Chapter 3 Notes: Leadership, Planning, Decision Making, Gantt, QC, and TQM

Leadership

  • Leadership means different things to different people around the world, and different things in different situations.
    • Examples include: community leadership, religious leadership, political leadership, and leadership of campaigning groups.

Project Planning

  • Project planning is part of project management and involves the use of schedules (e.g., Gantt charts) to plan and report progress within the project environment.
  • Steps in planning:
    • Initially, the project scope is defined and the appropriate methods for completing the project are determined.
    • Durations for various tasks are listed and grouped into a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
    • Project planning helps organize different areas of a project, including project plans, workloads, and the management of teams and individuals.
  • Logical dependencies are defined using an activity network diagram, enabling identification of the critical path.
  • Planning is inherently uncertain because it must be done before the project starts; task durations are often estimated using a weighted average of optimistic, normal, and pessimistic cases.
  • The Critical Chain Method adds "buffers" in the planning to anticipate potential delays in project execution.
  • Float (slack) time in the schedule can be calculated using project management software.
  • Resources are estimated and costs allocated to each activity to determine total project cost.
  • The project schedule may be optimized to balance resource usage and project duration to meet project objectives; once established and agreed, this becomes the baseline schedule.
  • Progress is measured against the baseline schedule throughout the project life via Earned Value Management (EVM).
  • Inputs to the planning phase (phase 2) include the project charter and the concept proposal.
  • Outputs of the planning phase include: project requirements, the project schedule, and the project management plan.
  • Project planning can be done manually, but for managing several projects, project management software is typically easier and faster.

Process of Decision Making (7 Steps)

  • Decision making is the process of making choices by identifying a decision, gathering information, and assessing alternative resolutions.
  • A step-by-step decision-making process helps in making more deliberate, thoughtful decisions by organizing relevant information and defining alternatives, increasing the chances of choosing the most satisfying alternative.
  • The seven steps to effective decision making (in order):
    1) Identify the decision
    2) Gather information
    3) Identify alternatives
    4) Weigh the evidence
    5) Choose among alternatives
    6) Take action
    7) Review your decision and its consequences
  • A visual acronym/structure is presented as:
    • Identify the decision
    • Gather information
    • Alternatives
    • Weigh the evidence
    • Identify alternatives
    • Choose among alternatives
    • Take action
    • Review your decision

PROCESS OF DECISION MAKING (detailed steps)

Step 1: Identify the decision

  • Realize that you need to make a decision and clearly define the nature of the decision.

Step 2: Gather relevant information

  • Collect pertinent information before deciding: what information is needed, best sources, and how to obtain it.
  • Information sources include internal (self-assessment) and external (online, books, others, etc.).

Step 3: Identify the alternatives

  • As information is gathered, multiple possible paths of action or alternatives emerge.
  • It’s possible to construct new alternatives using imagination and additional information.
  • List all possible and desirable alternatives.

Step 4: Weigh the evidence

  • Use information and emotions to imagine consequences of each alternative.
  • Evaluate whether the need identified in Step 1 would be met by each alternative.
  • Favor alternatives with higher potential to reach the goal; prioritize them according to your value system.

Step 5: Choose among alternatives

  • Select the best alternative (or a combination) based on the evidence and prioritization.
  • The chosen option may be the same as the top-ranked alternative from Step 4.

Step 6: Take action

  • Implement the chosen alternative.

Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences

  • Consider results and whether the need identified in Step 1 was resolved.
  • If not met, revisit steps (gather more/different information or explore additional alternatives).

GANTT CHART

  • A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart, devised by Henry Gantt in the 1910s, illustrating a project schedule.
  • It shows start and finish dates of terminal elements and summary elements of a project (the WBS).
  • Modern Gantt charts display dependency relationships between activities (precedence network).
  • They can show current schedule status using percent-complete shadings and a vertical "TODAY" line.
  • Gantt charts were revolutionary when first introduced and continue to be used widely, including in information technology to represent data.

