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Examples
of Typical Project Management Engagements
This section
describes some typical projects that we have been involved
with in the past. The examples include the background, what
was done to assist the project and the results.
Examples
of Typical Project
Engagements
Company
needed a quick project assembled, but had insufficient
internal design personnel
Situation
Company needed a quick design, but had insufficient
internal design personnel for all projects presently
scheduled. Manager had no time to manage the project, wanted
just the final results.
Tasks
Performed
Contacted Potential Team Members, created a plan around
required three available additional persons. Coordinated the
project team to complete the plan as scheduled. Included
timely and multiple Design Reviews and Status Reports for
client contact.
Results
In spite of changing specifications, the project was
completed satisfactorily and on schedule.
Project
Manager leaves company with three projects
underway
Situation
Project Manager leaves the project in the middle of
coordinating three projects for a single customer. Project
is behind schedule and customer must meet critical schedule
commitments for a show. Most of the original team members
left the company, leaving the project with a new, unproved
team to complete the work on a tight schedule.
Tasks
Performed
Responsible for forming the team, creating tasks for
work breakdown structure, and realistic schedules. Held
Weekly Status meeting with customer to track progress. Held
critical design reviews on circuit problem areas. Worked
with company to provide incentives to employees to put in
extra efforts to complete tight schedule on time.
Results
Completed the project to customer requirements, while
keeping project on schedule and within a controlled
budget.
Company
in the Process of Creating Project Management
Teams
Situation
The company had a very young management team in the
engineering department. It was, up to that time, basically a
single product company. It was embarking on a plan to expand
and create various project management teams to develop
multiple products at the same time, with a rapidly ramping
up engineering and software group.
Tasks
Performed
Coached the project manager to assist him in setting up
the basics of getting a more formal project management
process up and running. Also introduced formal methods of
gathering status from the large number of team
members.
Results
Several of the PM ideas were implemented and
successfully began the process of getting formal Project
Management underway.
Client
needed to form a large team to meet a new R&D contract
requirement
Situation
Client had just gotten a large R&D contract that
required the assembling of a team much larger than the
in-house staff to complete a total electro-mechanical design
quickly. The contract required the design of a complete
system prototype, followed by 16 system level units and a
complete communications and control system for the larger
system.
Tasks
Performed
Refined the System, Electronic and Software specs. The
design required the use of electronic firmware and hardware
engineers, software engineers, mechanical design engineers,
thermal engineers, mechanical layout engineers, parts
purchasing, system assembly, debug and test of the first
article. Assembled the complete team, generated a project
plan and acted as project manager to complete the first
article.
Results
A system prototype shipped to the customer in record
time. Later the client shipped the balance of the systems to
the customer.
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