Rapid Prototyping Case Study: Project Management and Business Strategy

This report analyzes a case study titled "Rapid Prototyping — New Discipline," focusing on the implementation of a rapid prototype model within a business organization. The case study involves Cocable Company's contract with GE Company to design a prototype machine for a new jet engine, highlighting challenges encountered during the testing phase due to a faulty CAD model. The report explores lessons learned, including project management issues stemming from a lack of successful methodologies and the growing importance of rapid prototyping since the 1980s. It identifies departments responsible for covering extra costs arising from required changes and outlines steps to ensure correct project scope, including complete analysis, scope creep prevention, risk analysis, and recommendations for technical training, cost management, and time management. The conclusion emphasizes the necessity of prototype models for business success, the importance of technical expertise, and the significance of CAD models before implementation, while also providing recommendations to mitigate potential issues.

Running head: RAPID PROTOTYPING
Networking Case study: “Rapid Prototyping — New Discipline”
Name of the student:
Name of the university:

1RAPID PROTOTYPING
Introduction
This report depicts the importance of implementing a rapid prototype model in the business
organization. This report elaborates the lessons learnt from the “RAPID PROTOTYPING — NEW
DISCIPLINE “case study. In this case study it is mentioned that, while working for the Cocable Company,
they had got a contract for GE Company to design a prototype machine for the newest jet engine. While,
developing the rapid prototype machine for Get engine, during the testing phase they realized that the
prototype machine is facing major implementation level issue.
For making the required changes extra payment will be needed to provide. The departments
who are going to pay for the changes are also illustrated in this report. Not only this but also the
necessary steps those are needed to be applies are also elaborated in this report. In order to avoid these
issues proper recommendations and strategies should have to be developed those are also illustrated in
this report.
Answer to quetion1: Lessons learnt from the case
It has been found that most of the project management oriented issues take place in the
organizations due to lack of successful project management methodologies. This report mainly deals
with different project management issues that the companies are facing. From last 1980, the rapid
prototyping has become as one of the most growing field of innovation [4]. It is providing huge technical
opportunities to the business organizations also [7]. This concept is growing from the beginning of the
grassroots of technology. In this report Frank Billing an engineering student deals with the development
of a rapid prototype model. From the very beginning he has started realizing the importance of newly
developed rapid prototype model and its effectiveness in the competitive marketplace [6]. Though,
Frank Billing was willing to be a professional rapid prototype machine developer but as he had enough
debt thus he had to take job at Cocable Company.
Apart from this different issues associated to the rapid prototyping that might occur in the
development phase are also have been learnt [3]. Very rapidly the usage of different technology is
developing widely. From the case study different issues are identified. It is discovered that issue might
occur related to supply of the raw material supply [5]. The costs of the prototype developing equipment
are very high and even the functional and non functional requirement for the RP is very high. The

2RAPID PROTOTYPING
promotions of the equipments are also very high from the application aspects. Eve during the functional
testing phase issues might arise.
Answer to question 2: The department who should pay for the changes
After analyzing the details of the case study, it is found that after getting contract from the GE
for the development of a newly jet engine Frank Billing realized that the company is facing major level
challenges due to their faulty CAD model [4]. The standard size of the CAD model is required to be 55
inches, but for this particular prototype model the size id required to be 48 inches. It means that after
the development they again need to change the model as per the requirement of the consumers. For
meeting the requirement of the consumers they are also required extra budget and it is quite definite
that this extra budget is not going to be provided by the GE company rather the Cocable Company is
responsible to deliver the extra budget to meet the requirement of GE company newly jet engine
[1].
Answer to question 3: The steps those should have been undertaken to make
sure that the project scope is correct
In the project initiation phase the, project a manager develops the project objective and relates
that to the project assumption [2]. It means that, considering the need of the consumers a project
outcome is expected. In order to understand that the project scopes considered for this project are
correct the necessary steps those have been undertaken are as follows:
 Complete analysis of the project
 Scope creep prevention
 Analysis of the risks
Recommendations
Technical training and development: In order to implement the project without any kind of
error it is necessary for the company to arrange proper training and development program for the
technical experts those have been hired by the HP department of the company.

3RAPID PROTOTYPING
Cost management: Cost is another issue that might affect the expected outcome of the system
developers. In order to combat this issues at the project initiation phase the company is required to go
through a feasibility just to ensure that the project will be beneficial or not.
Time management: Time management is another important thing that the company is required
to be considered properly. Before starting the project proper time according to the estimated cost must
be allotted so that the owners could get measureable benefit from the project.
Conclusion
From the overall discussion it can be concluded that in order to implement a successful business
it is necessary to use prototype model. However, this newly invented technology is very much difficult to
implement without any kind of error. For successful implementation all the involved developers are
required to be technical experts. Before final implementation the system developer should implement a
CAD model. The lessons learnt from the case study and for making the necessary changes the
departments who are going to pay are also illustrated in this report. Not only this but also the report has
mentioned the required steps those have been followed to ensure that the project scope is absolutely
appreciable. In order to mitigate the issues proper recommendations are also given in this report.

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