Project Management

Project & Quality Management

Day 3 Technology

Project Management

Syllabus Core: PQM

Three main topics

Project Management

• Quality Management

• Reliability Management

Project Management• Overview of project management,• Project planning;

→Work Breakdown Structure,→The Gantt Chart,→Network Diagram,→Critical Path Diagram,

• Project planning for Technology projects, • Using Microsoft Project to generate charts.

Structure of the Presentation

What is Project Management?

A set of techniques used for managing projects

Origins in industry - large projects

• Bridge Building

• New Product Development

• Road Building

What is a Project?

“Any task within an organisation that does not fit neatly into ‘business-as-usual’”

• Port Tunnel

• Luas

• Development of New Engine

• Set up a Quality System in Company

• Technology Design & Make project.

What is a Project?Projects have the following characteristics:

• Each project is specific and unique.

• Each project has a specific deliverable item when complete.

• This deliverable is aimed at meeting a specific need or purpose.

• There is usually a specific due date for completion of the project.

Design is not necessarily a central part of the project activity.

What is Managed?

PM focuses on the management of resources and time in a systematic manner.

• The administration of the project

• The supervision of the project

• The organisation of the project

What is Managed?

For the student it means:

• Analysing the objectives of the project,

• Defining the tasks needed to achieve these objectives,

• Controlling the execution of them.

Who manages the projeect?

Large projects usually involve a project team.

Project Manager

Specialist Specialist Specialist

Projects have 3 objectives,

Finish on time.

Meet the specifications that satisfy the brief.

Meet the budget.

Students are the project managers of their own tasks!

What do Project Managers do?

Importance of Planning

Unexpected events may happen during the project and may cause delays.

Breakdown of machinery,Problems with resources/supplies,Labour shortages, etc.

Project planning can minimise the effect of these unexpected delays.

Project Planning

What is a project plan?

• Can be as simple as a list of sequences for a small project

• Can be more complex with charts, tables, costings etc. for a larger project

Project Planning

1. Analyse the brief,

2. List the steps involved,

3. Draw up a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

A WBS is a diagram that shows→ Primary Tasks→ Sub-Tasks

Example

Draw up a Work Breakdown Structure for the erection of a garden shed.

1. The shed will come prefabricated but will need to be assembled.

2. A foundation will need to be prepared in advance.

List of Tasks

No. Activity

1 Order Shed

2Buy Blocks, Sand &

Cement

3 Build Foundation

4 Assemble Shed

WBS for Garden Shed

Garden ShedPrepare Foundation

Buy Blocks and Cement

Place order for shed

Assemble Shed when it arrives

The Gantt Chart – a Preview

A Gantt Chart is a horizontal bar chart showing the times for each task

Looking at the Gantt Chart

• Delivery time for the shed is nine days,• One day for buying materials,• Two days for making the foundation,• One day for assembly.

Note:

• Making the foundation is timed so that it is ready just in time for the delivery of the shed

• Could have been completed at an earlier date if desired.

Exercises

Redraw the Gantt chart so that the maximum amount of time is allowed for the curing of the foundation.

Buy Blocks

Build Foundation

Assemble

Day 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Order Shed from Supplier

ExercisesShown is a picture of a Christmas Tree Star

1. Draw a WBS for the Star

2. Draw a Gantt chart for manufacturing the Star

List of Tasks:Star

No. Activity Time

1 Mark Out Star 1

2 Drill Holes 1

3 Cut Out & File 3

4 Solder Circuit 2

5 Assemble 2

6 Test 1

WBS for Star

Star

Mark Out Drill Cut Out & File

Solder Circuit

Assemble Test

Circuit

Structure

Sub Task

Sub Task

Gantt Chart for Star

Cut Out & File

Drill

Solder Circuit

Day 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Mark Out

Assemble

Test

Network DiagramsFor larger or more complex projects a

network diagram is required.

Network Diagrams show:

1. The relationships between the tasks,2. The sequence in which each task is

performed,3. The interdependencies between the

tasks.

Drawing up a Network Diagram

• Start with task list and draw up a WBS

• Decide on the order of tasks

WBS

Network Diagram

Gantt Chart

Sample WBS

A WBS needs to be analysed and redrawn frequently to arrive at the best production sequence.

