EAS590: Case Studies in Engineering Management

EAS590: Case Studies in Engineering Management Dr. Robert E. Barnes Spring 2007

EAS590 It is intended to be the third and final course in our School's Engineering Management series. As such, it is based on the knowledge that you've gained from - • EAS521 - Principles of Engineering Management I, and • EAS522 - Principles of Engineering Management II.

For this evening I would like to accomplish the following - • Share with you the specific course requirements • Have a brief discussion about engineering management • Say a few words about case studies • Hear from each of you as to who you are • Form small groups that will be the work groups for the semester • Decide on a grading proportion • Work on a sample case together

SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS1 of 7 • Six (6) oral and written cases done in small groups • an “A” must have a good literature review • each person must write a brief white paper for each case at the end of the second night, stating what was the single most important thing you learned from the case • each person must hand in an evaluation of group members for each case Pass out Syllabus and Schedule

? What are some of your ideas as to what engineering management is?

Functions of Engineering Management – 2 of 7 Planning Controlling (Measuring & Correcting) Organizing Directing (Motivating & Communicating) Staffing DiPietro, 1986, in Handbook of Engineering Management Bennett, 1996, in The Management of Engineering

Typical Organizational Chart

Engineering managers are interested in products/processes that are – • On schedule • On budget • At the desired quality level

Engineering Management sequence at UB Engineering PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERINGPRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT IMANAGEMENT II Planning Cost Accounting Organization Marketing Leadership Engineering Economics Control Financial Mgt Setting Objectives Marketing Strategies Decision Making Equipment Replacement Forecasting Capacity Expansion Budgeting Capital Budgeting Investment Decisions CASE STUDIES IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT An integration of previous knowledge with any required new information to solve posed questions.

Premise My premise throughout the course is – • you are competent engineers • we need to work on management aspects of the job Integrating both, we will learn to solve cases well.

CASE STUDIES – 3 of 7 • Identify problems and classify them (symptoms v. root causes: fever v. virus, scrap v. worn tool) • Analyze problems and determine which problems (a prioritizing scheme), when addressed, will give us improvement commensurate with what we are willing and able to invest – financially, intellectually and time-wise

CASE STUDIES - continued • Generate alternatives • Analyze their strengths and weaknesses • Recommend a solution(s) • and importantly, Communicate results to others!

Your job, for each case, will be: • to provide a reasonable solution • to consult the literature -- we learn much from the ideas of others • to communicate persuasively both in writing and orally

Who are you? 4 of 7 Pass out Bio Form

Choose Small Groups 5 of 7 Pass out Group Form

Choose Grading Proportion 6 of 7 Pass out Peer Evaluation Form

Practice Case Study 7 of 7 Pass out Practice Case Study

Sample Case: Org Chart forProduct Development GroupEAS590, Spring 2007

solution define problemclassificationrecommendation symptomsoutcome Steve’s desire/ambition strategic planning get mission – vision, clarify, create any needed, communicate Steve – direct reports organization align reasonably, draw (too many?) span of control org chart: guideline: 7 +/- 2 many projects work type/load assessment analyze and define acceptable: organization employees, mix and # of staffing & training projects (relationship to (expertise of employees: company’s plan, right training & experience) kind? too many?), choose and organize staff, train as needed friction between employees relations, know formal rules and Steve & John contract precedents of company, • communicate

EAS590: Case Studies in Engineering Management