Question 7 for Chapter 7: Structuring System Process Requirements (8 Points)

Transcription

1 Question 7 for Chapter 7: Structuring System Process Requirements (8 Points) ExxonMobil commonly employs teams in its efforts to define system process requirements. As indicated in Figure 1, any business unit or manufacturing site can propose an improvement to their process or a request for a new process to be developed. Once conceived, the project is assigned to a cross-functional team that typically consists of employees from varying departments within the company that all have a stake in the outcome of the project. The team utilizes what ExxonMobil calls the gate process to ensure all projects are handled in the same manner and in alignment with company objectives., ExxonMobil s information technology group, oversees the team s progress and helps ensure it meets stakeholder s expectations. If the gate process is successfully executed, the project team will ultimately be given management approval to develop and execute the solution. If not, the project can be shelved for later consideration or terminated at any point in the process. Business Unit Conceived Business Unit Team Sales Marketing Gate Process or Denial Figure 1 Solution

2 The Gate Process is a framework that all projects follow to develop new processes requested by all business units (see Figure 2). Representatives Supervision Team Concept Rough Costs Rough Savings Rough Resources Gate 1 Representatives Supervision Team Concept Better Defined Costs Better Defined Savings Better Defined Resources Gate 2 Team Defined Scope Final Costs Final Savings Final Resources Gate 3 Figure 2 Execution

3 The Gate Process consists of three approval milestones, referred to as gates, that are intended to keep the project team aligned with management s expectation. In order to reach gate 1, the team must have a rough estimate of savings that will be achieved through the project, and also have gathered enough information to have a rough idea of the associated costs and resources needed to complete the project. If management approves of the project at this point, the team is allowed to progress its work and move towards gate 2. Before reaching gate 2, the team must better define their rough estimates through further research and information gathered from working with the end users and other stakeholders of the project. At gate 2, the team should have well-defined estimates of the projected costs and savings that will be realized as a result of the project, as well as the resources required to execute it. After securing management approval again, the team moves into the final phase of the gate process. After several iterations of data gathering and end user/stakeholder testing and feedback, the team is able to develop the final scope of the project. The team reaches gate 3 only after having this defined scope accompanied by the actual costs and savings that are expected to result from the project. If the project receives management approval after navigating the gate process, it moves to the execution phase of the project. The following Figure 1 and 2 illustrate how the gate process is embedded in ExxonMobil s overall process development methodology.

4 This project development process is considered the best practice in the industry and other companies are currently trying to replicate it to varying degrees of success. The efficiencies gained through being able to staff according to the planned resourcing requirements of specific types and sizes of requests made by individuals and business units within ExxonMobil of, give the company an advantage that other petrochemical companies do not have.

5 Works Cited Bhore, Nazeer A. "Innovations in Energy Technologies." ExxonMobil Corporation. 11 Oct Web. 10 Apr < Cooper, Robert G. "Perspective: The Stage Gate Idea to Launch Process Update, What s New and NexGen Systems." Stage-Gate International. 1 Jan Web. 10 Apr < "Defining Our Approach to R and D at ExxonMobil." ExxonMobil. Web. 10 Apr <