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Boeing's Project Management Approach: Strengths

There are several strengths and weaknesses to Boeing's project management approach. Key strengths include extensive planning through audit teams to review all project elements, strong teamwork between Boeing and vendors, and continuous improvement through research. However, weaknesses exist such as the tremendous risk that comes from sourcing from over 1,300 suppliers and the reduced agility in the production phase when deadlines require a highly structured process.

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275 views4 pages

Boeing's Project Management Approach: Strengths

There are several strengths and weaknesses to Boeing's project management approach. Key strengths include extensive planning through audit teams to review all project elements, strong teamwork between Boeing and vendors, and continuous improvement through research. However, weaknesses exist such as the tremendous risk that comes from sourcing from over 1,300 suppliers and the reduced agility in the production phase when deadlines require a highly structured process.

Uploaded by

Meghna Cm
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What are the strengths and weaknesses to Boeing's PM approach?

Discuss any specific vulnerabilities in


Boeing's approach and/or PM tools.

One strength of Boeing was the fact that they are the largest sales leader of the airframe industry,
as well as internationally one of the biggest exporters in the world. Also, because they assemble
different variations of airplanes all at one time, they were able to be more efficient in design and
development as they made the models. Another strength that Boeing has is the fact that their
engineers are constantly learning and adapting to new knowledge as they are constantly and
consistently making family planes. By using older models, they are able to either surpass or meet
WBS scheduling. Other strengths mentioned in the text are their manufacturing systems and their
tools for project management. A strength I find in their company culture process is that they pick
people who are the best to work in as a team, therefore the team is familiar with each other and
the goals they need to achieve to get things done.
One weakness I could find by making too many airplanes is wasted resources and time
used for airplanes that are not used. By building too many models, Boeing risks sunk costs.
Another weakness found in company culture is that having team members work 60-70 hours
consecutively with each other can lead to lash-outs, groupthink, and any other detrimental
situation that could wreak havoc for the team. In the workplace, doing things over and over again
repeatedly with the same people may leave some workers to lose focus of the team’s mission and
slack off. Also, the intense work hours can leave workers feeling tired and discouraged.

Boeing’s Project Management Approach: Strengths

One of the strengths of Boeing is that it is the largest leader in the airframe industry and

one of the biggest exporters across the globe. As the time to market can significantly impact

product development, they assemble parts together at one place to be more efficient in design

and development. The concept of family of planes used standardized platforms to increase

efficiency of production adapting to new technology consistently. Hence reducing risks and up-

front investments. Another strength is the teamwork between members of Boeing and vendors –

the cohesiveness programs with vendors enables a high-level planning and commitment as a

result they excel in efficiency, communication and achieve good collaboration within the

organizations. With the continuous improvement, research and experimentation progressively

advances technology achieving strong learning curves.

Boeing’s Project Management Approach: Weakness


One of the weakness to Boeing’s management approach is that serving 1300 different suppliers

involves enormous risks. As and when the number of suppliers increases, there is an increase

in the level of complexity to schedule the project. A lack of oversight on the quality control of

multiple, globally based contractors. Choosing the possibility of contractors subcontracting to

low-performing suppliers. Another weakness to deal with was in the production phase. The

production phase had highly structured plan to meet deadlines and quotas which got delayed

resulting in penalties.

Boeing’s Project Management Approach: Strengths

There are several strengths and weaknesses to Boeing’s project management


approach. One strength is the extent of detailed planning that Boeing pursues. Along with the
planning examples identified in the paragraph above, audit teams were assigned to review
every significant element in the project phases. These teams were comprised of experienced
internal Boeing managers to play “devils advocates” on project elements. The team was
assigned to review every significant program involved in the Boeing 767, to identify material
misstatements, fraud, error and risk.
Another strength, is the teamwork within Boeing and between vendors. Boeing’s
cohesiveness with program vendors enables a high level of detailed planning and commitment.
This facilitates Boeing to excel in efficiency, communication and collaboration between
organizations.
Boeing’s determination to continuous improvement, research and experimentation has
progressively advanced technology. This strength permits Boeing’s ability to produce
technologically superior aircraft. This approach to project management enables Boeing to
challenge current technologies in design and provide for future innovations. Proving a safe and
reliable product is an unquestionable necessity to project management at Boeing.

