Engine Project Management

3 credits

Course Purpose

The execution of a successful engine design and development program relies on effective project management. This course will provide the necessary skills and techniques to enable the definition, creation and execution of a structured technical design project.

At the end of this course, you will be aware of the factors that effect successful project delivery and will be able to plan, manage and control a variety of projects, from simple design exercises to the complete design, analysis, development and release to production of a new engine.

Course Objectives

  • Learn key project management skills and tools to plan, monitor and control programs, including status/reporting through gate reviews as a mechanism for successful project delivery.
  • Understand and plan the elements of a structured engine design and development project from concept to production introduction and support. These elements will include incorporation of MEES course topics as well as R&D, design and development activities, validation and testing, and production infrastructure/lead-time constraints.
  • Identify technical, business and timing risk on a program and plan appropriate risk mitigation actions.
  • Determine appropriate product development input (manufacturing, service, purchasing, etc.).
  • Define resources, skills and facilities required to successfully deliver an engine program to production.
  • Understand the influence of a particular industry's operating environment, economic conditions, end-use customer needs and existing investment/infrastructure on design configuration, product specification and timing.
  • Understand the demands of legislative requirements (emissions, EMC, NVH, safety, etc.) for different markets and industry applications. Demonstrate the effects these requirements have on driving project initiation and execution (scope, timing and structure).
  • Generate a viable business case for engine programs based on sound financial, manufacturing, resource, and marketing requirements.

Topics

Trends in Engine Projects

  • What is involved in a typical engine project, from concept generation through to production
  • Overview of the engines industry, life-cycle planning and key market and legislative drivers for new projects

Project Scope Definition

  • Role of scope definition in good project delivery
  • Tools and techniques to define scope and establish appropriate priorities

Timing Issues

  • Establishing a valid timing plan by determining required activities and interdependencies
  • Defining project phases, from initiation through close-out and termination
  • Gateway processes and the use of sign-off criteria

Project Cost Control

  • Establishing a project cost and budget allocation based on resource databases
  • Utilizing financial risk management through contingency estimation and scenario planning

Resources

  • Developing a work breakdown structure by assigning tasks and resource allocation
  • Evaluating resource development and application to achieve project objectives

Project Integration

  • Developing a cohesive project plan through balancing quality, cost and timing deliverables
  • Consequences of project objective delivery through risk/cost quantification

Procurement

  • Types of project proposal and contract encountered in typical engines projects
  • Contract legal and risk considerations
  • Balancing project portfolio management needs

People

  • A review of current best practice in establishing a team structure and organization
  • Key skills in leadership and team motivation to deliver projects

Project Risk Control

  • How to identify potential project risks and develop a mitigation plan
  • Review of risk quantification and tracking techniques

Monitoring and Control

  • Reviewing project status, identifying issues and team communication
  • How to develop a scalable project issue tracking system for effective resolution
  • Techniques for decision-making mechanisms and dispute resolution

Quality

  • Role of quality systems and certification in engines project delivery
  • How to undertake and effective project audit
  • Establishing effective quality metrics and dealing with warranty

Communications

  • Developing a comprehensive project communications strategy using written reports, status dashboards, project meetings and electronic/web-based media
  • Understanding the critical role of timely and accurate communications in project control and decision making

Knowledge Management

  • Creating a knowledge management environment for effective capture, storage and retrieval of project best practice learning
    ‚Ä¢            Utilizing historical project learning into future project planning and capability growth

Group Project Proposal

  • Creating a detailed project plan for a full engine program incorporating all elements of the course
  • Working as a project team to coordinate a cohesive response to a request for quotation and deliver the results in a written report and group presentation