Failing to plan isplanning to fail

Managing Product Design Projects

Activity

Draw up a plan for your client projectInformation included:

TasksMilestonesDurationetc.

Use whatever format and graphics you deem suitable

Discussion

Raise your hand if you have the following elements in your drawing1. Blocks / Sub-tasks2. Arrows / Flows3. Branches / If-then Decisions4. Cycles / Iterations

What tools did you used to represent your project planning? What are the characteristics of project

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Project Essentials

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service ( 在一定时间内为完成某一独特的产品或服务所进行的一次性努力 )

Characteristics of projectObjective ( 目标性 )Temporary ( 一次性 )

Unique ( 独特性 )progressively elaboration ( 逐渐明晰 ) interrelated activities ( 依存关系）consumes resources ( 消耗资源 )

Fast

Safe

CheapGood

Project Essentials

All projects are a sub-task of bigger projects, e.g.((((Research)SD2455)HD-PIT)Live happily)

Key issues in project planning Time ( 快 ) Cost ( 省 ) Quality ( 好 ) Risk ( 稳 )

Do things right

Do the right thing

Project Management Process

Project Execution

Project PlanningProject Preparation

Project Adaptation

Project Planning - Resources

Resources and its management

Identify resource requirement (designers, engineers, equipment, etc.)

Identify resource constrains (project on-hand, office hours, shipping, etc.)

Identify critical chainFrequent error: Fail to identify resource

limits at initial planning stage

Common methods to optimise resources

Parallel execution of identical task (brain-storming, group sketching)

Parallel execution of unrelated tasks (PowerPoint making and report writing)

Staggered execution of tasks (laser-cutting and putty surfacing)

Speculative execution (mould preparation before design confirmation)

Delay executionFrequent error: Use crashing alone to

meet deadline

Speculative execution

Adobe Acrobat Document

“Smartphone cases are now a $436 million-a-year business. Some manufacturers make bad investments based on leaked designs”

- Bloomberg Businessweek Oct. 13 2011

Pitfalls of Blind Multi-tasking

Lost of attentionDifficult to track overall progressSwitching costTask with higher priority suffers

0 10 20 30

A B C A:0 B:10 C;20

A B C A B C A:10 B:15 C;20

Project Planning - Risks

Risks and its management

Internal riskSolution not foundIncorrect assumption (client’s taste, consumer

behaviour, etc.)Resource unavailable (people, equipment, vendor)

External riskSpecification change (competitor product launch,

technology breakthrough, short-supply)Deliverable change (strategy change)Stalled confirmation

Frequent error: Fail to weight risk and benefit, select direction base on risky assumption

Delivery Time

The two most common types of failure for product design project areDesign rejectionDeadline slip

In real-world business we determine delivery date by the quality and quantity of deliverables

In student design project we determine the quality and quantity of deliverables by delivery date

Uncertainty and Risk

Time

Tra

ck R

ecor

d

50%

0 10 20

80%

Safety Buffer

If you want to increase the chance of on-time completion by 1%, the safety buffer must increase much more than 1%

Pitfalls of Safety Buffer

Safety Buffer increase dramatically with the decrease of acceptable risk

Bad track records affect safety buffer more than good records do

In a group project, each level of management will add extra safety buffer to protect their own interest

Students’ Syndrome – a tendency to fight for safety buffer and start at slow pace

In a series of dependent tasks, time gain by early finish cannot compensate the buffer lost due to delay

Common Methods to Reduce Risks

Vigorous project preparationPut client into the process

Charge by time or by phaseCharge per design proposalSchedule to date of confirmation

Sharing risk with partners (reward/penalty clause)

Minimise lost (non-refundable deposit)Frequent error: Look sideward but not forward for timing

cue

Project Preparation and Planning Checklist

Determine the deliverablesIdentify resource and time limitsIdentify risks‘Make or buy’ decisionCalculate delivery timeDetermine project phases and check-points

according to risksCalculate costFrequent error: Fail to re-examine schedule after

every check-points

Activity

Work as a group, list the essential resources for this client project and the risks you may encounter

Consolidate your Client Project plans and make a revised version

Optimise the resources and minimise the risk

Resources Risks

Project Planning Tools

Discussion

What tools did you used to plan your previous projects?

Does your tools help you to consider resources and risk issues?

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Project Management Tools

Gantt Chart Easy to learn,

visually rich No explicit task

relationships Probabilistic

Critical Path Method Reveal interaction

of branched tasks Explicit task

relationships Deterministic

Adapted from: Network Planning Techniques: CPM-PERT, ESD.36J, MIT

Problem with Traditional Project Management

Is inflexible, “changing the plan” considered a failure

Does not think of projects in a probabilistic sense

“Hostage” to existing project management software

In a reactive mode – no “early warning” systemsBased on pure reductionismDoes not acknowledge the existence of

iterations

Two Types of Iteration

Planned iterationCaused by needs to

improve things we don’t fully understand

To solve the ‘chicken and eggs’ problem

Know where these iterations occur, but not necessarily how much

Should be facilitated by good design methods, tools, and coordination

Unplanned iterationCaused by errors

and/or unforeseen problems

Generally cannot predict whether and which unplanned iterations will occur

Should be minimised by careful planning and use of tools (e.g. DSM)

Task Sequencing

Adapted from: Lecture 3, System Project Management, ESD.36J, MIT

10 tasks in SD2454

1. Write design brief2. Identify stakeholders and investigation3. Initial design ideas and developments4. Finalize the idea5. Engineering design6. Preparation of 3D solid model7. Preparation of detailed working drawings8. Design for manufacture and assembly9. Design for environment10.Final design

Planned iteration

Unplanned iteration

Design Structure Matrix

Adapted from: Lecture 3, System Project Management, ESD.36J, MIT

Design Structure Matrix

Adapted from: Lecture 3, System Project Management, ESD.36J, MIT

Spiral Product Design Process

Adapted from: Lecture 11, System Project Management, ESD.36J, MIT

Believe in planning but not the plan

Failing to plan is planning to fail

And,