4.Engineering Projects and Process Management

Question 1

For effective work schedule breakdown, state the measures that should be taken.

Answer 1

• Ensure measurable task status/completion.
• Clearly define start/end of events.
• Assign deliverables to each activity.
• Set reasonable activity durations.
• Ensure work assignments are independent.
• Make cost and activity time estimates easy.

Question 2

What factors should be considered for accurate work scheduling.

Answer 2

• Consider holidays and extend schedules accordingly.
• Check human resource availability.
• Double-check material availability and lead times.
• Account for project constraints and critical path activities.
• Determine schedule float for flexibility.

Question 3

Briefly state the project management techniques used in a new product, process or service development.

Answer 3

• Develop project concept and define the problem.
• List and assess potential strategies.
• Create a detailed action plan.
• Review the plan with all stakeholders.
• Execute the project, monitor results, and possibly re-plan.
• Conduct a project postmortem for improvement.

Question 4

State the techniques used for successful project planning and the reasons for project failure.

Answer 4

• Techniques: Work Breakdown Structure, scheduling, resource allocation.
• Reasons for Failure: Ignoring project environment, rushing technology to market, avoiding contingency planning, micromanaging, and failing to conduct feasibility studies.

Question 5

Explain the objectives of: (a) total quality management (TQM) and (b) six sigma.

Answer 5

• TQM: Focuses on continuous improvement of products and processes, problem-solving, and customer satisfaction.
• Six Sigma: Aims to reduce process variation and improve product quality, focusing on cost, quality, and schedule.

Question 6

State the use of simulation models in tracking production processes and identifying production problems.

Answer 6

Simulations model production processes, allowing what-if scenario analysis to identify problems and evaluate solutions without real-world implementation.

Question 7

Briefly explain the following quality management techniques: (a) Kaizen, (b) failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) and (c) quality function deployment (QFD).

Answer 7

• Kaizen: Emphasizes continuous, incremental improvement.
• FMEA: Proactively identifies potential process failures and their effects to prevent them.
• QFD: Aligns customer requirements with product features.

Question 8

What are the basic elements of total quality management?

Answer 8

Continuous process and product improvement, employee problem-solving, excellent management practices, and customer satisfaction focus.

Question 9

What is the purpose of root cause analysis used in process management? State the root cause analysis techniques used to dig deeply into a problem.

Answer 9

Purpose: To identify the fundamental reasons for problems to prevent recurrence.
Techniques: Define the defect, use a team-based approach, examine cause and effect, identify system changes, remain impartial, and ask “why” multiple times.

Question 10

What are the typical project management software programs used in industry?

Answer 10

The document does not specify particular software names, but common examples include Microsoft Project and Primavera, focusing on cost estimating, scheduling, resource allocation, and task management.