The use of Project Management principles in industries such as IT and construction is well documented, whereas its use in some others, including the automotive industry less so. This lecture will look at the disciplined application of some project management principles in the automotive industry to the development of a new vehicle.
- Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: A look at these categories in the automotive industry. Does the development of a new vehicle constitute a Portfolio, Program or a Project? We will look at the characteristics of each of these, andanswer this question.
- Project Scope Management: An insight into some of the decision-making involved in defining scope in the development of a new vehicle.
- Project Time Management: The implementation of cross-functional element timing in conjunction with the Critical Path Method (CPM) in vehicle development timing.
Andrew Nolan started his career with General Motors Japan in 2007 as a Finance Manager in a joint venture with Isuzu Motors that led the development of the Chevrolet Colorado and Isuzu D-Max currently built in Thailand, and sold around the world. He quickly moved through the ranks adding the role of Product Planning Manager to his assignment, managing the development timing and project deliverables up until the completion of the vehicle-engineering phase.
Following the conclusion of his assignment in Japan, Andrew moved to Thailand to experience the execution and manufacturing of the Chevrolet truck in Rayong where he held roles as Powertrain Controls & Calibration Engineer, Vehicle Systems Engineer and Quality / Reliability / Durability Engineer.
He is currently Regional Program Quality Manager – Powertrain, overseeing the performance of engines and transmissions; Resolving field issues and carrying learnings forward into the next generation of products assuring continuous improvement.