Engineering Systems and Management

Overview

Engineering project planning and management techniques, including project scheduling tools (PERT, Gantt charts, phase–gate analysis), techniques for reducing project duration and cost, mitigating delays and risks, and managing teams. Concepts and techniques for managing engineering systems, including systems structures, systems management and risk, decision analysis and support, systems design (requirements analysis, functional analysis and design, component design, validation). Concepts and techniques for operations, production, and supply-chain management, including labour schedules, forecasting demand, ensuring quality, maintaining inventory, and transporting products and materials. Lean and quality management, value stream mapping, advanced quality planning, lean teams and tools, lean and the supply chain, standardized working. Current trends and perspectives on engineering management with guest lectures from industry and research, and site visits. Advance readings containing case studies will precede each of these major topics, and will form the basis for discussion and content delivery. Follow-on assignments will require application of the content in the context of the case studies (e.g. develop a plan for scheduling an engineering project, analyse an engineering system and propose an alternative system design, plan the supply chain and operations for a process). Group project integrating analysis and planning of multi-part systems.

Learning Objectives

Select and critically evaluate technical literature and other sources of information to solve complex problems

Use a risk management process to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks (the effects of uncertainty) associated with a particular project or activity

Apply knowledge of engineering management principles, commercial context, project and change management, and relevant legal matters including intellectual property rights

Function effectively as an individual, and as a member or leader of a team. Evaluate effectiveness of own and team performance

Skills

None.

Assessment

None.