Projects, teamwork and ethics

Projects:
Work breakdown structure
Scope of work
Budget
Schedule
Teamwork
Elements of a team
Stages of development
Teamwork
Team rules
Ethics
Professional responsibility
State laws
ASME Code of Ethics

How do we solve a design problem?

Design problem FUNCTION
(customer & company requirements)

Activities
(decision making processes)

Make a project plan

then execute the plan

Solution - FORM
(manufacturing specifications)

Why should we plan a project?

To plan a project we make decisions which answer the
following questions
WHAT ? ...scope of work tasks
WHEN ? ...schedule
HOW MUCH?..budget
WHO?...organization chart,
responsibilities table

Without a roadmap..
how will you know where you are headed?

What is a project
Project Unique sequence of activities (work tasks)
undertaken ONCE to achieve a specific set of
objectives.
cost
time
work
scope
performance

Changing the length of any leg of the project triangle

affects the other legs!

Work breakdown structure

Widget
Design

Problem Formulation

site visit
QFD/HoQ
Eng. Characteristics
Constraints
Saisfaction curves
Select strategy
Develop plan
Design review meeting

Concept Design

Generate alternative concepts

Analyze alternatives
Evaluate alternative
Refine
Design review meeting

Configuration Design

Quick,
1 page graphic

Parametric Design

Develop architecture
Generate configurations
Analyze

Parametric problem formulation

Generate alternatives
Analyze alternatives

DFA
DFM
Evaluate
Refine
Desin review meeting

FMEA
Fault trees
Fishbone diagrams
Evaluate alternatives
Optimization
Multi-attribute opt.
Design review meeting

Detail Design

Detail drawings
Assembly drawings
Illustrations
Project Report
Prototype test reports
Oral presentations
Design review meeting

Scope of work (partial)

1.0 Design Problem Formulation
1.1 Visit Site,
Meet with customers, determine desired attributes and parameters
1.2 Complete QFD/HOQ
Determine requirements, engineering characteristics
1.3 Satisfaction Curves,
Determine the satisfaction curves for each engineering characteristic.
1.4 Create EDS
List in-use purposes for the product
List product performance requirements
1.5 Conduct Benchmarking
Research existing products that are currently available
Contact manufacturers and request brochures
Analyze the competition for functionality and performance

Responsibilities table
Project Name
Task
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7

assist

Date
Smith
6
3
1
2
4
3
2

Johnson
R
1
3
R
2
1
1
2
1

Tully
1
2
3
2
1
2
2

Hughs
2
3
6
R
2
3
R
R
2
5
R

13

23

Person n
Hours
2
12
3
14
6
R
18
4
11
5
14
2
11
3
13

m-th task
Total hours
21
11
R - Resposible engineer, in-charge

responsible

25

93

Project schedule

Task
Design Problem Formulation
1.1 Site Visit
1.5 Benchmarking
1.6 Contact Customers
1.7 Determine PDP/DV/SEP
1.10 Outline Work Scope
1.8 Determine Schedule
1.9 Calculate Budget
1.4 Create EDS
1.3 Satisfaction Curves
1.2 Complete QFD/HOQ
1.11Report 1
Conceptual Design
2.1,2,5,6,9 Generate Concepts
2.7 Determine Physical Principles
2.8 Conceptual Drawings
2.3,4 Evaluate Concepts
2.10 Report 2
Configuration Design
3.1,2,10 Determine Configuration
3.3 Determine General Dimensions

Week 1
1/22-1/26

Week 2
1/27-2/2

Week 3
2/3-2/9

Week 4
2/10-2/16

Week 5
2/17-2/23

Week 6
2/24-3/2

Week 7
3/3-3/9

Week 8
3/10-3/16

W
3/

Project Budget

Project notebook
Identification Sheet
Project name, Team member name,
Telephone/email addresses

Design problem formulation

Engineering Design Specifications, customer notes,
QFD, HoQ, Prior art (library research, web) /benchmarks

Alternative generation, analyses & evaluation

Analysis Plan, computations, experiments
Citations for equations, data, spreadsheets, sketches, figures,
Schematics, drawings, Evaluations
References / Bibliography

Project Engineering
Scope of work, Project schedule & updates
Budget, Earned Value Analyses, Risk Assessments
Time sheet - Log of work/team mtg hours
Punch lists of things to be done

Vendor Information
Telephone numbers, addresses
Phone conversations notes
Web site printouts
Product/vendor literature

Organization chart for a design project

Project
Manager

John Smith

Sales
Marketing

Industrial
Design

Mechanical
Engineering

Electrical
Engineering

Civil
Engineering

Purchasing

Bob
Johnson

Stan Tully

Sara Hughs

Jim Parsons

Dave Hart

Jack Driggs

Mfg.
& Industrial
Engineering

Sue Grant

Project Teams

Definition of a team
Elements that describe a team
How teams change during the project
How to have effective team meetings
Setting Team Rules

What defines a team

A team - is a group of people that:
have complementary skills and
knowledge
work together toward common goals
hold each other mutually accountable.

