Backstage: Project Management

After a number of years in various technical domains, from automotive to special engineering and plant manufacturing, I had the opportunity in 2008 to work as a developer at Anton Paar. I was able, as a design engineer, to work on some amazing projects. I was fascinated at how high-end measuring instruments emerged from the interaction of various technical disciplines.

The development of complex measuring instruments requires someone who deals with the coordination of individual departments, e.g., mechanics, hardware, firmware, and software. I have been responsible for this since 2012, and as project leader develop a variety of measuring instruments in a team. The role of a project leader is not limited to coordination of departments though. They also accept the project order and are responsible for ensuring that the scope of the project with regard to quality, time, and costs is respected and processed.

In addition to the ‚classical’ development projects, the Rheology Business Area also handles technology projects, application projects, and customer projects. Technology projects serve the foundational research for new measuring principles. Technologies that come from that constitute the basis for new development projects. For application projects, existing measuring instruments are expanded with an additional field of application. This often occurs in cooperation with universities or research centers. As the name suggests, specific requests by customers are handled under specific customer projects, so that very specific wishes can be satisfied.

Before a project order for a development team comes into being though, there needs to be careful agreement between project management, product management, and the customer. That way, the key questions are answered in advance. E.g.: which demands are being placed on the measuring instrument? How should the product be positioned on the market? What effect will the demands have on the project duration and costs? On the basis of these specifications the project plan is drawn up, for the development of a measuring instrument.

With the start of a project begins an exciting phase, during which a team works together, usually for years, on a complex task. That creates camaraderie and involves a path through highs and lows.

Thanks to our vertical range of manufacture and associated know-how it is possible for us to perform production, verification, and validation of prototypes directly in house. Wie often push to the limits of the physically possible. A project manager deals with these challenges from development, through series transition, to market introduction. The position of a project leader or project manager fascinates me because of the multilayered essence and originality of every project.

For me, Anton Paar’s slogan, ʺGreat People – Great Instruments”, perfectly describes our development projects.