3d Printing of Keys, Project Level Approaches for Managing Innovation - Assignment Example

Number Discussion Questions about Project Management, 4 Questions PART Answer to Question The technology innovations discussed in this case is the 3D printing of keys. Regarding the technology, every member of staff is provided with a coded key that provides full access to a number of specified rooms in the clinic. The technology is able to offer high security besides a number of other major advantages. Still on its top security achievement, the technology is designed to enhance barrier to reproducing a key that has already been printed. This would happen because making a replicate is fur beyond the ability of an average hardware key maker. Considering the entire project, it is easy to set up given that only one printer is required. Again, they codes for every rooms, in the clinic, would required a single input on the system. Given the printer’s efficiency and the ability to print many keys within a short period, the long-terms costs would be effective. In such a case, the printer’s initial cost would be easily recovered only after the printing of a few keys. All allocated keys would be in a database in order to keep track of any lost keys for easy replacements. Replacements can be done by deactivating the codes for the lost keys and having another code created for the newly allocated key (Ratto & Ree, 2012). Despite the goodness behind the technology, possibility of achieving absolute success is limited. There is a major problem of the available keys being inadequate and rather expensive. The suppliers are found to take much time before making the keys available. The major aspect of critic about the technology is security concerns although the coding systems is known to enhance security. Most of the staff members leave without returning their keys. This aspect not only creates more shortage but also security concerns especially if immediate adjustments are not initiated. Security is thus the key aspect in this technology since the main goal is to enhance it (Ratto & Ree, 2012). The key strategy is thus to acquire a 3D printer so that the immediate replacement by first deactivating the codes for the keys owned by the gone staff members. This decision would ensure regaining of the initial security and the avoidance of the delays caused by suppliers. Enhancement of security would require an IP strategy to intersect with the 3D printing in the techniques and the printing system and the material required for printing. Avoiding duplicate would also be promoted through the IP strategy due to the use of unique instruction files required to direct the 3D printer to print a unique design for a unique end product (Ratto & Ree, 2012). PART 2 Answer to Question 2 The problems faced during the DMI programme were numerous. Each other problems seemed to be linked with one or several other problems that contributed to the programme failure. The figure below shows a spray diagram that helps in exploring the multiple causes of the problems faced during the DMI programme. The problems were both programme-level and project-level. Figure 1: A Spray Diagram Depicting the Multiple causes of the DMI Problems Answer to Question 3(a) From the spray diagram in question 2, it comes out that all the problems/issues have a central source which is mainly managerial. Due to poor or insufficient managerial decisions, the DMI programme faced poor strategic planning, lack of cooperation, work halts by the executive board, failure to respond to internal and external opportunities, and failure to revisit the business cases. Each of the resulting problems contributed to other problems or contributed to the programme failure solely without causing further problems. For example, non-effective strategic planning contributed to poor resource allocation, which in turn led to ineffective personnel selection. This kind of selection resulted to technical failures, incompetency, lack of responsibility, lack of seniors who could act responsibly. Each of the resulting issues had its unique repercussions that collectively contributed to the failure of the entire programme (National Audit Office, 2004). For instance, technical failure led to releases and frequent repetitions thereby making the personnel work behind schedule. The same trend was evident in every issue resulting from poor managerial decisions. The failure of the DMI programme is attributed to various issues. Some of the issues are specific to the programmes, but others are specific to projects/issues across the DMI programme. Some of the programme level issues, resulting to the programme failure, included technical failures. The technical problem generated threat to the failure of the entire BBC project by raising project level problems such as releases that could hardly meet the expectations of users. Technical failures also resulted to frequent repetitions. The end result of this was a failure to work in accordance with the structured timetable, further making it difficult to meet the project deadline (Birkinshaw, Hamel, & Mol, 2008). In this case, both frequent repetitions and working behind schedule were project level issues, but they were mainly caused by the technical problems, either partly or entirely. Another major cause of the programme failure was poor planning. Poor planning was essentially on the entire system, which makes it a project level issue. In this case, there was some poor planning that affected the various components of the BBC project. This poor planning resulted to even further delays and difficulties in developing the DMI programme (National Audit Office, 2004). Confidence that the DMI programme could lead to the expected system started to fade among users. Attempts to adapt the existing editing technology resulted to the erosion of the business benefits forecast by BBC. This attempt was a project level issue that led to even more technical problems, which eroded the forecasts of a fully functional DMI system (National Audit Office, 2004). The project level issues were mainly caused by poor managerial decisions or by outside forces such as the government. One of these cases included more focus on the programme’s technological aspect instead of enabling a wide change by BBC. The project would have been successful if BBC initiated change on archiving as well as production process. Technological risks were the major focus rather than the operational change that could be achieved to business practices in the company (Trott, 2005). Another project level problem was inadequate government arrangement for the DMI programme especially regarding the programme scale, risks, and complexity. Little attention was paid on the project regarding the technical difficulties of the programme. Regarding the inadequate arrangements by the government, the issue in this case was at some point attributed to the management. The company failed to appoint a senior who could take responsibility over the alignment of all elements of the project (Edison, Ali, & Torkar, 2013). Again, there were no perfect reporting arrangements for the DMI programme purpose. Still on the project level issues, the business requirements for the programme were inadequately defined. This failure was among the many issue identified by external viewers that were hardly