Case Questions for the course in Advanced Project Management
The Boeing 767: From concept to production (A) (HBS Case 9-688-040)
Questions for discussion:
1. How the Novelty level associated with the development of a new aircraft
generation affected Boeing's strategy?
2. Describe the main elements that had an impact on the 767 configuration.
3. How would you describe the technology level of the 767 project and the risks
associated with that technology level?
4. Using the approach developed by this book, analyze Boeing's policy of
subcontracting airframe parts.
5. Should Thornton authorize after the fact conversion of planes or modification
during production? Explain!
6. How could an advance analysis of Novelty and Technology levels of the project
improve project execution and make Thornton's dilemma simpler?
Case Questions for the course in Advanced Project Management
MS Office 2000 (HBS case 9-600-097)
Questions for discussion:
1. Characterize the MS Office for Macintosh project along all four dimensions.
2. In comparison to the MS Office for Macintosh project, how would you characterize
the Office 2000 project? How did the change in the technological environment
impact your analysis?
3. How did Product Planning manage to define the needs and requirements of their
potential customers? What method was used to verify that these needs were
really addressed in the final product?
4. In light of the MS Office suite history, how would you classify the various products
produced by Microsoft since the first collaboration with IBM in the early eighties
(use the technological adoption cycle by Rogers and by Moore).
Case Questions for the course in Advanced Project Management
Tritec Engine Joint Venture (HBS case 9-600-004)
Questions for discussion:
1. How would you classify the Tritec project on the technology and complexity
dimensions?
2. Did Jack Smith create the control and coordination system required for that kind of
project? Explain!
3. Would you consider the engine block sealing dilemma as a positive or negative
event?
4. What was the contribution of the SE approach to dealing with that dilemma?
Case Questions for the course in Advanced Project Management
The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and
Coolness (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/ipod.html)
Questions for discussion:
1. What can we learn from the iPod project about reducing development risks and
introducing a breakthrough product to the market?
2. In your opinion, what are the main ingredients that made the iPod such a huge
success?
Detailed Questions;
5. How would you classify the iPod project on all dimensions?
6. From the Novelty perspective, some may argue that the iPod is either a
breakthrough or platform project. What could make the project one or the other?
How did Apple handle the issues of market uncertainty (or Novelty), in terms of
defining the requirements, performing the design, market research, product
launch, and marketing?
7. Analyze the project from the technological uncertainty perspective. How did Apple
deal with the level of uncertainty? What did they do to reduce and uncertainty and
risk. Discuss the specifications, the design, the testing the freezing, etc.
8. How would you rate the project complexity? What activities were taken to deal
with the complexity? How was integration handled?
9. If you look at the launch of iPod together with iTunes, and Apple’s on line music
store all at the same time as one project, how would you analyze this project and
its diamond? What activities were taken to guarantee smooth launch and project
and business success? How are they related to the diamond?
Case Questions for the course in Advanced Project Management
The 787 Encounters Turbulence
(http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_25/b3989049.htm)
Questions for discussion:
Taking into account the technological uncertainties of the 787 project, how would you
modify the project plan? Consider in your discussion the following issues:
1. The design and testing process
2. The integration process
3. The outsourcing policy
Detailed questions:
10. How would you classify the Dreamliner project on all dimensions?
11. How would you rate the project complexity? What measures would you
recommend Boeing to take to reduce the risks associated with its outsourcing
policy?
12. Analyze the project from the technological uncertainty perspective. How would
you recommend Boeing to plan the design process (design cycles, design freeze,
integration period) to reduce and uncertainty and risk.
13. Use the Diamond presentation of the project to identify the most risky areas of the
project (explain) and to establish an outsourcing policy that will reduce competitive
treats (from suppliers) in the future.