Elements of a team
Communication Listening, speaking, writing, drawing, etc
Seek first to understand before being understood

Group Decision making

Handoff to management
Voting majority versus minority, unanimous
Consensus thorough discussion, some minor
compromises, command decision

Collaboration committed, cooperate, participate, assist

Team is more important than individual desires

Self-management (starts with a project plan, however)

Stages of Team Development

project initiation
wild enthusiasm
disillusionment
chaos
search for the guilty
punishment of the innocent
promotion of the non-participants, and
definition of the project requirements (Lewis, 2002).

Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing (Tuckman)

Team interaction is dynamic not static!

Effective team meetings

Agenda
Effective execution

Start on time
Practice effective listening skills
Facilitate the facilitator
Come prepared
Discuss fact not fiction
Take action
Take minutes
Draft next agenda
Turn-off cell phones

Team Rules

Commit to the goals of team

Perform assigned tasks completely, accurately, on time.
Respect the contributions of others
Assist other team members when needed
Ask for help before we get into trouble
Follow guidelines for effective meetings
Actively participate in team deliberations
Focus on problems not people or personalities
Constructively resolve conflicts or differences of opinion
Comment clearly and constructively

Teamwork
What does it mean to be a good team player?

Completes Individual tasks on time

Completes Individual tasks thoroughly
Assists other teammates
Listens well
Participates in team deliberations
Keeps deliberations on track
Respects individual differences (ethnicity, gender etc.)
Solves problems openly, authentically

What is Professional Responsibility?

definition of responsibility
1. The social force that binds you to your
obligations and the courses of action
demanded by that force.

definition of profession
1. The body of people in a learned occupation.
2. An occupation requiring special education
(especially in the liberal arts or sciences)
obligated . to follow courses of action.

When should we be professionally responsible?

Conflicts between individual worker and the company
regarding the public. Whistle blowing!
1. manufacturing unsafe products
2. illegal hazard waste dumping
3. operating equipment dangerous to public
Profits versus public safety

Making decisions requiring evaluating .....

Whose values do we use? Company managers? Our
own? Our professions?

Rules of Professional Responsibility

(State board of registration for PEs and P. Land Surveyors)
Four major sections in most state laws:
1. Responsibility to the Public

State law!

2. Competency for Assignments

3. Conflict of Interest
4. Improper Conduct

What obligations do we (engineers) have?

ASME Code of Ethics Fundamental Principles

Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor, and
dignity of the Engineering profession by:
I.

Using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement

of human welfare;

II.

Being honest and impartial, and serving with fidelity

the public, their employers and clients; and

III. Striving to increase the competence and prestige of

the engineering profession.

ASME Code of Ethics

Fundamental Cannons 1-4

1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and
welfare of the public in the performance of their
professional duties.
2. Engineers shall perform services only in areas of their
competence.

3. Engineers shall continue their professional development

throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for
the professional development of those engineers under
their supervision.
4. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each
employer or client as faithful agents or trustees, and shall
avoid conflicts of interest.

ASME Code of Ethics

Fundamental Cannons 5-8

5. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the
merit of their services and shall not compete unfairly with
others.
6. Engineers shall associate only with reputable persons or
organizations.
7. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an
objective and truthful manner.
8. Engineers shall consider environmental impact in the
performance of their professional duties.

Guidelines for facilitating ethical problems

http://www.engr.washington.edu/~uw-epp/Pepl/Ethics/ethics3.html

Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation - obtain all of the

unbiased facts possible
Step 2: Define the Stakeholders - those with a vested interest in the
outcome
Step 3: Assess the motivations of the Stakeholders - using effective
communication techniques and personality assessment
Step 4: Formulate alternative solutions - based on most complete
information available, using basic ethical core values as
guide
Step 5: Evaluate proposed alternatives - short-list ethical solutions
only; may be a potential choice between/among two or more
totally ethical solutions

Guidelines for facilitating ethical problems

Step 6: Seek additional assistance, as appropriate - engineering
codes of ethics, previous cases, peers, reliance on personal
experience, prayer
Step 7: Select the best course of action - that which satisfies the
highest core ethical values
Step 8: Implement the selected solution - take action as warranted
Step 9: Monitor and assess the outcome - note how to improve
the next time

Summary

Design Project decisions, teamwork, coordination

Project plan scope of work, schedule, budget
Teamwork requires: communication, group decision making,
collaboration, selfmanagement

Teams are dynamic expect changes

Hold effective meetings
Set team rules early in project
Ethics
We are professionally responsibile
Observe state laws
Memorize the ASME Code of Ethics