PROJECT PLANNING

by Donald F. Elger

Background

The number one problem is often how to manage time during a design project.

Goal

Present a method for project management that works.

Main Idea

A project involves many varied task.  For a good project, each of these tasks needs to completed.  Good project management seeks to

• fit the necessary tasks into the available time
• balance the required tasks so that each one is done at the same level of quality

Method

1.) Determine the time resource.  That is the total engineering time available for the project.

2.) List the tasks that need to be done and estimate the necessary time to complete each task.

3.) Review the task time (step 2) versus the time resource (step 4).  If necessary, decide where to reduce task times so that all needed tasks can be accomplished.

4.) Assign each task to a person or persons and specify a deadline.  Seek many small early deadlines, not one deadline at the end of the project.

5.) During the project, make each task fit within the scheduled time.  This involves wise decisions on where to cut corners.

6.) During the project, regularly examine the schedule and make adjustments based on the current situation.  

Example

Team AuDesn (Bob, Carol and Jake) is designing a parachute for the contest.  The design effort will take place during the 12th week of the semester.  

Step 1: Estimate time resource

Total time resource is 30 hours (3 people * 1 week * 10 hours/person)

Step 2: Plan tasks

List of task, plus an estimate of the required time

• [3 hr] team formation (set rules and goals, discuss project) 1 hr, 3 people 
• [10 hr] iteration #1
  --math model: 1 hr, 2 people
  --initial design: 1 hr, 3 people
  --fabricate first prototype: 1 hr, 2 people
  --testing and review: 1 hr, 3 people
• [9 hr] iteration #2: 3 hours, 3 people
• [9 hr] iteration #3: 3 hours, 3 people
• [4 hr] determine Cd, 2 hours, 2 people
• [12 hr] write report
  --first draft: 2 hrs, 3 people
  --team review: 1 hr, 3 people
  --final draft: 1 hr, 3 people

Step 3: Match task time with the time resource

Total time for above task list is 47 hours.  This is too large because the available time is 30 hours.  Thus, team AuDesn  makes decisions.  Each  team member agrees to work 12 hours to provide 36 hours of engineering time.  The team decides to cut each iteration cycle by 3 hours, and to cut the time on the final report by 3 hours.  In addition, the team decides to add one hour to the Cd experiment.  The revised plan is 

• [3 hr] team formation 
• [7 hr] iteration #1
• [6 hr] iteration #2
• [6 hr] iteration #3
• [5 hr] determine Cd
• [9 hr] write report

Now the estimated task time matches the time resource

Step 4 Schedule the project

Here, we provide an example of scheduling the first 2 days of the project.  Note that the team assigns a leader (lead) to each task, and involves multiple team members in the completion of each task. Also, note that the team shares leadership.   

Day 1 
    Team formation meeting: Carol (lead), Bob, Jake
    Math modeling iteration #1: Jake (lead), Carol
    Initial design: Bob (lead), Carol, Jake

Day 2
    Fabrication of first prototype: Bob (lead), Jake
    Testing of first prototype: Jake (lead), Carol, Bob

Steps 5 and 6

During the course of the project, the team members are constantly making wise decisions about where to cut corners.  They strive to fit each task into the budgeted time slot, and to make adjusts whtat keep their plan current.

Review 

At the end of the project, the team members realize that one of the main ideas of project management is to set and reach many small deadlines. Also, the team members realize the importance of early prototyping and the importance of using the concept of iteration.