencies.2. Position key milestones.3. Schedule tasks, considering the project staffing and

critical resources.4. Adjust the timing of the milestone to be consistent

with the time required for the tasks.



Project Budget Often represented by a simple spreadsheet.

1. Staff salaries2. Materials/services3. Prototype Molds4. Outside Resources5. Travel6. Other?



Project Risk PlanDealing with project variation

Teams should compile a list of what can go wrong and how to solve problems should they occur.

Risk Risk Level Actions to MinimizeA Moderate A1, A2, A3B Low B1, B2C High C1, C2, C3, C4



Modifying the Baseline PlanAccelerating the Plan

1. Start the project early.2. Manage the project scope.

• Don’t allow ‘feature creep’3. Facilitate the exchange of essential information.4. Complete tasks on critical path more quickly.5. Aggregate safety times.6. Eliminate some critical paths entirely.7. Eliminate waiting days for critical path resources.8. Overlap some critical tasks.9. Pipeline large tasks10.Outsource some tasks



Modifying the Baseline PlanAccelerating the Plan

11.Perform more iterations quickly.12.Decouple tasks to avoid iterations.13.Consider sets of solutions.



Project ExecutionSmooth execution of a well-planned project should pay attention to 3 components:

1. What mechanisms can be used to coordinate tasks.2. How can the project status be assessed?3. How can we correct undesirable deviations?



What mechanisms can be used to coordinate tasks?

1. Informal Communication2. Meetings3. Schedule Display4. Weekly Updates5. Incentives6. Process Documents



Corrective Actions

1. Change the timing or frequency of meetings.2. Change the project staff.3. Locate the team together physically.4. Solicit more time and effort from the team.5. Focus more effort on critical tasks.6. Engage outside resources.7. Change the project scope/schedule


Next WeekSeptember 19, 2007

Next WeekSeptember 19, 2007

• Homework #2 - Handout• Design and Development Project

Prepare a detailed project plan– Project timeline and major milestones– Goals, objectives and scope – Risk assessment, assumptions and critical project barriers– Milestones– Project roles and responsibilities– Estimated start and completion of each step

•Read Chapter 4 – Identifying Customer Needs Product specifications

•Prepare for a potential quiz on chapters 1,2,3,4,16, and additional readings