Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Month 01
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Develop test
regime
Develop
specification
Critical
path
Generate ideas
Select single idea
Testing and
evaluation
Detail design (1)
Detail design (2)
time
Figure 3.12
Example Gantt chart.
essential. The tasks I intend to introduce, which I see as essential to managing design, are
project management, team building, and fully understanding several design management
models: serial design, concurrent design, collaborative design, and holistic design.
3.3.1 Common Design Management Models
3.3.1.1 Serial Design
You should have realized that the models presented earlier in this chapter are effectively
serial. The tasks happen one after the other and in a laid down sequence (
Figure 3.12
). Even
projects with a multitude of activities have nose-to-tail type lines of communication. The
best way to visualize this is the relay race in the Olympics. One team member cannot start
to run until the previous one passes over the baton. The baton finally reaches the end, and
gets there successfully, but this may not have been the fastest way. For many simple designs,
or for very small, micro-companies (1-2 people) this is the only sensible model as only one
task can be done at a time. But for larger projects and larger activities it leads to overlong
lead times
(time from start to delivery). There is only one way to speed up serial design and
that is strong, robust project management using project management tools such as Gantt
charts, PERT, etc.
8
However, although focusing on the critical path will chop some time off
the overall project, a serial design model is one that delays progress.
Figure 3.12
illustrates a
8
Project management is an essential part of the design process. If you are not au fait with project management
techniques stop now and get up to date with this discipline. There are several e-books you can acquire, e.g.,
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