Sample Technology and Engineering Management Assignment

Technology and Engineering Management Assignment Sample

Question 1

Sandeep, Sally and Srineth are recent graduates from UC who have come together to launch an innovative start-up company, UCSmartHealth. Their vision is to support a wide variety of applications to meet different use cases such as general wellness monitoring, patient monitoring of chronic health conditions, connected hearing aids, assisted living for the elderly, sports analytics, as well as military applications (e.g. wearables that can detect post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), depression, etc). You know Sandeep, Sally and Srineth and they are very committed to their vision, however, the team does not have the experience to confidently take the first steps. They have reached out to you as a respected engineering management professional to help them define their strategic objectives and start to define their product development journey.

a. Using SMART goal setting principles, develop an artefact using the MOST framework (Mission Objectives, Strategies and Tactics) for UCSmartHealth that addresses the key activities they will need to undertake.

Question 2

Now that they have a MOST, they need to review the legal structure of their organisation. Sandeep and Sally have Sole Trader ABNs. They are unsure whether this is enough. They will need to employ staff, seek funding through loans or investment, and manage various risks as they develop their technology. They have again asked for your help.

Research the different forms of business registration for an Australian-based businesses.

a. With what you know about UCSmartHealth, what do you believe would be the best structure and why?

Include your assumptions about the business to help explain your advice to them. (Hint: A link in Canvas from week 1 is to an Australian Government website that will help you work through this question).

Question 3

Now that the business has been formed, the team is looking to build a team to develop their products. UCSmartHealth has asked you to provide advisory services to support the recruitment process. They have decided to take an agile approach to managing the development of their product, and they’ve asked you to keep this foremost in your mind when providing your advice. Their specific questions for you are:

What roles should we advertise and why?

Should we be looking for applicants with experience in agile projects and why?

Would you reference skill levels from the SFIA framework to assist applicants? Explain why or why not.

Once the team is recruited and has started at UCSmartHealth, what activities do you recommend we do to get the team focused on innovating and delivering.

Question 4

With the company now formed and staff positions filled, the team gets down to business and is racing against time to come up with its first batch of innovative products – smart wearables that can detect falls in elderly patients. Paco is a new engineer who is also in a team leader role. Paco has been trying to build an inclusive team by democratising the development of ideas within the team and encouraging team members to make contributions. Paco is worried that he is running out of time and fears the company might lose out on potential market share and fall behind its competitors if they do not seize the moment and roll out this new product as soon as possible. Paco is keen on carrying everyone along but several meetings later and with the product launch date around the corner, the team is still deliberating on some of the technical features of the product and this is putting the team under tremendous pressure. UCSmartHealth’s leadership team has reached out to you to help, as they are concerned the team is going to miss a key opportunity in the market, and fear the team is focused on arguing over their own technical preferences instead of acting in response to customer feedback.

Discuss the pros and cons of Paco’s approach to the team leader role.

Paco established a team charter when he took on the team leader role. What might be missing in the team charter?

What evidence is there to suggest the team has stopped listening to customer feedback? What questions might you ask the team to gain further insight?
You provide your findings to the UCSmartHealth team, and they ask you to work directly with Paco to turn things around. What advice will you provide to Paco?

Question 5

UCSmartHealth has successfully developed 2 flagship products – UCAware which provides situational awareness of the environment for assisted living among the elderly and UCPredict which incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help predict the probability of occurrence of PTSD among war veterans.

After 6 months of production, the company has been able to post the mid-year sales figures presented in the table below.

UCAware has high levels of customer engagement and perceived value, supported by strong sales figures. On the other hand, UCPredict has high levels of customer engagement, but perceived value is dwindling. Customers love UCPredict and want it to be successful, but features requested by customers have not been scoped or added to the product backlog.

You decide to interview users of UCPredict to gain specific insights on product improvements for your development team.

Design a set of questions that will draw out both the pain points and desirable solutions for customers that will enable you to build a Product Backlog
Question 6 (4 marks) 250 words

UCSmartHealth’s UCPredict development team is using a kanban board to track the flow of work as part of their adoption of the Scrum framework. They’ve asked you to review it given your experience and exposure to agile ways of working as an engineering professional.

What observations do you have?

What advice would you give to increase the flow of value?

