COURSE DETAILS
Skills for Successful Engineering Management

Description
This course prepares engineers to navigate the challenges of managing engineering teams and perform at a very high level compared to the average manager. Successful management leverages the principle that every element of management can be measured, so a key benefit of this course is a comprehensive overview of how to measure and improve important aspects of engineering performance.
We’ll address the challenges you’re facing in your organization and examine issues that are common in many companies so you can apply the most relevant, practical solutions. One of the most complex challenges most managers face is emphasized – resource management across multiple projects. Several effective resource allocation methods are covered.
Case studies and real-life examples illustrate how the principles apply on the job. The engineering management case studies and examples are drawn from a broad range of product development team environments at small, medium, and large companies serving many industries. You will also benefit from the instructor’s direct experience leading and managing engineering teams for over 25 years.
This course enables you to:
- Prioritize engineering objectives for maximum business impact
- Implement relevant metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Maximize resource utilization
- Determine accurate resource capacity
- Proactively drive valuable process improvements
- Identify the need for management tools
- Actively assess employee engagement
- Prioritize projects based on business value
- Ensure effective communication of priorities and results
Agenda
Elements of Engineering Management
- People
- Projects
- Process improvements
- Technology advancement
- Equipment, tools, and facilities
- Communication
- Product support and maintenance
The Mechanics of Effective People Management
- Managing vs. leading
- Accessibility and stakeholder rapport
- Employee engagement and productivity
- Roles and responsibilities
- Distributing engineering management responsibilities
- Resolving conflicts
- Employee performance reviews
Managing Multiple Projects
- Project prioritization methods
- Project-level resource planning
- Multi-project resource allocation
- Capacity balancing and project cut line
- Project Return Maps
- Cost of delay estimates
- Management tools
Process Improvements, Technology and Organizational Projects
- Comprehensive roadmaps
- Determining business value
Leadership Communication
- Collaboration methods and tools
- Frequency of communication
- Understanding stakeholder preferences
Metrics and Continuous Improvement
- Metrics and KPI dashboards
- Balancing sustaining engineering and new projects
- Defining balance for your organization
- Simple measures for achieving balance
- Case study: Time Allocation Metrics Improve R&D Performance
- Measuring intangibles
- Determining your KPIs
What’s Included
Management Toolkit – Each participant receives a set of templates and tools that can be implemented immediately:
- Project prioritization templates
- Resource allocation tools
- Cost of delay calculator
- KPI template
Who Should Attend
This program is designed for anyone responsible for managing engineering teams:
- Group Leaders/Managers
- Engineering Directors/Managers/Supervisors
- Prospective Managers
Pricing
Contact us for facilitation and pricing options.
Registration Options
Program Leaders
Gary Hinkle
Principal Management Consultant
Engineering Leadership & Management
Agile Methods for Hardware Development
Organizational Productivity

Contact Us to Schedule
This program can be offered online or at your company site and can be customized for your needs. Duration ranges from 4 hours online to a full day onsite, depending on implementation needs. Contact us to schedule or discuss your situation.
Other Programs in This Series
Develops a breadth of skills needed for leading teams, managing projects, and building influence with stakeholders.
Prepares engineers to navigate the challenges of managing engineering teams and perform at a very high level.
Teaches skills needed to lead projects, drive innovation, and influence others in an engineering role.
Teaches the fundamentals of project management, and an approach to project planning that enables teams to develop realistic, comprehensive plans quickly.
In this course we explore leadership focus areas that are typically critical, and we’ll discuss your specific challenges to help you work on leadership traits that matter most.