Page 24 - Anatomy of a Robot

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COST
EXPENSE ITEM
$ 3,000.00
Rent oscilloscope NOTES PROJECT MANAGEMENT 9
Three months @ $1,000
CAD SW package Purchase $ 4,000.00
Outside consultant 2 MM (man month) @ $20,000 $40,000.00
Total $47,000.00
Schedule Make a table estimating the dates of major events in the project,
including deliverables, major document reviews, and engineering milestones. This
is just a quick estimate based on the resources and the task at hand. Another
chance to estimate the schedule will occur when the project plan is submitted.
Acceptance test plan How will we test the robot to be sure we are done?

PROJECT PLAN

Once the project proposal is submitted and approved, the PM should draft a project plan,
schedule the review meeting, circulate the plan a day in advance to the reviewers, and
preside over the review meeting.
Sometimes the project plan can be submitted and reviewed in parallel with the proj-
ect proposal. The plan should be written so it can be understood and used by someone
unacquainted with the project. The plan’s schedule can be drawn up using a standard
software package (such as Microsoft Project) in a Gantt bar chart format (about 10 to
20 bars). A portion of such a Gantt chart is shown in Figure 1-2. It’s large enough to
suffice for the plan at such an early stage in the project.
The plan should show milestones (with results that are demonstrable) at periodic
intervals. The plan should also have a title page, an introduction, and a couple of lines
explaining each task shown on the bar chart. The plan should also include a page or two
explaining the approach to various issues, such as the following:

Defusing risk, such as how and when the technical and business risks will be mitigated
Simulation, such as how shortcuts like off-the-shelf software can be used to get
moving
Parallel execution, such as how engineers can work in parallel instead of on serial
tasks
Make versus buy decisions
The handling of suppliers and subcontractors
The game plan for using the personnel

The plan need not be complex and should be drafted in two hours. Two to three total
pages may suffice and a partial verbal presentation is acceptable. The purpose of the
review is to allow others to suggest changes in the plan that would benefit the project.