Boeing’s Project Management Approach: Weakness


There are some weaknesses to Boeing’s project management approach. When sourcing
from 1,300 different suppliers, there involves tremendous risk. With every increase in the
number of suppliers, there adds a level of complexity to the schedule of the project. Configuring
the logistics, handling, safety and delivery of such a complex web, requires immense detail.
Decreasing the number of suppliers will decrease the amount of touch points for possible
failure. This will also reduce the complexity of the project schedule and reduce the chance of
delays. Failure from vendors to meet schedule requirements can result in penalties from delays
in deadlines.
Another weakness Boeing faces, is the capacity for agility in the Production Phase. The
weakness is displayed imminently at the end of the case, in the decision of modifying the
airplane cockpit. The planned process of assembling the airplane in the Production Phase
becomes highly structured to meet schedule deadlines. Space is allocated at capacity, causing
one option of modification, to require additional space outside the facility.
In the option of disrupting the production plan, the tool of using the learning curve,
highlights a weakness. The learning curve is only effective in the case of decreasing time over
the course of increasing the operation. By disrupting the production plan, additional workers
would have to be allocated to selected work stations. This would disrupt the learning curve,
adding variability and time to the measurement technique.
==

Strategy and project management:


For big projects like Boeing’s 767, competitive advantage could be attained only when the firm’s
strategic goals were aligned with that of the project and made sure that each functional, cross
functional and inter/intra company scopes were aligned to the zone of strategic fit. Boeing has
been competent ever since selling their first 707 family of planes in 1955. Time to market was
the key factor which made Boeing to clench hardly to deadlines promised even if it comes at
certain expenses. Every customer requirements were unique and designing airplanes to best fit
them would be difficult if there were no flexibility incorporated in the design plan. Building
family of planes to show varieties with the same base airframe was the strategic concept and at
lower cost with quality. To encompass this concept when a new project plan was considered
chief engineers and chief program managers followed more efficient design and development
process with manufacturing benefits producing common family of planes on common assembly
line. Managers ensured that learning curve was met even with the new models being added. This
kind of approach helped Boeing to achieve its break-even point far before than the one without
shared design. Boeing outsourced major components of production process which helped them to
focused on the airframe. They carefully selected its supplier partners and some of whom were
risk-sharing partners. Boeing were the low-cost producer in the aircraft industry which was
accomplished through large centralized facilities combined with manufacturing and project
management tools. Boeing followed team-work oriented culture with open communication,
reduced risk, reduced up-front investment cost, carefully monitored schedules and final parts
assembled by Boeing. Despite all these positivity Boeing should consider possibilities on lack of
oversight on the quality control of multiple; globally based contractors, overly extended supply
chains with key components, possibility of contractors subcontracting to low-performing
suppliers, difficult to meet deadlines and quotas, high transportation costs and the risk of parts
that do not fit with the overall product.

==

All strategic change in an organization happens through project and program management. And

organizations leave that strategy to chance if they do not focus on benefits realization. In a

business environment characterized by rapid change and increasing complexity, big companies
like Boeing’s struggle to implement the strategies they need to generate and sustain a

competitive advantage. A key challenge is to manage projects, programs, and portfolios based on

traditional, measurable outputs—such as time, scope, and budget—without consistently tracking

whether they help the company achieve its larger strategic goals and adjusting them

appropriately. The result is a clear gap between strategy and project management. To encompass

this as and when a new project comes in chief engineers and chief program managers follows

more efficient design and development on common assembly line.

Management teams today must make big-picture, strategic decisions that chart a company’s

course amid great uncertainty. This helps Boeing’s to achieve break-in without shared data.

Companies frequently have many projects underway at any given time; these projects are more

complex, interdependent, and based on less-reliable assumptions than in the past. As a result,

companies need to be more disciplined and adaptable in how they implement and oversee these

projects to ensure strategic objectives are met.

Boeing should consider possibilities on lack of oversight on the quality control of multiple;

globally based contractors, overly extended supply chains with key components, possibility of

contractors subcontracting to low-performing suppliers, difficult to meet deadlines and quotas,

high transportation costs and the risk of parts that do not fit with the overall product.

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