Project Management for Microelectronics

Module Overview

This module covers the important aspects of project management: project planning, project implementation and the project review. The management of single projects and multiple projects are considered, utilising both local and distributed resources. Project scheduling, project costs and risk strategies are developed in depth and illustrated with project management software hosted centrally.

This module is relevant to anyone in industry who has received engineering training and is involved in project management or project implementation. The module can be studied on its own or as part of a programme leading to a formal qualification.

Module Contents and Suggested Study Plan

Study Week	Unit	Unit Description	Exercises	Assessments
1	1	Project Management Introduction	Exercises-1
1	2	Task Types and Task Relationships	Exercises-2
2	3	Resource Allocation	Exercises-3
3	4	Risk Management	Exercises-4
4				Start Assignment 1 10 hours, worth 30%
5	5	Formal Project Management Techniques	Exercises-5
6	6	Project Finance	Exercises-6	Submit Assignment 1
7	7	Project Planning	Exercises-7	Start Assignment 2 23 hours, worth 70%
8	8	Project Implementation
9	9	Project Completion & Sign Off
9	10	The Project Review
10	11	Multiple Projects	Exercises-11
10	12	Projects with Distributed Resources	Exercises-12
11				continue Ass't 2
12				Submit Assignment 2

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Key Information

Important Assignment Information
You must start assignment 2 in study week 7 at the latest. This is because you are required to enter project progress information in your Microsoft Project Plan each week until the middle of week 12, on a weekly basis.

Microsoft Project will record progress in real time. You will not be able to enter progress retrospectively and save your project files in time for the project review.

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Project Management Examples

Several units of the module make use of Microsoft Project to illustrate aspects of project management. The examples used in this module can be run locally using Microsoft Project 2003 or 2007 if you have a copy, or remotely on the server at Bolton. This link will take you to the login page for the remote applications server:

https://access.bolton.ac.uk/

If you already have a compatible Citrix thin client installed then you should be able to log directly onto the web page. The page below is what you should see:

Figure Access Platform 2 Web Interface Page

You can then login using your normal Bolton account details. Once you are successfully logged on you are presented with the available functions. The current recommendation is that you access the BEE Desktop and use Microsoft project as you would normally. Your personal area has been mapped to the M drive and will appear in the format "UserName$ on Moriarty (M:)".

Figure Access Platform 2 Successful Login

Citrix Not Installed or Not Compatible

If, however, you do not have a Citrix client or it is not compatible Citrix client then you the following page will be displayed.

Figure Access Platform 2 Web Interface Access Fail

In this case you can either follow the link, go directly to the Citrix page and download the relevant software or follow the instructions available at the http://www.ami.ac.uk/students/itconfig/citrix/citrix.asp#download.

Example Files for Local Use

Should you wish to work locally and then transfer the files back onto the server the example files can be downloaded individually from within each unit. However, you may find it helpful to download the example files in one go, as a zipped file. Obtain full set of Project Management example files for MSP: Download

Author Profile

Ron Hood

Ron has many years industrial experience as an electronic development engineer working for large companies such as GEC and several smaller companies throughout the UK. He has developed industrial electronic systems, instrumentation systems and control systems for both military and industrial applications. As Technical Director he was responsible for products that included customised ASIC solutions and microprocessors, and for liaison with manufacturers in the Far East. For the last ten years he has run a design consultancy providing hardware and software solutions to clients that include large and small companies.
Ron has more than ten years experience working with higher education, lecturing in electronics and related subjects at honours degree and MSc level and supervising projects for MSc and PhD degrees.

Online Postgraduate Courses for the Electronics Industry

Provided By The University of Bolton

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