Introduction to

Tech Communication &

Project Management

Arthur C.M. Chen

617 253-7312, Rm 38-460
acmchen@alum.mit.edu
 Motivation

• Technical Leadership
– “Guiding head of a technical group”
• Two essential tools
– Communicate to customer and to your team
– Organize, plan and manage the technical project

Introduction:
• Simple advice on presentation
• Introduction to project management
 Think Before You Present

• Who are your audience, why are they

listening?

• What is one or two messages you want to

leave with your audience?
– What is the message for each slide
 Communicate the Essence

• Who & where

– Technology and research group of interest
– Specific Professor or research staff
• What
– Specific thesis project idea – some details
• Why
– Personal interest, Future opportunities, Financial support
• When
– Progress and plan – this term and beyond

News story outline

 Why Project Management

• Diverse career opportunities

– Leadership role
• Most future activities are team and/or multi-
organization oriented
– How to help teams to work together
– Startup business plans
• MEng Thesis Project
– Good learning vehicle
 Project

• Project: “an organized undertaking”

– Master of Engineering Thesis Project
– Finding a job
– Building a porch
– Buying a house
– …
– Design and manufacture a car (Large Program)
– Put a man on the moon (Huge Program)

Project management: a discipline

“Art and Science”
 Project Management Objective

• Achieve the project goal

– Do a great thesis – on time
• Keep customers (e.g., Professors) happy
• Keep the team focus on the goal
• Make sure that team members work well
• Everyone shares the load
• …

Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers

 Concerns about Project Management

• My work is research so that I can’t plan it

• How can I commit to a schedule if I don’t know
how it will work out
• I don’t have time to plan – got to get it done

• Project plan is a map and a guide

- No map, most likely to get lost
- Plan: understand risks and trade-offs
- Basis for systematic plan modification
- Mechanism for efficient communications
 Framework: Project Cycle

Thesis ideas Thesis Proposal Thesis Completed

Concept
System Design
(Architecture)
• Tech. Foundation Detailed design/
• Capabilities
Implementation
• Goal

• Systems analysis/
Demo/test/
Synthesis Documentation
• Project planning • Project tracking
• Thesis proposal • Plan modification
• Communicate
• Thesis submission
 Product Development Lifecycle

• Product Spec.
• Marketing
• Manufacturing

Prototype

• New Spec.
• Marketing
New Product • New Technology

Product II
Similar Framework
 Project Management Process

• Planning
– Project Definition, Scope, Buy-ins
• Mechanics of putting together a plan
– Tools: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
– GANTT, PERT, etc. charts - computerized
• Tracking plan progress
– Communicate and follow-up
• Complete project
– Managing and control
 Project Management
Project Management

Project Planning Execution Management

• Define objective • Get objective signed-off
• Define work/tasks • Track plan progress
• Identify resources • Communicate within team
• Plan schedule • Customer communications
• Iterate • Secure resources
• Plan modification • Project discipline

Technical People

Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers

 How to Get Started

• Start with the essence of what you are trying to do

• Draw a block diagram of your system
– “Architecture”
• Do a high level flow chart of your software
– Identify modules
• Postulate the end result of your prototype
– User interface, typical use scenarios
• List all possible tasks that needed to be done
– Organize tasks
• Do some or all of above
 Mechanism of Planning
• Define project objective
• Define work breakdown structure (WBS)
– Identify tasks and subtasks -- deliverables
– Lowest element – stand alone work package
• Identify tasks relationship
• Identify possible risks
• Estimate work packages (people, time, etc.)
• Create initial schedule
• Iterate plan
• Document
 Ex: WBS - Buy A House
` BUY A HOUSE

FIND
LOCATION FINANCING
HOUSE

- Determine - Type of
1 - Criteria 3 6
affordability House

- Determine - Find Real

- Visit
2 4 mortgage 7 Estate
Locations
provider Agent

- Lockup
- Look for
5 mortgage 8
House
commitment

- Make
9 Offer, P&S
Agreem't

10 - Closing

Top Down Decomposition, Elemental Tasks

 Network Diagrams

TASK PREDECESSOR 5
1-criteria 3 4
3
2-visit loc. 1
1
3-affordability
4-mortgage co 3 6
5-mortg lock 4 2 7
6-type of hse 1 8
7-real est agent 2, 6 9
10
8-look for hse 7
9-offer, P&S 5, 8
10-closing 9

Scheduling Techniques
• PERT – Program Evaluation and Review techniques
• CPM – Critical Path Method
 Buy a House

Simple Gantt Chart View

 Possible Application

Thesis ideas Thesis Proposal

(May 10) • Understand the scope
Concept of your goal
System Design • Define your objective
(Architecture)
• Tech. Foundation • Define tasks and work
• Capabilities
• Goal breakdown structure
• Systems analysis/ • Develop project plan
Synthesis
• Project planning • Review plan, iterate
• Thesis proposal
• Document –> thesis
proposal
 Some Estimation Considerations

• Completeness in definition of tasks and interfaces

• Time for meetings and communications
• The range of abilities of team members
• Experience with similar job/ tasks
• Learning time for new equipment or software
• Availability of special facilities

• Earlier identification of unknowns or risks

• A priori calculations –concerns but may not be a
show stopper (especially in R&D)
 Closing Summary
• Project Management – Lead an endeavor
• Planning is a map, a guide, especially for a team
– Relatively simple and helpful techniques
• Management is mostly about people
– Goal, discipline, communicate
• Risks are inevitable, planning helps to avoid
stupid ones
• Experience counts
– Assessing the scope of work, timing, risks

Risks are Essential in Achievements

Luck is an Element of Success
 Historical Perspective
Phases Use Methods
1960-1970 Traditional Project Construction, Technology and
Management Aerospace, schedule driven
Defense
1970-1985 Focused Project High tech Software
Management businesses, multi- engineering,
discipline matrix
developments management
1985-1993 Renaissance of All organizations, Total quality
Project developing formal management,
Management methods concurrent
engineering
1993- present Modern Project Accept by top System
Management management, engineering,
Recognize as a change and risk
discipline management