Case

Matt: I keep looking at this piece of paper and can't believe my eyes, or I must not understand it.

Percy: What paper are you looking at? The one I brought?

Matt: Yes, let me check if I understand it well. The sheet of paper I am holding shows the work breakdown structure (WBS) for the timely termination of the Opto-Mechanical group's portion of work for Project Lada (see Figure 5.2). Is that right?

Percy: Yes, right.

These beginning moments of the conversation between Matt Boon, the engineering manager of the Opto-Mechanical Group, and Percy Bedge, project manager of Lada, do not promise much cooperation. Rather, the atmosphere in which this conversation in Matt's office takes place smells of the open conflict and apparent tension between the meeting participants.

MICROMANAGEMENT?

Matt: Well, on the second page, it shows an estimate of the person-hours and needed calendar time for each of my engineers involved in Project Lada, from now until the end of it.

Percy: Yes. That's the termination plan for Lada. What's wrong with it? Matt: I don't want to sound negative, but all of it is wrongfrom details to

philosophy.

Percy: Give me details.

Matt: Your Lada planning indicates at what days on the calendar and how much you need each of my guys from Opto-Mechanical Group. That's based

on the assumption that they are engaged in work on only one project, and that's your project, Lada. Those are wrong details. As a matter of fact, they are shared among six projects. Since you scheduled them for certain time periods for which they are already scheduled by other projects with higher priorities, those higher-priority projects automatically obtain my guys.

Even if you planned properly, there is another issue for which I would not agree with your WBS and related termination plan. I thought we already resolved the ownership issue. You guys, the project management team, own deliverables from the top three levels of the project WBS. And we, the func- tional groups, own all deliverables in the lower levelsthe fourth and below. "We own them" means we plan them, we execute them, and we control them, which means we monitor and report them to you. You have no right to meddle or control activities on our deliverables, unless we screw up. To remind you, I found the company's PM charter. It shows that this is the current and ruling division of ownership signed-off on by all engineering managers and project management, and senior management.

Based on a critical analysis of Case , answer the following questions: Make sure all questions are answered correctly and in brief.

1. Study the partial WBS of the Project LADA for the Opto-mechanical group. Can you identify the Project life cycle? State which steps comprise the project life cycle.

2. What do each of the activities in the WBS tell you about this project? Do you think YOUR project in this semester would have similar activities implemented by

3. What is the Project charter? What is its significance in developing the WBS?

4. According to Matt, Percy has made some cardinal mistakes while determining the WBS of this project. What is it? Explain.

Figure 5.2 Project Lada WBS for the Opto-Mechanical Group Project WBS doo Unclosed Deliverables Unclosed Deliverables of Functional Group 1 of Functional Group n Unclosed Deliverables of Optoel. Group 1 LEVEL 1 Lada Project LADA Project Opto-Mechanical Design Work Breakdown Structure LEVEL 2 Opto-Mechanical Project Phases Phase 0 Concept Analysis Phase 2 Design Phase 1 Planning Phase 3 Launch LEVEL 3 Inspection & Opto-Mechanical Acceptance of Deliverables Validate System Shock Performance Validate Projection Lens to Specification Validate System Optical Performance Verily Mass Production- Pilot Build Tooled Parts Validate System Mechanical Assembly Validate System Vibration Performance Validate Optical Engine Assembly Approval to Ship Product Figure 5.2 Project Lada WBS for the Opto-Mechanical Group Project WBS doo Unclosed Deliverables Unclosed Deliverables of Functional Group 1 of Functional Group n Unclosed Deliverables of Optoel. Group 1 LEVEL 1 Lada Project LADA Project Opto-Mechanical Design Work Breakdown Structure LEVEL 2 Opto-Mechanical Project Phases Phase 0 Concept Analysis Phase 2 Design Phase 1 Planning Phase 3 Launch LEVEL 3 Inspection & Opto-Mechanical Acceptance of Deliverables Validate System Shock Performance Validate Projection Lens to Specification Validate System Optical Performance Verily Mass Production- Pilot Build Tooled Parts Validate System Mechanical Assembly Validate System Vibration Performance Validate Optical Engine Assembly Approval to Ship Product