Chapter 5 Flashcards
(11 cards)
What are the benefits of planning the project?
Avoid costs of chaos
Provide basis for evaluation
Identifies problems in advance
What are the costs of planning process?
Labour
Travels
Planning tools (software)
Cost of preparing formal written plan i.e. typing etc
What does the project initiation document include (PID)?
Project brief- a statement of the requirements of the project as understood at this stage in the process
Project team management structure- who is to be involved in and governance arrangements proposed
Job descriptions- the roles that each of the team memmbers (or groups of team memebers) will take.
Project approach- an outlite description of how the requirements in teh breif will be delivered, including any notable features of teh delivery.
Project plan- a basic time plan showing the major activities to be undertaken, their sequence and duration
Business case- a first attempt at evaluating the costs and benefits of the project.
Risk log- a list of the major risks identified for the project and any actions taken to minimize them.
Project controls- at the most basic level, how will you know if the project is going to deliver what it has promised, at the time required and for teh cost stated, while maintaining all the essentials? (e.g. health and safety, environmental impact, etc)
Communication plan- a statement of what will need to be communicated to which stakeholders, in what format and when.
What is the benefits and disadvantages for concurrent product development?
Benefits: Reduces project time and cost
Disadvantages: Increased overheads and cost of co-location
What is the conventional approach to a project and what is its drawbacks?
Different groups are involed in different stages of the project.
Drawbacks:
Customer specification is interpreted by different people at each stage of the process.
Due to constant process revision, engeneering changes are ofter made very late
What is the different between a sequential versus a concurrent product development?
The different areas work alongside as oppsed to one after another.
What is the stage-gate approach?
The project is divided into phases/stages. Between each phase progress is reviewed, and a criteria has to be reached to be able to move into the next phase
When planning, which factors are used in concept development?
ISOSB
Input - R&D, competitors etc Screening - marketing etc Output - selling the idea Scope management - what is to be done Beware product scope creep - discrete changes, changes the result
what are the benefits of using a systematic approach to planning?
- Break down complex activities into manageáble
chunks - Determine logical sequencing of activities
- Providing an input to subsequent project management
processes, including estimating the time and
resources required for the project. - Providing a logical basis for making decisions
- Showing effects of other systems
- Filtering frivolous ideas and activities
- Providing a framework for the assessment of
programmes - Being essential for the revision/refinement process
- Allowing the lessons to be learned from practice
- Facilitating communicvation of ideas in a logical form to
others
How thorough should a plan be?
It depends on the uncertainty i the project, teh mmore you know about the process and the outcome, the easier it is to plan, but the less you need the plan. Painting by number projects are more prone to action than planning.
when uncertainty is higher, planning is required, but it is vital to find the balance in the plan. do not make the plan a straitjacket, it should be a working tool that provides some structure.
Chaos is good for creativity, but order is necessary to execute the project tasks.
what are the characteristivs of a highly creative concept development process?
- people are given time and space to be creative
- people have ownership of their ideas, meaning that the organisation wont swollow their work
- encourage rapid prototyping
- have project champions to fight for funding for potential ideas
- install a rapid development process
