ANy forums for Corporate procedures

[cancsco]

Hi,

Do we have any forums for checking what corporations do for all the jobs of engineering. I am specifically looking for strategies for contracting works, outsourcing, communication methodologies with outsourced or contracted works.
My corporate is using some external contractors for some detailing jobs and less complicated designs and we are having problems communicating our needs effectively.
I was wondering what other corporations do for these activities.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[metengr]

cancsco;
One reason that the outside contracted labor or contractor(s) are not meeting your expectations is that you might not have provided them with the necessary detail or comprehensive requirements for the specific job(s). Do NOT assume or expect that the contractor will provide above and beyond the minimum requirements you or your company expect for each project. This is a business and you need to CYA.

I have been asked on occasion to review Technical Specification documents to assure that the necessary detail and expectation or roles and responsibilities have been properly specified.

If your company hires out contract labor (professional or other wise), you must be detailed with responsibilities, in my mind it is no different than filling a position within your organization. Once you have defined roles and responsibilities, meet with each contractor or hired labor to review and make sure they understand and agree to terms and conditions.

 

[zeusfaber]

Cancsco,

I've seen a couple of questions like this discussed on forum768, Project & Configuration Management - Engineering Project Management.

A.

 

[GBor]

In the upper left corner of this web page, under where it says, "Hi cancsco", click on "Forum List". Scroll down to the bottom where it says "Career Corner" and look at the list of business-related forums (fora -- just doesn't sound right). The project management section is right above that.

 

[tygerdawg]

Years ago we had similar problems at my company. We all had heard the words, terms, & phrases related to project management, but did not really understand the nuts & bolts of it. My colleague purchased some heavy, thick, dull-looking engineering book describing in detail "how it's done" as related to Department Of Defense contracts. I'm sorry, I can't remember title/author, but it changed our business. I did not read it cover-to-cover, but skimmed and extracted the procedures & processes needed to get our stuff under control. All of my machine specifications, vendor contracts, communications procedures, and engineering procedures reflect this rigorous methodology.

Managers hated it because most of them were salesmen promoted way beyond their capabilities, and this new methodology required them to be accountable. Errrk!

TygerDawg