HUM321 Engineering Economics and Management

Lecture-2 Project Introduction

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Research Project Introduction

Coming together is a beginning; Keeping together is progress; Working together is success.
Henry Ford

Acknowledgment: Some of the slides are taken from Prof. Jan Wickenberg lectures
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Engineering is a Social Process

Explore the human side of engineering work when organized as a project
Study and implement the selected theme Organize yourself as a research project

The Research Project

The task: To study the selected theme and apply it to some real life scenario The purpose: To integrate theory with practice and illustrate different projects. Time:
Progress Presentations: In the fourth and ninth weeks of the course Final Report: 1st dead-line on Dec 15th, presentations in 16th or 17th week, 2nd dead-line on Dec 26th.
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Research Project Groups

About 3-4 students in each group Random selection or self formation? All groups share the same tutor

All the groups act as consultants

Possible Themes to be Investigated

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Lean Production Outsourcing and off shoring Knowledge Management Project Economics Feasibility Leadership Business Model Risk Management

These are just suggestions. Themes are purely decided by the groups themselves!

Possible Scenarios
IUIC want to reorganize their establishment and it has hired you as consultants to point out the possible services. (Lean Principle/ Agile Frame Work) IUIC want few of its processes to be outsourced. Your task as consultants is to identify them and then advocate your point. What are the risks involved in opening a new Campus in some other City. Analyze the revenue generated by IUIC annually and predict how much it will be after 5 years.
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Basic Needs of a Group

Common goal

Norms

Communication

Mutual respect

Meetings

The Group Life Cycle

Separation

The initial phase

Uncertainty Vague norms and roles

Maturity
Mutual respect

Power struggles

Clear goals and roles

Constructive criticism

Honeymoon
Unity
Generosity Idealization

Conflicts
Alliances
Disagreement

Integration
Crystallization of roles
Deeper communication

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Remember
Utilize all the resources in your group! Plan your work e.g. schedule face-to-face meetings Balance encouragement and inquiry key to mutual learning It is your responsibility to become a good team!

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Get Started
Organize yourselves plan your own project Select a theme and start reading about it What do you want to learn more about? What seems to be special about this scenario (red hot issues)? Design your study Start to read How to collect data How to interview to get interesting and useful information

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Three Designs
1. The Study
To collect information about the project and understand it by means of theory. Select some of your findings (the ones you find interesting) and discuss and analyze these (by means of theory) in line with a purpose and end up in some conclusions.

2. The Report

3. The Research Project Presentation

Share some information about your project and invite others to contribute.

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Grading criteria
What you address (a difficult task may merit higher grades than a very simple one) How you address it (clarity in structure and quality of analysis) How you make use of the literature
The course literature Additional literature, appropriate for the chosen problem/issue Proper referencing is a must for a good grade!
At least 50% points required in the project to pass the course !
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Support & Supervision

I shall disregard all but your progress and final presentation and final report when setting grades Three regular meetings/suggested deliverables:
1. Compulsory meeting - Project plan and rough outline of the report (before the 1st presentation) 2. Draft of the full paper 3. Revised full paper

Come prepared to supervision meetings Contact supervisor promptly via e-mail if problems occur do not wait!
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Advice
Decide what is a reasonable task given the fact that you only have limited time (17 weeks) Decide how to divide and coordinate the work load Make a project plan for your own project (Use Gantt chart if required) Read the literature and discuss your problem/issue before agreeing to some theme
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Mandatory Deliverables
Progress Presentations: 24th Sept and 29th Oct by 3pm (email)
Fight your stage anxiety Rough description of the project

Draft Report: 15th Dec by 5pm (email)

This is important for a better final report

Final Report and presentation: 26th Dec by 5pm (email)

Carefully select the structure and refer properly

Final Presentation: Between 15th and 26th Dec

Failing to follow each deadline costs 2 points
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Emailing Instructions
Each group should send one email The email subject must be of the form HUM321_Deliverable name_Group number Deliverable name may be Progress Presentation, Draft Report and Final Report & Presentation No other subjects would be accepted so be careful!
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Before 1st Midterm Exam

Get acquainted with your group mates Find a project Select which areas to research Collect literature and read about the selected theme Present your project along with the company and the chosen area (25th Sept)
Tentative deadline for sending the presentation: 24th Sept

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Project Report
Maximum Six pages excluding references and title page Structure
Cover page
Relevant title, Group number, names, revision date, course id.

Abstract
Should not exceed 250 words

Introduction
Interest for further investigation, your research questions (Problem)?

Description of the project

Type of company? projects undertaken? Is there a template for managing projects? Project duration? How was the project start managed? The role of the project manager? Control methods? Planning? Evaluation? (methods, tools, level of detail) etc.

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Project Report contd.....

Literature review
Summarize or highlight relevant literature in relation to the problem at hand.

Method
includes information telling how the study was done, where it was done, with whom it was done, why the study was designed, how the data were collected and analyzed, and what procedures were carried out to ensure the validity of the arguments and conclusions made in the report.

Discussion
you must clearly show how the results found lead to the conclusions being drawn and therefore how these conclusions should be understood.

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Project Report contd.....

Conclusion
summarize your research and answers your research question

References
refer to material written by others.

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