(Use ‘Post its’)

Network Table

Task Predecessor

A -

B -

C A

D B

E B

F C,D

G E

The tasks and theirpredecessorscan be drawn as a table

Part Complete Network Diagram

Note that task C has A as a predecessor

D and E have B as predecessors.

A and B have no predecessors and are connected to the starting node.

Complete Network Diagram

Task Predecessor

A -

B -

C A

D B

E B

F C,D

G E

Exercise:Complete the diagram using the remainder of the tasks

Network Diagram for Garden Shed

Draw up a network diagram for the garden shed project described previously.

Some Definitions and TermsTerms used for network diagrams:Activity – A task or set of tasks required by the project.Network – Diagram of nodes representing activities

connected by directional arrows that defines the project and shows the relations between all of the activities. Networks are usually drawn with a ‘Start’ node on the left and a ‘Finish’ node on the right.

Path – A series of connected activities in the networkCritical Path – the set of activities on a path from the

project’s start event to its finish event that if delayed, will delay the completion date of the project.

Critical Time – The time required to complete all activities on the critical path.

Adding Times to the Network Diagram

• Duration of each task can be added to network diagram

• From this, start and finish times can be found for each task

• Some tasks can be allowed to vary their start and finish times without affecting overall time taken

Example

Task Predecessor Duration

A - 5 (days)

B - 4

C A 3

D A 4

E A 6

F B,C 4

G D 5

H D,E 6

I F 6

J G,H 4

Consider the following project

Network with Tasks & Times

Adding Further Information

We can add the following information to each node in the diagram:

Earliest Start Time (EST)Earliest Finish Time (EFT)

Latest Start Time (LST)Latest Finish Time (LFT)

Critical Path Diagram

Critical path in orange

See notes for a detailed explanation

Conclusions from Critical Path Diagram

• Critical path is path that requires the most time (A-E-H-J)

• Critical time is 21 days which is the earliest possible completion time

• Any delay on critical path will delay the project

• Some delay (within limits) can be tolerated on other tasks.

Critical Path Diagram for the Garden ShedComplete the critical path diagram for the garden shed

State critical path and critical time

Solution

CP: Order Shed – AssembleCT= 10 Days

Slack = LFT-EFT = LST-EST

Calculating Activity Slack

Slack or Float is the amount of time a non-critical task can be delayed

Slack = Latest Finish Time – Earliest Finish Time

or

Latest Start Time – Earliest Start Time

Slack Times from Shed Example

Both non-critical tasks have a slack of (9-3)=(7-1)=(7-1)=(6-0) = 6 days

The Gantt Chart

• Generated from network diagram

• Gives visual representation of activities and times

• Gantt charts can show:• Timeline for each task• Dependencies of tasks• Critical path

Network DiagramUsing the Network Diagram from previous example

Application of PM to Tech. ProjectsNow we will apply the techniques we have

met to a hypothetical LC project.

The procedure for project work is:• List the tasks and sub-tasks involved• Draw up a WBS• Draw up a Network Table• Draw up a Network Diagram• Insert times and determine the Critical

Path

Consider the following project brief

Design and manufacture a personal alarm that will incorporate an electronic circuit as well as a suitable casing

From analysing the brief:• General plan on how to approach the project• Identify the main tasks involved• Derive a Work Breakdown Schedule• Draw up a Network Diagram• Add times and find the critical path, critical

time and slack for the activities.

A possible WBS for the project

Personal Alarm

Research Circuit

Design Circuit

Order Components

User Survey Design Casing

Manufacture & Assemble

Test

Design Specification

Order Materials

Casing

Circuit

Sub Task

Sub Task

Network TableFirst draw up a list of tasks and preceding tasks

Task Description Duration Predecessor

A Research Circuit 14 -

B User Survey 7 -

C Device Spec 1 B

D Circuit Design 3 A

E Order Components 10 D

F Design Casing 7 C

G Order Materials 7 F

H Manufacture and assembly

7 E,G

I Test 4 H

Network Diagram

7

7

Critical Path Diagram

CP = Circuit Research -Circuit Design-Order Components-Build-Test

CT = 38 class periods

Gantt Chart for Project

Student Workbook

List the tasks needed to complete the project

Example 2

List the tasks

Estimate the times

Draw up WBS and Gantt chart

Example – Contains circuit

List the tasks & Estimate timesOrder tasks and optimise themDraw up WBS and Gantt chartEstimate project duration

Example:

Example