Managing multiple projects in development industry using shared resources: a system based approach

Abstract

The project aims to enhance the efficiency of manufacturing system (in a development environment) along with its execution and monitoring to manage multiple projects simultaneously. This calls for a review of the existing mechanism (operation based system) followed in the manufacturing and the final stages of integration to identify the areas where the deliverables not meet deadlines, tendency of mistake repetitions, work distribution and management of resources including logistics. The case is set in the backdrop of prototyping activities of RWR and DC, Division of HAL s Helicopter R and D establishment under its Design complex located in Bangalore. The concept is further elaborated as: Managing of multiple projects in the phase of execution once the design gets frozen /finalized. There are distinct program management concepts for each projects in the design wing of RWR and DC, which is absent in the prototyping / manufacturing domain. This makes one project running at the cost of other projects as the resources are common for all the projects which run simultaneously. Leads to time lags, cost escalations, wastages and over burdening of resources and missing of deadlines. The projects; even with a very little time for execution get stalled at the cost of a major project with bigger levels of uncertainties. The policy questions involved are: a. How a system based approach can make the prototyping activities of R and D more efficient to take up and carry out more development projects same time? b. How to enhance the capability of shared resources to manage multiple developmental projects in defense aerospace industry? c. What is to be done for the execution and sustenance of a modified system for prototyping?