Planning Tool for Project Development

The objective of this paper is to show the role performed by planning in the development of a project within a very short period of time. The product to be developed was an articulated tractor to be offered for sale ten months after approval of the preliminary design. Since the company did not count with industrial background, the Manufacturing Division was created in order to face the planning of the project development, Engineering, Analysis of parts' costs, Quality engineering. The manufacture of all developed parts was subcontracted with local plants, previously selected and developed by said Division. Through the implementation of an adequate planning and a strict follow-up of all stages of the project, we succeeded in achieving the project, engineering, manufacture, assembly and tests of four prototypes. This allowed the development of the marketing of the product, which at the same time allowed the launching of serial manufacturing. The implemented planning was proved to be the key to success.