What do you tell the rest of the company re: it takes time 5

[DaveG16]

One of the big questions asked of one of the engineering groups I've worked for is, "Why does it take so long to engineer a new product?"

In this case, it was electromechanical medical products, so there were a lot of things that had to be perfect.

But the engineering manager never took the time to explain to the marketing vice president and the head manufacturing guy why it took so long.

Marketing said we had CAD and all kinds of analysis software, tens of thousands of dollars of test equipment, and anything else we needed. Why did it take 2 years to make a smaller version of an existing product?

I'm facing these questions with the group I'm working with now.

What's the right way to answer this? How come it takes so long?

 

[Latexman]

A detailed project schedule for the new product development should have all the reasons and durations. Use that approach.

Good luck,
Latexman

 

[DaveG16]

Thanks, Latexman.

This works for people who know what's being done, like others in engineering, but non-technical people in the company don't know what each milestone represents.

To go back to a specific question we got from marketing at one company, "You just spent two years developing a larger, more complex version of this pump. Why is it going to take 18-24 months and a hundred thousand dollars to make a new one, one that's smaller and simpler?"

Dave G.

 

[ornerynorsk]

In our new product development, we have a wide ranging menu of "standard" answers, but most of them should never be put to print! Seriously, our company just went to "stage-gate" process flow, and the picture became much more clear for the higher-ups. They just need to be communicated to regularly and have their investment justified. Everything translates to money, and an open line of communication, not defensive sessions, are the key.

 

[PSE]

We also use a stage gate process. Before anything is started though a Project plan is done summarizing the goals and anticipated risks/costs/time necessary for reaching those goals. That way everyone knows up front what is truly involved. All departments are included in the development of the project plan which facilitates (as ornerynork indicates) communication.

Regards,

 

[TheTick]

Sounds like you answered your own question in some sick way. It seems to be more "I don't understand why... than a just plain "Why?". My stock answer to queries like this is: "You're absolutely right! You don't understand!"

If they are going to put you to task to provide an answer, perhaps you could put them to task and make them listen until they understand. Or at least come to the understanding that if they aren't going to listen to the answer, they shouldn't pose the question.

"Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings."--C. D. Jackson

 

[RDK]

I have seen far too many construction projects get off track due to a failure to plan and complete design before the rush to start construction.

This results in a waste of time and money.

Perhaps you could explain that time and money spent in design will lead to less reworking of the final product, a better final product, less delays during construction (or fabrication for you industry types) and eventual cost savings.

A better way would be to talk about the money INVESTED in design rather than the money SPENT on design.

Having said that there is also such a thing as over design and analysis paralysis. I once worked for a government department that was in the late 80’s using 60’s vintage computers for its management information system.

They had been conducting studies every two years on the best way to upgrade. It would take them 18 months to come up with a plan and six months to review the plan. The end decision was always the same., the technology that we are talking about is now 2 years old, lets take another look at it in light of today’s technology. The system was not upgraded when I left in the early 90’s.

Make sure that there is a positive return on investment for the money invested in design. Make sure that every effort is made with the objective of actually doing something at the end result.

Finally since design does not look as active as actual construction or manufacturing, let senior management know what progress is being made and keep the lines of communication open.




Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[TheTick]

As much troubleshooting and firefighting as I have done w.r.t. CAD/CAE, those troubles are hardly anything compared to the delays caused by poor planning (or poor execution of a plan).

Project killers:
•generally poor leadership
•no single individual who owns the project as leader
•multiple changes in leadership/lack of continuity in leadership
•shifting demands/requirements
•poorly defined or unrealistic requirements
•lack of response to new engineering issues that emerge during evelopment

I'm sure the list goes on.

"Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings."--C. D. Jackson

 

[HamishMcTavish]

There are always generic reasons why projects over-run timewise but it sounds like there are specifics that only your colleagues could explain. I suggest that you take the milestones to those persons responsible and ask them for a breakdown of why they set them when they did.

In medical products there could be a whole series of additional requirements for material testing (if it is a new pump) and the associated QA that goes along with it. There could be licencing issues that need to be resolved (FDA in America?)

Nobody is going to write a blank cheque without understanding why they are doing it: If you cannot think up the justification for doing what you are doing or explain why it takes so long to bring a product to market then YOU must remedy the situation! Part of product development is going to be a bunch of people saying 'I don't get it' - witness the advertising strategy of microsoft server stuff....'blah blah blah blah it'll save us x million a year'

If you are in the position of being asked these sort of questions then you need to prepare decent answers to what are fairly simple questions asked by the majority of non-technical people - why does it take as long as it does, why does it cost this much, what kind of return will be possible, what kind of market share could we achieve etc.

Unfortunately the only person who can REALLY answer your question is you....

Regards, HM

No more things should be presumed to exist than are absolutely necessary - William of Occam

 

[SuperStress]

In Aerospace, as well as many other fields, certification requirements are so onerous and inflexible that any modification to an existing design often has to go through the entire certification process as though it were a new product.

That's not such a bad thing, when you think about the huge number of people that are potentially affected by a change to something like a fuel pump for a commercial jet aircraft engine.

I worked briefly in the aircraft interiors business and frequently ran into people couldn't understand why it took so long to substantiate the interior furnishings. "It's only an INTERIOR" they would say, to which my co-worker would reply, "Yeah, that's just where all the PEOPLE are".

That usually ended the argument.

