The interim manager was called in by a small medium-sized company in the supplier industry. A new project was not ready to run, the process was not yet in place, machines had not yet been ordered and the SoP was getting dangerously close. Under pressure from the end customer, project management support was urgently needed.
Working out a new project plan with Advanced Product Quality Planning
After gaining transparency about the project, the interim manager identified the causes of the stalled project progress. The analysis revealed the following key points and weaknesses, among others: The project organization did not follow a method. There was also a lack of coordinated communication. Action plans were not consistently monitored, if they existed at all. A professional Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was therefore not possible.
The interim manager drew up a new project plan based on the weaknesses. He used the APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning) tool commonly used in the automotive industry. Using agile methods, he integrated this into a new project structure and a new team.
The interim manager used the project structure and checklists to address the tasks and measures for project management, FMEA moderation, milestone reviews and customer communication to the respective stakeholders of the new team. At the same time, he redefined deadlines - and increased the processing speed by supporting the coordination and completion of tasks.
Test planning implemented on schedule and production line set-up realized
In all phases of the mandate, the interim manager promoted open and honest communication with the client. He managed the project transparently according to the new project goals (budget, deadline and degree of fulfillment in the APQP). He initiated weekly store floor meetings, regular milestone reviews internally and with the client and consistent management. The FMEA was updated, test planning was implemented on schedule and the production line was set up.
Process development of the "Engineering & Industrialization" department optimized
In another sub-project, the interim manager also helped to optimize the internal processes of the "Engineering & Industrialization" department in process development and to secure the interfaces to supporting areas such as production, quality assurance and work preparation.
Series production ensured and customer satisfaction improved
Within 4 months, the interim manager was able to complete the assignment in full. The now functional project management team managed to place the new production line, produce the new product and deliver it in line with customer requirements. The deviations were eliminated. The project costs did not get out of hand. The quality of the new product is assured. Customer satisfaction also improved noticeably.
