Doing Project and Innovation

Y. RongJune 2008

Modified in Feb. 2009

Industrial leaders Initiation of a project (any project) Innovative way to do: NABC

◦Need analysis◦Approach determination◦Benefit/cost analysis◦Competitors

Innovative, entrepreneur, and global valuable engineers

How to identify/define a project ?◦ Problem to solve – need (not only to learn)◦ Need from industry (background)◦ General area of study◦ Specific problem to solve

What is a good project ?◦ Interesting problem – meaningful◦ No answers◦ Right scope

??

Questions (1)

Why team ?◦ Or virtually you work with people in the area◦ More ideas◦ Multiple expertise◦ Task division◦ Learn big picture / other people’s work◦ Practice real working conditions

What is leadership ?◦ Be responsible◦ Own the project

Questions (2)

How to start ?◦ Understand/define problem

Need – tell story◦ Understand the background

The state of the art – tools to use vs. developing tools◦ Set goal / objectives◦ Decide methods◦ Make a plan◦ Estimate the outcomes – impact ?

◦ Innovation theory NABC

Questions (3)

Why is the process important ?◦ Engineering project vs. student project◦ Justify every steps◦ Where are the details ?

Why is communication important ?◦ Understand the problem, ideas/method, and ……◦ Do the things need to be done (only)◦ Make your thought understood, adjusted and accepted

How to communicate ?◦ Intention◦ Be prepared – with an objective◦ Right questions – with expectation of response◦ Then right people and right time

Questions (4)

What are good results from the project ?◦ Solution of the problem, and also general

hopefully◦ Innovative and feasible/can be realized◦ Impact/improvement of current operation◦ Failure vs value of the project ??

◦ Measured and determined by the objective definition !!!

◦ Acceptance by customer (who ?)◦ Academic value is determined at the project

planning stage

Questions (5)

Different from classroom learning Not for taking exam, but to prepare for real

work Academic and non-academic achievements How to evaluate ?

◦ Telling stories ?◦ Follow up study ?◦ And ?

Summary 1

Engineering education◦ Early age: experimental study◦ Since 1970s: math modeling and numerical

solutions◦ Now: entrepreneurship

Decision making Multi-objectives Many tools developed and available Tool selection, knowledge integration Decision making through communication Task oriented and pull strategy

◦ Need for globalization Global economics, global research and development Global education Working with people from different cultural environment

Another angle: Education goal

Own the project◦ Initiate necessary activities to conduct the project

◦ Make vague condition clear

Working with people◦ Partners, advisors, and the sponsor

◦ Lab and shop people too

Seek help and keep progress Help each other

Project planning - Progress control◦ Change vs. plan

Change of condition Change of the goal ??

◦ How to deal with changes Communication

Doing good projects

Problem definition◦ From vague to clear ◦ Solution to seek

Current techniques◦ Identify gaps of current technology and the

solution of the problem Define objectives and expected results Decide methods and procedure Do the work

Doing/how to start a Project

Problem ◦ A negative statement

Goal Objectives

◦ Scope of the project Method and procedure

◦ Tasks and plan Expected results

Project planning (an overlap)

Need for new knowledge◦ Where to learn ?

Problems in physical world◦ What is the problem in general ?◦ Why the problem is important ?◦ What is current practice ?◦ Then what is the problem specifically

Technical preparation◦ What techniques are needed to solve the problem ?◦ How the technology has been developed ?◦ What is the current status of the technology ?

What can and cannot do with it ? Why ? What tools are available ?

◦ Then what is the gap ? Possible to get there ?

Background preparation

Problem formulation◦ Customer need study ◦ Requirement list◦ Technical specification

Conceptual design◦ Ideas ◦ Comparison and justification◦ State of the art◦ Technical challenges

Detail design◦ Structural design with parameters◦ Analysis and feedback

Verification and prototyping Ramp-up for mass production

Design Projects – compare with NABC

Problem formulation◦ Company information◦ Customer need study ◦ Requirement list◦ Technical specification

Current “system” analysis◦ Data collection – what should know ?◦ Problem identification – any principle to use ?◦ Roof-cause analysis◦ Possible ways to improve

Generating solution◦ Structural design with parameters◦ Analysis and feedback

Verification and prototyping Ramp-up for implementation

Industrial Projects: need focused

Define Measure Analysis Improve Control

In comparison with NABC

Six sigma methodology

Difference from a project done by smart high students◦ Systematic study◦ Justification in each step◦ ??

Different from competition type of projects◦ Real problem◦ Unknown results◦ Accessed by application◦ Both innovative and valuable, but different

Engineering projects

Introduction Background Method Results Conclusions Reference Appendices

Report format – thesis ?

General area Specific problem Goal and objectives Gap between the solution and current

knowledge Expected results

Write a good introduction

Company Product and processes Problems – key technology Areas of study - literature review Current study – literature review Relevant to objectives Problems remained as a summary ??

Background study

Methods/procedure◦ Against the objectives

Results◦ For each objective in a logic way◦ Evidence of conclusions (to prove)

Conclusions ◦ List each without evidence

Reference ◦ Not only the web-site

Appendix ◦ More detailed evidence

Need more details !!!!!! Use “all” figures in the presentation

Other components in report

Personal ability◦ Technical development

Project initiation Logic thinking Problem solving – skill ?

◦ Communication◦ Writing◦ Presentation

Logic drive – lean More figures, less words Phrases, not sentences

◦ Team work and leadership◦ ??

Gain from doing projects

Students gain ability and skills on Communicating effectively in various contexts Understanding of professional & ethical responsibility Understand solution impacts and sustain/exploit

benefits Project management and relationship management Quick response to changes, etc.

Impact on the students Broad vision on global economy and culture Better job opportunity Confidence

Gain from doing projects – a overlap

Everything can be a project One important component of study

◦ Most important ? How innovative could it be ?

Your opinion ?

Thanks for your attention

Summary

Talk about your project in 5 minutes Basically telling a story on what you are

doing◦ Why, what, and so what

Comments from audience◦ Positive first◦ Negative followed◦ General comments

Need 3 volunteers

Homework assignement