Global engineering project management

Imagine the dynamics of an international engineering project such as this one: a U.S. group designs, prototypes, and qualifies disk drive heads; wafers for the drive heads are manufactured in the U.S. and sent to Malaysia for subassembly; a South Korean firm assembles these components; the final product, a fully automated disk drive, is completed in Japan. In addition to the global complexities of the project, there are a host of issues in leading the project team spread across continents.

Global Engineering Project Management aligns real-world experiences in managing global projects with practical project management principles. The author demonstrates how to anticipate issues, covering everything from start-up planning and supply management to cost containment, post-project evaluation and protecting intellectual property. He explores technologies, virtual teams, traditions, economics, politics, and legal issues in the context of international projects, as well as compares the differences with domestic projects. He also highlights the complications of international bidding, the extra time and effort needed for multi-national team formation and management, and often overlooked project closure tasks.

As the world goes global, engineering projects increasingly involve multiple countries, each having unique politics, cultures, and standards that all add layers of complexity to project management. These variables multiply fast and consequently a project manager's responsibilities multiply faster. Examining these challenges from start to finish, the book provides practical advice on how to navigate the issues unique to global engineering project management.

Author Notes

Atesmen, M. Kemal

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction	p. xiii
About the Author	p. xv
1 What Is an International Engineering Project?	p. 1
Technological Factors	p. 2
Virtual Team Environment Factors	p. 4
Traditional Factors	p. 5
Economic Factors	p. 6
Political Factors	p. 6
Legal Factors	p. 7
Other Factors	p. 7
Checklist for Chapter 1	p. 9
Technological Factors	p. 9
Virtual Team Environment Factors	p. 10
Traditional Factors	p. 10
Economic Factors	p. 10
Political Factors	p. 11
Legal Factors	p. 11
Other Factors	p. 11
2 Who Is an International Engineering Project Manager?	p. 13
Principal Responsibilities	p. 14
Link between Technology and Business	p. 14
Resource Utilization	p. 15
Team Leader	p. 16
Team Motivator	p. 17
Choosing Team Members	p. 19
Information Filter	p. 20
Team Protector	p. 23
Scope Changes	p. 24
Team Ambassador	p. 25
Communication	p. 25
Problem Solver	p. 26
Project Driver	p. 27
Project Honeymoon Period	p. 28
Time and Delay Management	p. 30
Checklist for Chapter 2	p. 31
Principal Responsibilities	p. 31
Link between Technology and Business	p. 31
Resource Utilization	p. 31
Team Leader	p. 32
Team Motivator	p. 32
Choosing Team Members	p. 32
Information Filter	p. 33
Team Protector	p. 33
Scope Changes	p. 33
Team Ambassador	p. 34
Communication	p. 34
Problem Solver	p. 34
Project Driver	p. 34
Project Honeymoon Period	p. 35
Time and Delay Management	p. 35
3 Getting an International Project	p. 37
Getting Ready to Write a Technical Proposal	p. 37
Winning Ways to a Technical Proposal	p. 40
Internal Projects	p. 41
Clarifications	p. 42
Documentation Requirements	p. 43
Design Review, Certification, Inspection, and Hold Points	p. 44
Postproject Requirements	p. 45
Checklist for Chapter 3	p. 45
Getting Ready to Write a Technical Proposal	p. 45
Winning Ways to a Technical Proposal	p. 46
Internal Projects	p. 47
Clarifications	p. 47
Documentation Requirements	p. 48
Design Review, Certification, Inspection, and Hold Points	p. 48
Postproject Requirements	p. 48
4 Planning an International Project	p. 51
Selecting Team Members	p. 51
Creating a Summary of Project Specifications and Standards	p. 54
Creating Work Breakdown Structure	p. 55
Creating the Initial Schedule	p. 56
Planning for Information Management	p. 60
Kickoff Meetings	p. 65
Monitoring Schedule and Cost Performances	p. 67
Checklist for Chapter 4	p. 70
Selecting Team Members	p. 71
Creating a Summary of Project Specifications and Standards	p. 71
Creating Work Breakdown Structure	p. 72
Creating the Initial Schedule	p. 73
Planning for Information Management	p. 74
Kickoff Meeting with Customer	p. 75
Kickoff Meetings with Domestic and International Team Members	p. 75
Kickoff Meetings with Other Departments	p. 76
Kickoff Meetings with Major Subcontractors	p. 76
Kickoff Meetings with Upper Management	p. 77
Monitoring Schedule and Cost Performances	p. 77
5 Executing an International Project	p. 79
Team Management	p. 79
Customer Management	p. 83
Subcontractor Management	p. 85
Dealing with Upper Management	p. 89
Regulatory Agency Management	p. 90
Surprises	p. 91
Errors	p. 94
Listening	p. 96
Practical Solutions	p. 98
Whatever It Takes	p. 99
Meetings	p. 100
Status Reports	p. 105
Confidentiality and Intellectual Property	p. 108
Risk Management	p. 110
Fire Fighting	p. 114
Adapting to Change	p. 117
Controlling the Project	p. 120
Training	p. 122
Time Off	p. 124
Checklist for Chapter 5	p. 125
Team Composition	p. 125
Team Management	p. 125
Customer Management	p. 126
Subcontractor Management	p. 127
Dealing with Upper Management	p. 128
Regulatory Agency Management	p. 128
Surprises	p. 129
Errors	p. 130
Listening	p. 130
Practical Solutions	p. 130
Whatever It Takes	p. 130
Meetings	p. 131
Status Reports	p. 132
Confidentiality and Intellectual Property	p. 133
Risk Management	p. 133
Fire Fighting	p. 134
Adapting to Change	p. 134
Controlling the Project	p. 135
Training	p. 135
Time Off	p. 136
6 Closing an International Project	p. 137
Final Status Reports	p. 138
Other Project Closure Tasks	p. 139
Lessons Learned	p. 140
Customer's Project Evaluation	p. 140
Checklist for Chapter 6	p. 142
Final Status Reports	p. 142
Other Project Closure Tasks	p. 142
Lessons Learned	p. 143
Customer's Project Evaluation	p. 143
Index	p. 145

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