GANTT CHART EXAMPLE

  • Example includes typical project phases such as Planning, Research, Design, Implementation, Follow up across quarters/months (e.g., Q1 2019 to Q3 2019).

QUALITY CONTROL (QC) (3)

  • Quality control (QC) is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production.
  • ISO 9000 defines quality control as: "A part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements."
  • QC emphasizes three aspects:
    1) Elements such as controls, job management, defined and well-managed processes, performance and integrity criteria, and identification of records
    2) Competence, including knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications
    3) Soft elements, such as personnel, integrity, confidence, organizational culture, motivation, team spirit, and quality relationships
  • Controls include product inspection where every product is examined, often visually and with a stereo microscope for fine detail, using checklists for unacceptable defects (e.g., cracks, surface blemishes).
  • The quality of outputs is at risk if any of these three aspects is deficient.
  • QC emphasizes testing of products to uncover defects and reporting to management who decide to release or deny product release.
  • Quality Assurance (QA) aims to improve and stabilize production processes to prevent defects; QC focuses on defect detection.
  • In contract work (especially government), QC issues are a major reason for not renewing contracts.

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) (1)

  • Total Quality Management (TQM) is defined as a comprehensive and systematic approach that aims to achieve the highest possible quality and performance in engineering processes, products, and services.
  • TQM focuses on:
    • Continuous improvement
    • Customer satisfaction
    • Involvement of all stakeholders to ensure projects meet or exceed quality standards

PRINCIPLES OF TQM APPLIED IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

  • 12 principles can be applied in engineering management:
    1) Quality Control and Assurance
    2) Process Optimization
    3) Continuous Improvement
    4) Customer-Centric Approach
    5) Design and Development
    6) Supplier Quality Management
    7) Data-Driven Decision Making
    8) Risk Management
    9) Interdisciplinary Teams
    10) Training and Development
    11) Project Management
    12) Standardization

1) Quality Control and Assurance

  • In engineering, product and process quality are paramount.
  • TQM emphasizes rigorous quality control and assurance to prevent defects.
  • This includes statistical process control, inspection, and testing to maintain high standards.

2) Process Optimization

  • TQM promotes optimization of engineering processes: identify and eliminate bottlenecks, reduce waste, and improve efficiency.
  • Techniques like Lean and Six Sigma can be integrated with TQM to achieve goals.

3) Continuous Improvement

  • Cultivate a culture where engineers and staff are encouraged to suggest improvements.
  • Evaluate and implement these suggestions systematically.
  • Analyze data and performance metrics to identify areas for enhancement.

4) Customer-Centric Approach

  • Understand and meet customer requirements.
  • Align engineering efforts with customer needs to develop products that better satisfy clients.

5) Design and Development

  • Apply TQM principles to design and development phases.
  • Ensure products are designed with quality in mind to reduce costly modifications and rework later.

6) Supplier Quality Management

  • Supplier materials and components quality are vital.
  • Emphasize collaboration and shared quality goals with suppliers to ensure standards are met.

7) Data-Driven Decision Making

  • Use data analysis to reveal patterns and trends that inform decisions and process optimization.

8) Risk Management

  • Employ a systematic approach to identify and mitigate risks in projects to prevent costly failures or delays.

9) Interdisciplinary Teams

  • Cross-functional teams tackle complex problems.
  • Apply TQM principles to enhance communication, collaboration, and a shared commitment to quality.

10) Training and Development

  • Ensure engineers and staff have necessary skills and knowledge.
  • Invest in training and development to enhance capabilities.

11) Project Management

  • Apply TQM principles to project management to complete projects on time, within budget, and to required quality.
  • Use project management methodologies aligned with TQM principles.

12) Standardization

  • Standardize processes and procedures to ensure consistent quality.
  • Develop and adhere to standardized practices.

SUMMARY (TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT)

  • TQM can be a valuable framework in engineering management to improve quality, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.
  • When applied effectively, TQM helps engineering organizations deliver high-quality, reliable, and efficient solutions.

END CHAPTER 3