Solution

Questions 1:

Mission: UCSmartHealth's mission is to become a leading provider of innovative and comprehensive smart health solutions that improve the quality of life for people around the world.

Objectives

Develop a portfolio of smart health products that meets the needs of various use cases, such as general wellness monitoring, patient monitoring of chronic health conditions, connected hearing aids, assisted living for the elderly, sports analytics, and military applications.

Establish strategic partnerships with healthcare providers, insurance companies, and technology companies to expand market reach and increase brand recognition.

Build a strong reputation for innovation and reliability in the smart health industry through continuous research and development.

Achieve a 15% market share within the next five years.

Strategies

Conduct market research to identify the needs of the target market and develop products that address those needs.

Establish partnerships with healthcare providers, insurance companies, and technology companies to increase access to the target market and build brand recognition.

Invest in research and development to continuously innovate and improve the product portfolio.

Leverage social media and other digital marketing channels to increase brand awareness and drive sales [1].

Tactics

Conduct surveys and focus groups to understand the needs of the target market and prioritize product development.

Attend healthcare and technology conferences to establish partnerships and increase brand visibility.

Hire a dedicated research and development team to drive innovation and product improvement.

Develop a comprehensive social media marketing plan and leverage influencers to increase brand awareness and drive sales.

Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress towards objectives and adjust strategies as needed.

Question 2

Based on the information provided, UCSmartHealth is a startup company that plans to develop and market a range of smart health solutions. The company plans to employ staff, seek funding through loans or investment, and manage various risks as they develop their technology.

Considering the potential growth and complexity of the business, I would recommend that UCSmartHealth consider registering as a proprietary limited company (Pty Ltd) in Australia. This legal structure provides the company with separate legal status and limits the liability of its shareholders. This means that the personal assets of the shareholders are protected in the event of any legal issues or debts that the company may incur.

Assumptions:

UCSmartHealth plans to expand and grow in the future.

The company plans to employ staff and seek funding through loans or investment, which requires a more formal business structure.

There may be potential legal risks associated with the development and marketing of smart health solutions, which can be mitigated through a Pty Ltd company structure [2].

In addition, registering as a Pty Ltd company can provide UCSmartHealth with greater credibility and access to investment opportunities. It also allows the company to issue shares to investors, which can help raise funds for business expansion. While the decision to register as a Pty Ltd company should be carefully considered and consulted with a legal professional, it appears to be the most suitable legal structure for UCSmartHealth given their business goals and assumptions.

Question 3

a)

Based on an Agile approach, I recommend that UCSmartHealth consider the following roles for their development team:

Product Owner: This role is responsible for defining and prioritizing the features of the product backlog, and ensuring that the development team is aligned with the business objectives of UCSmartHealth. Scrum Master: This role is responsible for ensuring that the development team adheres to Agile principles and processes, facilitating daily stand-ups, and removing any impediments that prevent the team from achieving their objectives.

Developers: These roles are responsible for the development of the product, including coding, testing, and deployment.

Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer: This role is responsible for ensuring that the product meets the quality standards and specifications defined by the Product Owner.

UX Designer: This role is responsible for designing the user interface and ensuring a positive user experience [3].

b) Yes, it would be beneficial for UCSmartHealth to look for applicants with experience in Agile projects. This is because Agile projects have unique methodologies, principles, and practices that require a different mindset and approach to project management than traditional project management. Experienced Agile practitioners have the necessary skills to collaborate effectively, respond to change, and deliver value in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. They will also have a good understanding of Agile frameworks such as Scrum or Kanban, which will help them contribute to the success of UCSmartHealth [4].

c) Yes, I recommend UCSmartHealth reference skill levels from the SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) framework to assist applicants. The SFIA framework is widely used in the IT industry to provide a standard for skills and competencies required for specific job roles. By using this framework, UCSmartHealth can ensure that their job descriptions and requirements are aligned with industry standards, and that they attract the right candidates with the appropriate skills and competencies.

d) To get the team focused on innovating and delivering, UCSmartHealth can consider the following activities: Conduct Agile training and coaching sessions: This will help the team members understand the Agile principles and methodologies, and how they can apply them to their work. Set up a regular sprint cadence: This will create a sense of urgency and focus, and ensure that the team is delivering value regularly.

Foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement: Encourage the team to work together, share knowledge, and provide feedback to each other. Regular retrospectives can also help the team identify areas for improvement and adjust their processes accordingly. Empower the team: Trust the team to make decisions and solve problems on their own, and provide them with the resources and support they need to do their job effectively. Communicate effectively: Ensure that the team has a clear understanding of the product vision and goals, and that they are aligned with the business objectives of UCSmartHealth. Regular updates and feedback can help the team stay on track and motivated [4].

Top of Form

Question 4

a) Paco's approach of democratising the development of ideas and encouraging team members to make contributions is a good way to foster a culture of collaboration and inclusivity within the team. By doing this, he has also created an environment where team members can feel heard and valued, which can increase motivation and job satisfaction. However, the downside of this approach is that it can sometimes lead to analysis paralysis, where team members get bogged down in debates and fail to make decisions. This is particularly true when the team is under pressure to meet a deadline, as it can lead to missed opportunities and lost market share [5].

b) The team charter is an important document that outlines the goals, roles, and responsibilities of the team. However, there may be several aspects missing in the team charter that could help to prevent the current situation. These include:

Clear decision-making processes: The team charter should clearly outline how decisions are made, including who has the final say and what criteria are used to evaluate different options. This can help to prevent endless debates and ensure that decisions are made efficiently.

Timeframes and deadlines: The team charter for the assignment helpline should include clear timeframes and deadlines for different stages of the project, including when decisions need to be made and when deliverables are due. This can help to keep the team on track and prevent delays.

Customer feedback mechanisms: The team charter should outline how customer feedback is collected, analysed, and incorporated into the product development process. This can help to ensure that the team is responsive to customer needs and that the product meets market demands.

c) The fact that the team is still deliberating on technical features of the product close to the launch date is a clear indication that they may have lost sight of the customer feedback. To gain further insight, some questions that could be asked include:

How is customer feedback collected and analysed?

How often is customer feedback discussed in team meetings?

What changes have been made to the product based on customer feedback?

How are customer needs and preferences incorporated into the decision-making process?

What is the team's understanding of the target customer and their pain points?

How does the team prioritise features and functionality based on customer needs and feedback?

d) To turn things around, Paco should consider the following:

Prioritising the features and functionality of the product based on customer feedback and market demand. Setting clear deadlines and timeframes for decision-making and product delivery. Establishing a clear decision-making process that includes the identification of key stakeholders and the criteria used to evaluate options. Encouraging team members to provide constructive feedback, while also ensuring that debates do not derail the process. Ensuring that the team is aligned around a common goal and has a shared understanding of the target customer and their needs [8].

Questions 5

Here are some questions that can help draw out pain points and desirable solutions for customers of UCPredict:

How has UCPredict helped you so far? What specific features have you found most useful?

Are there any features missing from UCPredict that would make it more useful to you? If so, what are they?

Have you experienced any challenges or difficulties while using UCPredict? If so, can you describe them?

Have you tried any other similar products? If so, what do you think sets UCPredict apart from those products?

How frequently do you use UCPredict, and for what purpose(s)?

Are there any particular situations or scenarios where UCPredict has been particularly helpful to you?

How do you think UCPredict could be improved to better meet your needs or expectations?

Can you provide any specific examples of how UCPredict could be improved? What features or functionality would you like to see added?

Is there anything about UCPredict that you find confusing or difficult to use? If so, what is it?

Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience using UCPredict?

Question 6

a)

Observations:

The kanban board seems to have too many columns, which can make it difficult to track the flow of work and increase lead time. The work items in the "To Do" column are not prioritized, which can lead to delays in starting work on high-priority items. The "Testing" column appears to be empty, which suggests that testing may not be given enough priority or may not be done consistently. There are no explicit policies for each column, which can lead to confusion and inconsistency in how work is done [6].

b)

Advice to increase the flow of value:

Simplify the kanban board by reducing the number of columns to a minimum that represents the core workflow. Prioritize work items in the "To Do" column based on their importance and urgency. Ensure that testing is given enough priority and done consistently by adding an explicit "Testing" column and defining policies for it. Establish clear policies for each column, including the definition of "Done," to ensure consistency in how work is done and increase transparency. Consider implementing a pull system to prevent overloading team members with too much work and to improve flow [7].

References