Engineering Project Management Fundamentals

Introduction to Engineering Project Management

• This lecture introduces the fundamentals of engineering project management
• It addresses its importance, definitions, and the role of an engineering project manager.

Today's Challenge

• This asks what engineering project management is.
• This questions why teach engineering project management.
• This considers if engineering projects matter to society and business.
• This defines what a project is.
• This defines what an engineering project is.
• This defines what a project manager is.

Session Objectives

• Defining engineering project management
• Defining a project and its goals
• Outlining the importance of Engineering Project Management (EPM)
• Explaining the role of the project manager

Engineering Project Management Importance

• Engineering projects are vital for society and are the primary revenue source for many companies.
• Engineers need to understand:
  • How projects are managed
  • What factors determine success
• Managing an engineering project leads to:
  • Freedom
  • Responsibility
  • Skill enhancement
  • Leadership

Defining a Project

• A project is a temporary activity designed to create a unique product or service.
• Key characteristics of a project include:
  • Being a single, non-repetitive enterprise
  • Uniqueness
  • Unpredictable outcomes
  • Defined start and finish
  • Specific budget with a clear scope

The Triple Constraint

• Scope, time, and cost are known as the "Triple Constraint" or "Iron Triangle."
• Project success depends on managing trade-offs between the three project objectives which are:
  • Scope
  • Schedule
  • Budget
• Project managers must anticipate and address risks to the project.

Engineering Project Management in Practice

• The utility company Xcel Energy in Boulder, Colorado, initiated a 3-year, $100 million "smart-grid" project.
• The smart grid would span the entire city.
• It aimed to convert a conventional electric-grid system.
• Customers monitoring their energy costs could reduce usage by up to 30%.
• The smart grid would reroute power, detect outages, reduce service risks, and remotely manage customer meters.
• Accenture and the city of Boulder were among the partners, with eight teams led by a senior PM.
• The key to the project was maintaining communcation and ensuring security with community input from town halls and tours.
• Xcel is set to analyze project benefits over a year.

Defining Engineering in Project Management

• Engineering means the application of engineering principles for the creation.
• It relies on engineering science and technology.
• It distinguishes from other disciplines like finance or arts.

Defining Management in Project Management

• Focus is directed towards the processes, methods, and means to coordinate people, equipment, materials, money, and schedules.
• The goal of project management is to complete a specified project on time, within the approved cost, and to the right specification.

Engineering Project Manager

• Project managers connect top management, owners, specialists, and contractors.
• They require managerial abilities, technical skills, and broad qualifications.
• They should be technically competent to understand project aspects.

Role of an Engineering Project Manager

• The project is executed by a team led by a project manager, regardless of internal/external ownership.
• Project managers lead the team
• Project Management isn't a consulting position and you are responsible for achieving project goals.
• Project managers lead activities such as planning, recruiting, motivating and managing.
• Project managers make sure the project is accomplished as planned and within contract.

Skills of a project manager

• Projects are generally achieved by teams, not individuals.
• Project managers have authority and responsibility in engineering projects.
• Authority gives you organizational designation to lead; responsibility is accepting project completion duties within set limits.
• Project managers integrate all project aspects beyond just engineering, and handles project stakeholders.
• Common responsibilities include:
  • Planning tasks
  • Creating a work breakdown structure (WBS)
  • Setting and allocating a budget
  • Selecting and organizing a team
  • Negotiating expectations with influential stakeholders
  • Monitoring status
  • Addressing technical / functional problems
  • Resolving conflicts
  • Mitigating future risks.

Qualifications for a project manager

• The project manager qualifications include:
  • Personal traits
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Business skills
  • Technical and Training abilities
• Flexible, adaptable, with leadership skills
• Confident, fluent, and persuasive
• Effective communicator and integrator, balancing technical expertise and human, cost, and time constraints.
• Organised and disciplined, generalist rather than specialist.

Interpersonal Skills of a Project Manager

• Interpersonal skills required for a project manager.
• These interpersonal skills required include:
  • Actively listening
  • Asking leading questions
  • Staying quiet to allow the other person sufficient time to talk
  • Reflecting on the person’s words to ensure correctness
  • Reflecting on the person's emotions
  • Building trust, encouraging teams, and rewarding them

General business skills

• Project managers need general business knowledge and skills.
• Business skills involve:
  • Understanding the organisation
  • Grasping marketing, accounting, contracting, HR, and business principles
  • Applying business needs to projects
  • Teaching/training subordinates

Other Skills and Training

• Project managers require comprehensive knowledge of technical aspects for well-informed decisions.
• Project managers do not conduct technical analysis themselves.
• Solid project management skills require significant study, dedication, and resources.

Role Clarity

• The project manager works for the project and not the owner.
• Roles include the owner, designer, and contractor:
  • In this class there will be a focus on from these perspectives: owner, designer, and construction.

Career Opportunities

• Few people aim to be PM, despite the many opportunities.
• Each project is an opportunity.
• Managing big projects can be a challenge, but, start small and continue your PM education.

Project Management Institute (PMI)

• The Project Management Institute(PMI) has:
  • 704,143 members
  • Across 222 countries
  • Has 303 Chartered Chapters

Lecture Recap

• This lecture covers the meaning of engineering project management:
  • Defining projects and their goals.
  • The importance of engineering project management
  • Project roles

Next Lecture

• The next lecture reviews project organization structure.