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Instead they decided to create extra factory space by building a mezzanine floor and moving machinery around to improve workflow. MIPPS was the ideal process to help them manage the project.
Implementing MIPPS (Managing the Introduction of new Products, Processes or Services)
The MIPPS project kicked off with a half-day training session for the Simplastics project team to introduce them to the methodology. Over the 4-month project, the team received regular support from Ingenuity staff.
It was essential that disruption to production was kept to a minimum which meant that all activities needed to be carefully planned and risks fully analysed – which are at the heart of the MIPPS methodology.
Sue Burton, Joint Managing Director of Simplastics, explained, “We particularly liked the MIPPS approach to planning; I am certain that it helped to identify potential pitfalls that we would not have otherwise foreseen.”
The Results
The mezzanine floor, along with additional canteen and meeting room facilities, is now fully operational and was showcased to customers and suppliers at a recent open day.
The project has already improved workflow and provided scope for further high-tech equipment to be installed in the future.
For more information contact Simplastics Limited
NDT Solutions are leading-edge experts in ultrasonic science and technology, specialising in the application of ultrasound technology for the non-destructive testing of components used particularly by the automotive, wind energy and aerospace industries.
With an increasing portfolio of research, development and deployment projects, NDT recognised the need to strengthen its approach to project management and hence decided to become users of The University of Nottingham’s MIPPS project management method.
NDT had been engaged by a multinational company to develop a world-first prototype inspection tool to demanding timescales. It was decided to use MIPPS to manage this critically important project to ensure that the prototype was delivered on time but also to prove the value of the MIPPS within NDT.
Training in MIPPS began with a half-day session to introduce the method, to appoint the project sponsor, project manager and team, and to plan the early stages of the project.
Over the life of the project, Ingenuity staff made regular visits to support the manager and his team to ensure that they were using MIPPS in the most effective way.
Although NDT already had considerable project management expertise, the early stages of a MIPPS project were felt to be particularly beneficial. “We see the definition and early planning phases of a MIPPS project to be very important in clarifying the scope and objectives of the project. This is an improvement over our previous approaches”, said Tom Marshall, project manager for this project.
Corin Brotherhood, Design Engineer, who was part of the project team, especially liked the straightforward approach of MIPPS. “Much of MIPPS is common sense. We should have been doing many of these things but we weren’t”, said Corin.
Complex scientific research projects such as this are notoriously difficult to deliver on time – how do you know how long something will take if it has never been done before? Through the flexible approaches of MIPPS, NDT were able to deliver a working prototype and within the customer’s timeframe. This has now led on to further development work for the customer.
NDT’s experience with MIPPS has been a successful one. Neil Hankinson, Research Engineer was also part of the project team. “MIPPS introduced us to a more structured approach to project management and identified areas for improvement”, commented Neil.
As Tom concluded, “We have already applied MIPPS techniques to other projects and it will continue to be the way we manage projects at NDT.”
For further information contact NDT Solutions Limited
Based on the Tapton Park Innovation Centre in Chesterfield, Bisgen Ltd., are at the forefront of customer relationship technology, providing companies with software that facilitates and simplifies customer relationship management tasks.
With a growing list of companies using their software, Bisgen are continuing to develop their software to provide additional functionality. As managing director Shabbir Shad put it, “We needed a way of bringing new versions of our software to market quickly and reliably, and honouring promises made to customers.” It was therefore decided to use the University of Nottingham’s project management method MIPPS to project manage the ongoing software development process.
In order to fully prove MIPPS and expose as many staff as possible to MIPPS, Bisgen decided to initiate five projects which would be managed in parallel using MIPPS.
Training in MIPPS began with a half-day session to introduce the method, to appoint the project sponsor, project manager and team, and to plan the early stages of the project. Over the life of the project, Ingenuity staff, made several visits to support the project managers to ensure that they were using MIPPS in the most effective way.
Four of the five projects were successfully completed, the fifth having to be cancelled for other reasons. “I am convinced that MIPPS helped me to deliver my project on time”, said Sasikala, senior technical product architect, who managed one of the projects. “It also improved team communications because everyone knew what was being done, when and by whom.” Raj Kumar, who have overall project management responsibility for the five projects, was pleased with how straight-forward MIPPS is. “I found MIPPS as a very simple to use and effective tool for project management.”
Jyoti Paikaray, technical director, commented, “We fully put MIPPS to the test in Bisgen, and we are very pleased with the results. We will be continuing to use MIPPS in the future.”
