Project Management in Product Development: Leadership Skills and Management Techniques to Deliver Great Products

402 Pages·2015·5.41 MB·English

by  George Ellis

Project Management in Product
Development
Leadership Skills and Management Techniques
to Deliver Great Products
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Project Management in
Product Development
Leadership Skills and Management
Techniques to Deliver Great Products
George Ellis
VP Engineering and Chief Engineer, Kollmorgen IA-EU,
Radford, VA, USA
AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON
NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO
SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO

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ISBN: 978-0-12-802322-8
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Endorsements for Project
Management in Product
Development
Everyone recognizes the importance of sustainable innovation for any growing
business. Less well understood is the vital role outstanding project management
plays in innovative businesses. Our approach to project management at Danaher
evolved greatly over the last two decades and played no small part in our suc-
cess. George Ellis nicely captures the “state of the art” and demonstrates how
process alone is not enough—true “Total Leadership” in project management
differentiates the winners from the runners-up. If you want to win the innova-
tion game, read his book.
—Lawrence Culp, Jr., Former CEO, Danaher Corporation
Tools for project management have expanded over the years, most recently
agile methods as applied to software development, and lean methods adopted
from manufacturing; earlier additions include critical-chain and phase-gate
methodologies. Many fine books cover each of these, but none covers them
all. Ellis does, as well as traditional waterfall/critical path methods. Especially
valuable is Ellis’ comparison of the methods, their relative strengths and weak-
nesses, where each applies and doesn’t apply. Along the way he reminds us of
the importance of leadership and interpersonal skills in project management by
way of interesting side comments and bits of advice for dealing with technical
specialists, customers, and bosses. All of this separates Ellis’ book from and
puts it above the rest in project management.
—John Nicholas, Professor, Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University,
Chicago
Based on his many years of practical experience, George Ellis tackles an appli-
cation area of project management that is rarely covered. This book is a very
down-to-earth and thorough exposition, rather than being theoretical and aca-
demic. It is well illustrated with lists, tables, charts and explanatory diagrams.
As well as techniques such as critical path management, it delves into Phase-
gate management, Agile project management, “Lean Product Development,”
v
vi Endorsements for Project Management in Product Development
Risk, and “Patents” issues, all in the context of product development. Ellis also
emphasizes the importance of looking upon project management as a leadership
responsibility rather than just an administrative position. This book is a valuable
addition to any product development manager’s reference library.
—R. Max Wideman, FPMI, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
The section on patent law is at the right level of detail to help project manag-
ers get up to speed. Clear, step-by-step explanations take the mystery out of
reading a patent and searching for prior art. The reader will learn how to avoid
serious pitfalls, and will acquire the understanding necessary to discuss pat-
ent issues with the development team. The patent material alone makes George
Ellis’ Project Management in Product Development an excellent investment.
—Alan L. Durham, Judge Robert S. Vance Professor of Law,
University of Alabama School of Law, and author of
Patent Law Essentials: A Concise Guide
Dedication
To Rachel and Regina, my advisors in this and so many
other endeavors
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Contents
Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xxi
Part I - The Fundamentals
1. A n Introduction to Project Management for Product
Development 3
1.1 T he Project: Flexibility, Communication, and
Accountability 3
1.2 P roject Management and Leadership 5
1.3 P roduct Development Projects 7
1.3.1 Innovation Management 7
1.3.2 Managing Extreme Collaboration 8
1.3.3 Lack of Determinism at the Outset 9
1.3.4 Reliance on Technical Expertise 9
1.3.5 Summing It Up 9
1.4 W hy Organizations Need PMs 11
1.5 D o You Want to Be a PM? 12
1.5.1 What Skills Should a PM Possess? 12
1.5.2 Project Management Support Structure 14
1.6 P roject Stakeholders 15
1.7 C ertification 16
1.8 R eferences 17
2. T he Critical Path Method: Planning Phase 19
2.1 E ngineering Process Flow Charts 19
2.2 C ritical Path Project Management: Process Overview 21
2.2.1 Identify Value to the Customer/Market 22
2.2.2 Identify Key Features, Performance, and Price Point 24
2.2.3 Align with Organizational Needs 24
2.2.4 Identify Cost, Timing, and Investment Targets 25
2.2.5 Identify Innovation Needs 26
2.2.6 Complete Functional Specification 27
2.2.7 Anticipate Competitive Response 28
ix