addressed. Among the same issues identified by external viewers, the company failed to revisit the business case. Other project level issues included the haltering of work on most of the DMI parts by the executive board, which happened in October 2012 (National Audit Office, 2004). Typically, managing the DMI programme in order to avoid the realized failures included a set of tools which allow the programme managers and the technicians to cooperate by focusing on a common understanding of both the processes and goals of the project. This aspect might have been missed out by the management teem since various failures were realized (Wong & Sing, 2012). There could have been a significant failure to respond to internal and external opportunities as well as using the associated creativities to initiate new processes and ideas that could have otherwise aided in mitigating the issues. Given the use of less efficient management, it could have been difficult to for the BBC to involve various skilled workers at all levels in contributing creatively to the DMI programme development. All the above mentioned aspects have largely contributed to the programme failure, but the BBC could have prevented the issues both technically and from a managerial perspective. Answer to Question 3(b) Project Level Approaches for managing Innovation There are various project-level approaches for managing innovation. The knowledge from such approaches can be utilized by BBC to manage innovation at both the project and programme levels. The BBC could have considered all possibilities of failure to initiate a solution to each of the arising issue. This could be achieved by considering the APM body of knowledge, which is based on project programme or portfolio. In this case, the BBC could take the DMI project as a unique and transient endeavor that is mainly undertaken to achieve the company’s planned objectives. One of the major considerations should be the project context, which involves mainly governance and the project setting. Regarding the context, the BBC should ensure that the DMI project is within the broader organization. With respect to the programme context, the management could have ensured that all the equipments are in good order and that the perfect skilled personnel are utilized. Any issue that could make the project become irrelevant or be out of the context should have been reviewed. Besides, avoiding problems like the technical failures would have avoided any repeated mistakes. The company should have a way of finding solutions to important problems despite the difficulties or complexity behind the solutions. This would best happen by initiating the three pillars of innovation. The three pillars of innovation that the BBC should utilize include competency, strategy, and management (Trott, 2005). Such pillars would definitely ensure that the programme is within the intended context. In the case of competency, the BBC could focus on its history as well as the set of capabilities that determine the DMI innovation competency. From the basis of the APM body of knowledge, the aspect of ‘people’ should be utilized such that the correct interpersonal skills should match the nature of the profession. Competency would be promoted through the right skills and professionalism. ‘Delivery’ should be another major consideration and it involves the tools and techniques associated with the project, the programme, and are highly linked to portfolio management. In this regard, resource allocation should be made effective. This would happen only through effective strategic planning. Effective resource allocation should be made an integral part during the alignment of the innovation to the set strategic objectives. The third pillar of innovation is management. The BBC requires having an effective way of managing the DMI innovation by considering the right scheduling, cost and finance management, risk management, as well as quality management. With the utilization of an effective innovation management, the BBC could avoid most of the issues and contribute to a successful project (Birkinshaw, Hamel, & Mol, 2008). The last among the various sections of the APM body of knowledge should be the ‘interfaces,’ which would entail the consideration of the general management areas, which are critical to both the project and the management. To achieve this requirement, a good managerial approach has to be employed in order to ensure accountancy, good health and safety, quality human resources, law maintenance, security, as well as sustainability. A good managerial approach to managerial approach to innovation begins with the development of a good understanding of the problems that the BBC needs to solve. The path forward can best be identified by establishing the way the problem is defined and who could be the best personnel to solve it. Defining the problem was one of the major causes for DMI failure. The poor definition made it difficult to meet the expectations and requirements of the user. This ought to be the case although some problems are hardly easy to frame. The aims of the programme were set, but a clear aim may not have been established. The programme should only then be designed with respect to such requirements and expectations. Nevertheless, the perfect personnel for the task should be appointed (Wong & Sing, 2012). The main ideology is avoiding problems and making the programme successful. The perfect skills for the task could help in redefining the problem and structuring a clear way to solve it. With the correct strategies regarding the ‘interfaces’ as mentioned above, the BBC would be able to create a successful DMI project that could see the achievement of all programme’s goals and objectives. Essentially, the DMI programme was actually managed by a world class performer. Like most of other great innovators, the BBC tended to be diverse and completely different from others and its existing system. It caused even much problem by failing to focus on the key areas. Instead of focusing on one area, it should have considered the general management areas that are important to the entire project and the organization as a whole. Getting back to the older technology was not a good solution (National Audit Office, 2004). To be successful, it should focus on the key areas of the project and derive the best possible out of the defined areas, but not getting back to the earlier technologies. With a good managerial approach, important aspects and requirements like accountancy and effective resource allocation could be achieved for a successful DMI programme. Bibliography Birkinshaw, J., Hamel, G., & Mol, M. J. 2008. Management innovation. Academy of management Review, Volume 33, issue 4 , 825-845. Edison, H., Ali, N., & Torkar, R. 2013.Towards innovation measurement in the software industry. . Journal of Systems and Software, Volume 86, issue 5 , 1390-1407. National Audit Office. 2004. Digital Media Initiative. Memorandum to British Broadcasting Corporation , 1-36. Ratto, M., & Ree, R. 2012. Materializing Information: 3D printing and social change. First Monday, Volume 17, Issue 7 . Trott, P. (2005). Innovation Management and New Product Development. Prentice Hall. Wong, S., & Sing, K. 2012. The role of management involvement in innovation. Management Decision, Volume 51, issue 4 , 709–729. Read More