FirstYear Engineering Program Brainstorming Project Management FirstYear Engineering

First-Year Engineering Program Brainstorming & Project Management

First-Year Engineering Program Brainstorming Definition § § § § Proposing new ideas Free flowing exchange of ideas No judgment No decisions Build on others’ ideas Silly is good – Can trigger creativeness A note-taker is needed

First-Year Engineering Program Brainstorming Exercise A company has built a new, clean factory on some land it owns. Unfortunately, … OLD FACTORY NEW FACTORY

First-Year Engineering Program Brainstorming Exercise …there is a river between the town and the new factory. To bridge - 50 miles RIVER To bridge - 60 miles NEW FACTORY OLD FACTORY

First-Year Engineering Program Project Management Definition § Project Management is an important function used in projects to plan and manage the cost and schedule of projects.

First-Year Engineering Program Project Management Cycle 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Define project Create plan Implement plan Monitor progress Complete and document

First-Year Engineering Program Project Management Main Tasks § Create a Project Plan § Make a Project Schedule § Track the schedule § Revise the schedule § Organize all documentation in a Project Notebook § Hold team meetings § Anticipate problems § Solve problems § Meet the deadlines

First-Year Engineering Program Create a Project Plan Step 1: Identify all tasks § Read the project description document. § Look at course website to see what your weekly assignments will be. § Brainstorm in your group the tasks your project will require. § After you have identified these tasks, break them down into small enough parts to be able to measure progress weekly.

First-Year Engineering Program Sample Task Breakdown Project Determine Requirements Read project description Design Build Document Test Brainstorm Initial Paper Design Etc. - additional tasks as needed P. 9

First-Year Engineering Program Create a Project Plan - Sample Schedule Group X Roller Coaster Project Schedule Last updated: 9/27/2014 Task Assigned Person Planned Start Actual Start Planned Complete Actual Complete Completion Percent (%) Browse course website and read project description All 9/12/2014 9/14/2014 9/16/2014 100% First team design brainstorming session All 9/28/2014 9/27/2014 90% Start project notebook Initial paper design Etc. R. L. K 9/27/2014 10/1/2014 All 10/11/2014 10/16/2014 P. 10

First-Year Engineering Program Project Schedule Updating Schedule Weekly § Update and revise your schedule weekly. § Instructional staff will check these updates weekly when they check your notebook. (for points!) § If the project schedule begins to fall too far behind, you should re-plan the remaining tasks to complete on time.

First-Year Engineering Program Project Notebook To Start…. § Use a 3 -ring binder. § Provide clearly labeled tabs for each section. § Assign a project manager to maintain the notebook throughout the semester.

First-Year Engineering Program Project Notebook Content § Create the following (8) sections: 1. Table of Contents – List of sections organized and labeled properly. 2. Project Description Document – Copy of Project Description Document. 3. Team Working Agreement – Signed copy of agreement (created at beginning of project). 4. Project Schedule – More details to come….

First-Year Engineering Program Project Notebook Content 5. Initial Design & Documentation – Include the graded Initial Concept Design and all initial brainstorming records. 6. Lab Documentation – This section should be organized sequentially and include the following: • Graded lab assignments (memos, performance test summaries, etc. ) • Meeting notes – member attendance, date, time, duration, tasks, discussion • Brainstorming • Sketches

First-Year Engineering Program Project Notebook Content 7. Final Design & Documentation – Include copies of Final Report Draft and Final Report (including final drawings). 8. Handouts – Any handouts or research done for this project not included in other sections.

First-Year Engineering Program Project Notebook Updating Notebook Weekly • • Record all weekly meeting notes. Collect and organize all graded lab assignments, graded design documentation, and handouts received that week. Update the project schedule based on work done that week and work to be completed. Have your notebook checked weekly.

First-Year Engineering Program Assignments § PROJECT NOTEBOOK § Bring notebook to lab every week since circuit prototyping lab § Final notebook due before the oral presentation lab § PROJECT SCHEDULE § Initial schedule due per course website § Bring to lab weekly in notebook