SuperStress

 

[corus]

For a similar product to be brought to market in 2 years does seem as if someone is taking the michael, as they say in the UK.
It sounds as if the problem lies with an overabundance of neo-management who require a knowledge roadmap from the stage-gatekeeper before they tie their shoe laces in the morning.
There is a critical mass of management in any company which can self-perpetuate itself with meetings for a full year without any one noticing any difference to a project. Reduce the management numbers down to three people to prevent a mass build up of meetings and then query why you need a Knowledge Information Executive when the cleaner has all the gossip you need.

corus

 

[j1mbo]

How are they asking the question?

We design and fabricate minimalist sculptural furnishings for worship spaces. We consider history, the particular liturgy performed, and the visual program already in place. That's a lot to balance, but then our constructions often push the edge of fabrication techniques for wood, our primary material.

If someone asks why it's so expensive to make something so simple, we might joke that it's because it takes a long time to throw out all the stuff we don't need.

If they can handle more information, we take them through the last set of considerations for a decision we made. After hearing five minutes of tradeoffs that go into deciding on two entirely different approaches to a problem, they are nodding in sympathy. If they can keep up with us (and we make it as relevant as we can), they often give us some interesting comments and suggestions.

If you decide to explain in depth, keep it simple and logical. Listen to their response, even if it might mean changing your direction. Sometimes they will say something that gives you a better perspective.

I discuss issues, rather than technical details that I'm paid to figure out (e.g., structural computations). No need to burden them, and I don't want their opinions there either.

Our company is small and well integrated, so these discussions are with clients. Informed clients are generally better for us, and we use the opportunity to show them we are looking out for their needs.

Jim Lewis
<

http://icarusfurniture.com>

crafted with spirit

 

[dozer]

Management is complaining about projects that take 2 years? Better not come to my world, management complains (or at least ask why) about task that take two days!! You probably think I'm joking, unfortunately I'm not. The problem is our management folks are basically lay people. It's a very frustrating when someone who has no engineering degree and no experience in design, not even some basic courses in engineering tells you how fast you should crank something out.

I could go on and on b**g and moaning about this but I'll try to offer some constructive advice. I've found that if you can ever get the guy asking why to come look over your shoulder and see some of the challenges you face (good luck) sometimes he gets a little glimmer of understanding. This will usually go away in an hour or two, but at least you can say you tried.

 

[PSE]

Dozer,

Are you sure it is a glimmer of understanding? It might just be their eyes glazing over as their brains overload.

My best results have tended from showing how many people or departments have to be involved and coordinated on even some of the simplest projects. Most of the time that has helped remove some blinders as generally the individual asking why it takes so long is only concerned on how it affects their part.

Regards,

 

[sc]

And the key position asking the question was &quot;marketing&quot;.



To give them a taste of a typical project, drop a large file of a previous design (include all of the engineering notes, memos and other design generated paper/files that you can find) on their desk and ask them to read it, understand it and report back to you in two days with an explanation as to what really goes into a design.

I would bet that they cannot even begin to understand what goes into the design and approval process, let alone work out how long it would take to repeat the process on each and every job.

As another example I once participated in a work place job exchange. This was put together to get the staff and management to understand each others jobs and the relevance of their jobs within the organisation. I swapped my engineering job for a general administration job I did some typing, filing , record reviews for a day and they got the coffee for the engineering office for the day.

Just pointing out that many people do not understand engineering let alone have the ability to even assist productively for a day.

regards
sc

 

[plasgears]

It takes time and resources to get the job right.

We were invited to reduce the sound of a breast pump that was in production with a competitive motor. It was noisy, and the mothers were sending it back to the mfr. We went thru several rounds of improvements that involved the gear train and the design and materials used. We finally hushed it down to the point that you could hear only the diaphragm pump. We replaced the incumbent in production.

I used a sound evaluation test panel made up of men and women. One of the intermediate designs measured against the production model was interesting. The men largely chose one design, and the women chose the other design. They were both noisy but in different ways. I never did find the reason for this. Perhaps there was a sexual/macho connotation to these sounds.

 

[epoisses]

Little personal theory: if, in hindsight, it looks as if a job took much longer than needed, it means you actually LEARNED something. (Proof: next time you can do it much faster).
This is a very satisfying thought at the end of every project. Look in the mirror and keep repeating it to yourself. Then try to convince your boss as well.

 

[ruggedscot]

Try this from shop floor level for the techies working on a problem....

process goes down, you get the line supervisor coming up asking how long will it take, then a while later you get the influx of shirts and ties swarming over asking and trying to contribute.....

Yes it can be a painful question indeed !

time down being directly proportional to money lost....

Rugged

 

[chris9]

When I tell managers how long I will need to complete some analysis work they sometimes raise an eyebrow and one even fell off his chair.

I then point out that shorter lead times require more resource. Some say they can’t justify more resource and decide not to do the analysis at all. This is then their choice and their responsibility.

I often have broken components on my desk because someone couldn’t justify allocating resource early in the design process.

It’s hard to resist telling them ‘I told you so’.

 

[ruggedscot]

Yes the told you so statement is a great career dissipator.

I spent ages on a problem a couple of years ago, trying to sort out a wierd problem that was occurring. Managed to break through and resolve it only to be belittled as the manager had already arranged for a 'friend' to quote a repair and fix it.....

The "It's been like that for ages people have looked at it and never fixed it that are better than you so how do you think that you will be able to fix it..." quote was utterd and well i did manage to fix it then got hell.

Some times politics are so rife and unseen....

Rugged