Boeing 767 Case Study
Boeing 767 Case Study Questions
1. How would you describe Boeing’s approach to project management? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
Boeing adopts a very thorough, well planned out process to manage the project. The stages are defined clearly and tasks involved in each stage are carried out sequentially. The first stage of their approach is the project definition phase during which Boeing identified holes in the market not met by existing planes, assessed future airline needs, considered alternative plane configurations, explored feasibility of possible technologies and performed preliminary estimation of costs. During the market assessment, analysts gathered information regarding future needs of airlines by speaking directly to major airlines. Design specifications are then identified during configuration followed by formation of technological divisions. Technology development includes four major areas, and each area has its own chief engineer responsible for overseeing research, development and application of the technology. Audit teams are active during the program definition phase; auditors are usually experienced managers within the company and they are assigned to review every significant element of the program. The second stage is cost definition phase during which a parametric estimating technique is used to predict costs from initial design characteristics and to estimate the number of labor hours. The third phase consists of supplier and production managements. The suppliers are risk-sharing program participants or major subcontractors who worked closely with Boeing engineers from initial to final phase to meet deliverables of the project. After part fabrication process begins, a management visibility system is adopted with schedules prominently posted and marathon status meetings held to ensure that preset deadlines are met. During the final stage, a First Flight Committee, who reported directly to the general manager and met daily during the six
1. How would you describe Boeing’s approach to project management? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
Boeing adopts a very thorough, well planned out process to manage the project. The stages are defined clearly and tasks involved in each stage are carried out sequentially. The first stage of their approach is the project definition phase during which Boeing identified holes in the market not met by existing planes, assessed future airline needs, considered alternative plane configurations, explored feasibility of possible technologies and performed preliminary estimation of costs. During the market assessment, analysts gathered information regarding future needs of airlines by speaking directly to major airlines. Design specifications are then identified during configuration followed by formation of technological divisions. Technology development includes four major areas, and each area has its own chief engineer responsible for overseeing research, development and application of the technology. Audit teams are active during the program definition phase; auditors are usually experienced managers within the company and they are assigned to review every significant element of the program. The second stage is cost definition phase during which a parametric estimating technique is used to predict costs from initial design characteristics and to estimate the number of labor hours. The third phase consists of supplier and production managements. The suppliers are risk-sharing program participants or major subcontractors who worked closely with Boeing engineers from initial to final phase to meet deliverables of the project. After part fabrication process begins, a management visibility system is adopted with schedules prominently posted and marathon status meetings held to ensure that preset deadlines are met. During the final stage, a First Flight Committee, who reported directly to the general manager and met daily during the six