introduction totech communication &project management

Introduction toTech Communication &Project Management

Dr. Hassan Alsukhni

© www.asia-masters.com

Motivation

• Technical Leadership– “Guiding head of a technical group”

• Two essential tools– Communicate to customer and to your team– Organize, plan and manage the technical project

Introduction:• Simple advice on presentation• Introduction to project management


Think Before You Present

• Who are your audience, why are they listening?

• What is one or two messages you want to leave with your audience?– What is the message for each slide


Communicate the Essence

• Who & where– Technology and research group of interest– Specific Professor or research staff

• What– Specific thesis project idea – some details

• Why– Personal interest, Future opportunities, Financial support

• When– Progress and plan – this term and beyond

News story outline

Why Project Management

• Diverse career opportunities– Leadership role

• Most future activities are team and/or multi-organization oriented– How to help teams to work together– Startup business plans

• MEng Thesis Project– Good learning vehicle


Project

• Project: “an organized undertaking”– Master of Engineering Thesis Project– Finding a job– Building a porch – Buying a house– …– Design and manufacture a car (Large Program)– Put a man on the moon (Huge Program)

Project management: a discipline“Art and Science”

Project Management Objective

• Achieve the project goal– Do a great thesis – on time

• Keep customers (e.g., Professors) happy• Keep the team focus on the goal • Make sure that team members work well• Everyone shares the load• …

Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers

Concerns about Project Management

• My work is research so that I can’t plan it• How can I commit to a schedule if I don’t know

how it will work out• I don’t have time to plan – got to get it done

• Project plan is a map and a guide- No map, most likely to get lost- Plan: understand risks and trade-offs- Basis for systematic plan modification- Mechanism for efficient communications

Framework: Project Cycle

Thesis ideas Thesis Proposal Thesis Completed

Concept

System Design(Architecture)

Detailed design/Implementation

Demo/test/Documentation

• Tech. Foundation• Capabilities• Goal

• Systems analysis/Synthesis• Project planning• Thesis proposal

• Project tracking• Plan modification• Communicate

• Thesis submission

Product Development Lifecycle

Prototype

• Product Spec.• Marketing• Manufacturing

New Product

Product II

• New Spec.• Marketing• New Technology

Similar Framework

Project Management Process

• Planning– Project Definition, Scope, Buy-ins

• Mechanics of putting together a plan– Tools: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)– GANTT, PERT, etc. charts - computerized

• Tracking plan progress– Communicate and follow-up

• Complete project– Managing and control


Project Management

Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers

Project Management

Project Planning• Define objective• Define work/tasks• Identify resources• Plan schedule• Iterate• Plan modification

Execution Management• Get objective signed-off• Track plan progress• Communicate within team• Customer communications• Secure resources• Project discipline

Technical People

How to Get Started

• Start with the essence of what you are trying to do• Draw a block diagram of your system

– “Architecture”

• Do a high level flow chart of your software– Identify modules

• Postulate the end result of your prototype– User interface, typical use scenarios

• List all possible tasks that needed to be done– Organize tasks

• Do some or all of above

Mechanism of Planning

• Define project objective• Define work breakdown structure (WBS)

– Identify tasks and subtasks -- deliverables– Lowest element – stand alone work package

• Identify tasks relationship• Identify possible risks• Estimate work packages (people, time, etc.)• Create initial schedule• Iterate plan• Document


Ex: WBS - Buy A House

Top Down Decomposition, Elemental Tasks

` BUY A HOUSE

LOCATION FINANCING FIND HOUSE

1 - Criteria 3 - Determine affordability 6 - Type of

House

2 - Visit Locations 4

- Determine mortgage provider

7- Find Real Estate Agent

5- Lockup mortgage commitment

8 - Look for House

9- Make Offer, P&S Agreem't

10 - Closing

Network Diagrams

Scheduling Techniques• PERT – Program Evaluation and Review techniques• CPM – Critical Path Method

TASK PREDECESSOR1-criteria 32-visit loc. 13-affordability4-mortgage co 35-mortg lock 46-type of hse 17-real est agent 2, 68-look for hse 79-offer, P&S 5, 810-closing 9

1

2

34

5

67

89

10

Buy a House

Simple Gantt Chart View

ID Task Name1 BUY HOUSE

2 LOCATION

3 Determine location criteria

4 Visit key locations

5 FINANCING

6 Determine affordability

7 Assess Mortagg Provider

8 Secure Mortagg Commitmt

9 FIND HOUSE

10 Type of House

11 Find RealEstate Agent

12 Look for House

13 Make Offer, P&S Agreement

14 Closing

2/5

2/5

2/5

2/14

2/5

2/24

M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W Tek 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

Possible Application

• Understand the scope of your goal

• Define your objective• Define tasks and work

breakdown structure• Develop project plan• Review plan, iterate• Document –> thesis

proposal

Thesis ideas Thesis Proposal

Concept

System Design(Architecture)

• Tech. Foundation• Capabilities• Goal

• Systems analysis/Synthesis• Project planning• Thesis proposal

(May 10)

Some Estimation Considerations

• Completeness in definition of tasks and interfaces• Time for meetings and communications• The range of abilities of team members• Experience with similar job/ tasks• Learning time for new equipment or software• Availability of special facilities

• Earlier identification of unknowns or risks• A priori calculations –concerns but may not be a

show stopper (especially in R&D)

Closing Summary

• Project Management – Lead an endeavor• Planning is a map, a guide, especially for a team

– Relatively simple and helpful techniques

• Management is mostly about people – Goal, discipline, communicate

• Risks are inevitable, planning helps to avoid stupid ones

• Experience counts– Assessing the scope of work, timing, risks

Risks are Essential in AchievementsLuck is an Element of Success

Historical Perspective

1960-1970 Traditional Project Management

Construction, Aerospace, Defense

Technology and schedule driven

1970-1985 Focused Project Management

High tech businesses, multi-discipline developments

Software engineering, matrix management

1985-1993 Renaissance of Project Management

All organizations, developing formal methods

Total quality management, concurrent engineering

1993- present Modern Project Management

Accept by top management, Recognize as a discipline

System engineering, change and risk management

Phases Use Methods