Date/reference/classification 1 An Engineering View of Small Project Management or The Research Project in the Real World A presentation for Mrs Davies RP Class 26JUN15 Prepared: John Davies BAE Systems Australia

Date/reference/classification What does an Engineer do? –Types of Engineers –Chemical –Civil –Aeronautical –Petroleum –Mining –Software –Firmware –Hardware –Over to you! –My thoughts…..

Date/reference/classification Actually…. –Engineers Plan and Implement Ideas to Produce Useful Things! –Q: Is this sounding like RP? –A: It should be

Date/reference/classification How did I get there? My Journey –Year “no idea” career plan –Year “Happy go Lucky” –Year 11 (again!) “I’d better apply myself” –Year (phew) “a good enough Victorian HSC Score” (1981) –Applying for Engineering Schools “which is best for me? Aero!” –RMIT Aeronautical Engineering (Years ) “This is hard work but fun” ( ) –Government Aircraft Factory - - “I can’t believe they pay me to do this” (1987) –Tenix Defence - - (same!) –BAE Systems - - (same!!)

Date/reference/classification Wow! (OK maybe its just me… but I get to play with this stuff)

Date/reference/classification Or more currently….

Date/reference/classification Then… off to International Trials

Date/reference/classification Engineering - but not everyone is ‘an Engineer’ 8 Computer Aided Design MTECH – Mechanical Technicians ETECH – Electrical Technicians

Date/reference/classification 9 Ideas – to CAD – to Reality Transmitter Antenna

Date/reference/classification 10 Software Design – Its For Serious Geeks

Date/reference/classification All Projects Require Management (or they go wrong) –What management should you apply to the Research Project? –Topic (selection) –Skeleton Report ToC –Research / Research / Research –Gather Together Content –Write Report [Draft] –Review –Write Report [Final] –How do I ensure it happens on time? –You plan it via a simple schedule –“Plan the work, work the plan”

Date/reference/classification Now to Project Management –This bit links to RP…. –How to MAKE a schedule –How to USE a schedule Remember to: PLAN the WORK then WORK the PLAN! Or in other words… FAIL to PLAN = PLAN to FAIL! 12

Date/reference/classification MS Project – basic Schedule tool But…. What if I don’t have MS Project? Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) “what I need to do” Start / Finish dates Work Blocks Logical linkages Start of project End of project

Date/reference/classification MS Excel – a basic Schedule tool that RP Students can use! Easy to do.. It all works the same but not as fancy… Just colouring in the squares…

Date/reference/classification Lets Try it….. –Take a topic (anyone?) –Develop a simple schedule –Track your progress…

Date/reference/classification 16 Questions? John Davies BAE Systems Australia Project Schedules: Fail to Plan = Plan to Fail