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What is Engineering Management?

What is Engineering Management?. Engineering Management is the management of activities and tasks needed to define and deliver specific products. The goal is to deliver what the customer wants on-time and on-budget while meeting the required quality goals.

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What is Engineering Management?

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  1. What is Engineering Management? • Engineering Management is the management of activities and tasks needed to define and deliver specific products. • The goal is to deliver what the customer wants on-time and on-budget while meeting the required quality goals. • Management does not directly produce anything! Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  2. How do Engineering Management and Project Management relate? • The completion of deliverables always entails elements of Project Management. • The activities that define Project Management are always there. • Formally assigned to someone. • Informally assumed by a member of the team. • What is not included? • Elements of people management. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  3. What are the activities? • Typically the activities include: • Ensuring the project requirements are defined • Customer • Legal • Time, budget and resource • Quality • Making sure communications with all stakeholders occurs • Coordinating all the resources involved • Developing and maintaining the overall plan • What does professional responsibility require? Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  4. Why is Project Management needed? • The goal is better, faster, cheaper. • There is no longer mystery surrounding software development, there are no more engineers in white coats in a glass room. • Today’s market place is hyper competitive and anyone can play. • It only takes a PC to get started. • There is no room for mistakes. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  5. Why is Project Management needed? • Meeting the constraints placed on the products is increasingly complex. • Legal requirements and liability both as a function of new laws and the ways in which software is used. • Quality, software is used in increasingly critical areas of our environment. • Time, customers no longer tolerate endless slips. • Mistakes are costly in terms of resources, dollars and in human terms. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  6. The Environment • Each project is executed in its own environment. • Understand your projects environment. • A good manager understand the project environment and adapts the development process to that environment. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  7. Elements of the Environment • The work itself • The customer • Budget/Schedule • The team • Your organization • Your management Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  8. Organizational Structures • Formal/Informal Organization • The difference between what is on the formal organization chart and what really happens • Informal organizations exist for many reasons, company size, expertise of individuals, personal loyalties. • The formal organization runs on authority, while influence drives the informal organization. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  9. Organizational StructuresClassical • Where does Project Management fit within the organization? • Classic structures/roles • Line • The functional manager • Is responsible for delivering product • Has people responsibility • Staff • Project/Program managers • Coordinating and integrating activities across functional lines Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  10. Organizational StructuresClassical • Types of Organizations • Product Line • Formed around the delivery of independent products. • Examples Word, Excel • Functional • Formed around the delivery of services common across multiple products. • Examples File Systems, Communications Drivers • Advantages:flexibility,experience,less duplication • Disadvantages:project authority,poor response time, less integration. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  11. Organizational StructuresClassical • Types of Organizations • Project • Formed around the delivery of a specific set of functions or delivery to a specific customer. • Examples are military contracts, releases of new hardware. • Advantages:clear authority, improved communication, more integration. • Disadvantages:isolation, duplication of function, competition among projects. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  12. Organizational StructuresClassical • Matrix • Specific type of Project Organization • Reporting lines still remain in functional or product organizations • Advantages: increased project focus, improved communications, high level of integration. • Disadvantages: potential for conflict, poorer response time. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  13. Why Go Beyond the Classical Organization • Classical organizations were created in an era of limited limitations and transportation • Increased span of control • Specialization • Globalization Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  14. Organizational StructuresCore Teams • Core Teams • Roles • Membership • Responsibilities • Issues • Participation • Endless debate • Core team’s role in improving communications Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  15. Organizational StructuresOutsourcing • Out Sourcing Old and New • Companies have out sourced components for as long as there has been mass production. • Automobile manufactures, appliance manufactures. • Components are interchangeable from one component manufacturer to another. • Each manufacturer could concentrate on what it did best. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  16. Organizational StructuresOutsourcing • Early in the Computer business the work was so new it was only done by small groups of developers. • As companies grew centers of expertise started. • This lead to internal out sourcing. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  17. Organizational StructuresOutsourcing • Early examples: • Sunnyvale, Minneapolis, Zurich • Cupertino, Portland, Cork • All within the same company, but often in different divisions. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  18. Today’s variations • Tele-commuting • Virtual teams Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  19. Organizational Structures for InternalOutsourcing • Characteristics • Common goals • At some level a common boss • Issues • Communication • Different day to day priorities • We/They • Whose profit do we maximize? Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  20. Organization StructuresOutsourcing • Why out source today • Lower costs • Focus expertise • Available manpower • Out source non-critical functions • Separate Companies • Separate objectives Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  21. Organizational StructuresOutsourcing • Issues • Communications • Day to day controls • Priorities • Long term commitments Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  22. Organizational StructuresOpen Source • Is this a technical or management problem? • Schedule, quality, support, legal • Consumer or provider? • Virtual team • Extent of control • What is the extent of control needed? • Balancing risks Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  23. Where does Project Management fits in the organization? • How old and how large is the company? • In older larger organizations individuals have less impact. • Rules and procedures are well established • Executive management has a big impact on an organization. • How are executives compensated? • How are budgets determined? • Is Project Management productive labor? • Choose between developers or project managers • Role of influence Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  24. Programs and Projects • These terms may be loosely defined even within a given organization. • Projects generally refer to the collection of activities working toward a single deliverable. • Programs contain multiple Projects and Products and can have multiple deliverables. • Programs are typically larger and have more complex interfaces. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  25. Programs and Projects • The titles Program Manager and Project Manager do not always correspond to what they are managing. • For example a Program Manager could be managing a Project. • Or a Project Manager could be managing a Program. • Again the individuals and executives involved have a great impact, especially in younger, smaller organizations. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  26. Project Characteristics • What distinguishes one project from another? • Size • Number of features • People • Length of time • Where are the parts of the project located? • What is the team like? Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  27. Project Characteristics • What is the make up of the team? • Are there critical requirements? • Are the requirements, schedule and cost fixed or flexible? • Is there a critical quality requirement? • Examples • Web projects • Flight control software Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  28. Product Managers • Product Manager’s roles again differ by organization. • Generally they have responsibility for gathering requirements. • Generally they are responsible for one or more products that have ongoing deliveries. • Product Manager’s roles can vary from strictly marketing/requirements with other individuals having Project/Program Manager responsibility, to roles that include the Project/Program Manager responsibilities. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  29. How Line and Project Management Differ? • Line Management • Authority over at least some people • Direct control • Involved day to day in the development of the project • Makes technical decisions • May act as a project manager for specific products or projects. • Project Management • May have control of the budget • Has no direct control over people • Coordinates and reports status to senior management Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  30. Influence and Authority • Authority flows from the formal structure of the organization. • Influence flows from the informal organization. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  31. Influence and Authority • Line Management typically works through authority, while Project Management works through influence. • The tools of authority • Reviews, warnings and raises • Assignments • The tools of influence • Visibility and recognition • Personal contact Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  32. Influence and Authority • Typically how far does authority go? • How much freedom do you have in giving rewards? • Can you fire someone? • Developers are very good at ignoring management. • There is always going to be someone you need to influence • Creating win/win situations • Giving credit • Giving recognition Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  33. Influence and Authority • Both are critical too successful project management • Know the limits and advantages of each Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  34. The Role of MPV • Regardless of a manager’s influence or authority what really motivates individuals? • What benefit does an individual gain from the action? • Students often are required to write out a plan, but once it is written never look at it again, why? • Motivate actions that are useful. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  35. Why does Project Management fail? • Lack of specific procedures and policies • Lack of executive support • Conflicting priorities • System of rewards • Individual vs project • Budgeting rules • Lack of resources • Conflicting agendas • Passive aggression, agreeing and then never following through. Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  36. Successful Project Management • A view of project management from “The Software Project Survival Guide” by Steve McConnell • A Project Survival Test • Requirements • Planning • Control • Risk Management • Personnel Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  37. Successful Project Management • Project Management is responsible for ensuring that a project passes the test. If it does not what does he do? • Must the Project Manager do all the work himself? Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  38. Critical Activities • Working with others • Communicating • Making sure the correct amount of process is in place. • Too little process and things are out of control • Too much process and resources are wasted on unneeded tasks Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

  39. Critical Activities • What determines the how much process is enough? • Project size and complexity • Project constraints • Budget, resources, time, quality, legal • How visible is the project • Who do you work for and what is the corporate culture Computer Engineering 203 R Smith Organizations 12/2007

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