1. Management of Engineers and Technology
Managing Tradeoffs
Time Management

2. Principle 5: Using Assets Wisely
Making decisions based on organizational goals
Applying resources to maximize profit
Managing time and priorities
Understanding motivation
Managing stress and balancing life

3. Managing Tradeoffs
Decisiveness is an important part of management and leadership
Most decisions involve tradeoffs
Managers must facilitate group decision making (consensus)
Management decisions are less clear than technical ones

4. Decision Criteria Review: Then: Values and beliefs
Vision/Mission/Goals/Objectives
Then:
Generate list of attributes
Prioritize the attributes
Needs (required)
Wants (desired)

5. Some Common Tradeoffs Performance/reliability Power/weight
Flexibility/productivity
Throughput/quality
Benefit/Cost

6. Benefit/Cost Tradeoffs
Fixed benefit
Minimize cost
Fixed cost
Maximize benefit
Variable benefit/variable cost
Maximize the B/C ratio
Can it be measured?

7. Mutual Exclusivity Choose one of two or more alternatives
Vendor proposals
Contractor bids
Design approaches
Job applicants

8. Never a Perfect Fit Each alternative has strengths and weaknesses
Each may address the objectives in a different way
Can’t mix and match features

9. New Faculty Member MSEM and BSIE Programs Duties Qualifications
Teaching
Research
Service
Qualifications
Required
Desired

10. Themes Managers make decisions
Management decisions are less clear than technical decisions
The “right” decision often involves compromise

11. Time Management Time is a fixed commodity
With fixed input, we must maximize output
“Time management” is actually managing yourself
Prioritize productive activities
Minimize non-productive activities
Increase productivity, reduce stress

12. Time Management Process
Review your goals
List your unfinished tasks
Prioritize your tasks based on your goals
Attack tasks in priority order

13. Priority Levels A - Must do as soon as possible
Safety, environment, production
B - Must do, but can be scheduled
Prioritize by
Due date
Impact on operations
Importance to goals
C - Would be nice to do if I had the time

14. Time Management Systems
Franklin System
Day-timers
Calendars (daily, weekly, monthly)
PDA’s
Ryan’s System
Reminder calendar
First things first (daily list)
Avoid time wasters (just say “NO”)

15. Time Wasters: Interruptions
Meetings
Telephone/pager/radio
Sales people
Visitors
Crises

16. Time Wasters: Information Problems
Not enough information
Inaccurate information
Unclear how to obtain information

17. Time Wasters: Lack of self-discipline
No delegation
Working on low-priority tasks
Leaving tasks unfinished
Procrastination
Indecision

18. Suggestions Find an effective system and USE IT
Limit involvement in time-wasting activities
Use
Delegate what you can
Handle each piece of paper ONCE
Consider your personal cycle
Give yourself some breathing room

19. Meetings Accomplish something as a group Purposes Sharing information
Securing cooperation
Making decisions

20. Effective Meetings: Group Time Management
Written focused agenda
Finalize
Include durations
Follow
One hour or less
Fewer than 10 people
Visual aids and/or handouts if appropriate
Give people the chance to prepare

21. Before the Meeting Ends
Identify follow-up tasks
Who
Does what
By when
Schedule next meeting
Distribute minutes
Now
Soon afterward

22. Summary You can’t make more time, so you must use it wisely
Actions and priorities should align
Meetings are group time management
Effective time management will
Improve productivity
Reduce stress
Lead to more free time