從波音747學項目管理

{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"《未了的傳奇：波音747的故事》是一本波音747總工程師Joe Sutter（喬.薩特）的個人自傳。薩特出生於1921年3月21日，2016年8月30日在美國病逝，享年95歲。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"這本自傳寫於2005年，當時薩特已經84歲高齡。在美國航天作家傑伊.斯賓塞的協助一下，傳記可讀性極強，重點記述了20世紀60年底後期，薩特主導波音747飛機研發的故事，語言生動風趣，情節跌宕起伏。喬.薩特在講述故事的同時，輔以自己的評論思考，把他的價值觀完整的展現給了讀者。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"如今，項目已經成爲產品創新的一種有效組織形式。幾乎我們每個人，在工作中都會參加大大小小的不同項目。我讀這本自傳就有很強的代入感，當喬.薩特描寫項目進行中遇到各種困難的時候，我就會聯想到自己曾經參與的項目。當作者的價值觀和我相似時，就會有一種惺惺相惜的感覺，引發強烈的共鳴。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"下面我從項目管理的角度來跟大家分享一下，我閱讀本書的收穫。"}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"align":null,"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"1、機會總是垂青有準備的人。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"喬.薩特參與了波音707、727、737的3代噴氣式飛機的研發設計。從一開始只負責空氣動力學小組，到後來負責727項目的整個技術部門的工作。從這些項目實踐中薩特積累了豐富的技術和管理經驗。在737項目喬.薩特中開創性的提出了新的發動機位置設計方案，展示了較好的創新開拓能力。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"1965年夏天，44歲的薩特在休假時被臨時受命帶領團隊研發全新的747飛機，目標是研發比707容量更大、速度更快遠程飛機。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"當時波音公司的明星項目是美國政府資助的2707超音速飛機項目。薩特在回憶公司爲什麼選中自己來領導747項目時，這樣寫道："}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"比我資歷更老的工程師都被派去爲美國研究超音速飛機。在波音公司裏，幾乎人人都熱切期待加入波音2707項目。波音幾乎所有頂級的工程師都在這個項目裏面。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"對我來說，那是一個正確的地點，也是一個正確的時間，我一直認爲我是極爲幸運的。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"後來2707超音速項目因爲遇到難以克服的技術問題，而被迫取消，大量參與項目的人被裁員。波音公司也因爲這個失敗的項目，背上了沉重的財務危機。最後正是波音747的成功研發，挽救了波音公司。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"1968年9月30日波音公司舉行了規模宏大的747下線發佈儀式。從下面這段描寫，可以看出747項目所擔負的壓力。"}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"全球的新聞媒體都爭相報道這戲劇性的一幕。更爲重要的是，在報紙或電視上看到波音747下線這條消息的許多銀行家心頭一直懸着的石頭終於落了地，他們曾把錢借給波音公司生產一款還在紙上的飛機，今天他們終於看到這架從圖紙變成實物的飛機了。"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"事實上，這纔是我們讓這架尚未完工的飛機提前下線的目的所在。"},{"type":"text","text":"雖然這架大型噴氣式飛機看似已經做好了騰飛的準備，但事實上它只完成了78%。"}]}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"align":null,"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"2、項目啓動階段產品定義工作意義重大。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"劉易斯在《項目計劃、進度與控制》一書中，指出："}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"項目往往失敗於開始而不是結尾。要想讓我們的項目不是去解決表面的問題，我們就必須在項目定義階段花更多的時間。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"747的飛機研發最初的需求來自泛美航空，他們需要載客容量超過400人的越洋客機。要知道當時正在服役的兩款最大的飛機-波音707和道格拉斯的DC-8都只能搭載140名乘客。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"因此，泛美航空的這個需求太超前了。於是，747項目組同時調研了其他航空公司的需求。通過調研，得知大容量遠程飛機的需求普遍存在，這保證了產品上線後有足夠的市場容量。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"當時波音公司普遍認爲，747飛機只是在超聲速飛機研發成功之前的一個過渡方案。將來即使747被超音速飛機搶走客機市場，還可以把這款飛機用於貨運市場。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"因此，項目組在設計的時候同時兼顧了客機和貨機的需求。這個最開始的產品定位非常重要，在747飛機投入運營後，甚至有些航空公司提出了一架飛機一半運客，一半運人的需求，747也能很好的滿足。薩特在自傳中總結到："}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"這個“雙重任務”的項目目標對747飛機的定義工作起了深刻的影響，也是747飛機在此後大受歡迎並取得市場成功的主要原因。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"對於互聯網軟件產品，現在流行快速試錯，但即使這樣的產品，在最開始的時候，產品的目標和定位也必須考慮清楚，否則也只能越試越錯。"}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"align":null,"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"3、創新來自對問題本質的思考"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"薩特參與波音737項目，遇到一個棘手的問題，即發動機位置如何設計？之前通常用的兩種方案（吊掛在飛機尾部和吊掛在機翼下方）都不能滿足需求。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"最後開創性的提出了將發動機緊貼飛機機翼的方案。就這個創新工作，薩特在自傳中總結到："}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"我在737項目上學到的最有價值的東西就是，永遠不要拿一初始設計的佈局當作必然的方案。人性中的因素會使人自然而然就這麼去做，並會一直在現有的框架中走下去。但是，按這樣的思路並不能造出偉大的飛機。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"737項目是我學會退一步回到項目的原點，以細緻而簡單的視角去分析正在試圖解決的那些基本問題。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"你在前面下的功夫越多，你成功找到解決你所面對的挑戰並能滿足客戶需求的設計方案的可能性越高。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"波音747飛機，最初的需求是設計一款雙層客機，跟泛美航空的合同也是這麼籤的。但是在項目開始設計的時候，薩特發現雙層飛機的方案無論從安全性還是實際運營的便利性方面都存在很多問題。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"薩特憑藉自己的經驗和技術上的論證，最終拍板改變原先約定的雙層方案，採用單層寬體方案。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"儘管後面事實證明這個決定無比正確，但是在當時做這個決策薩特頂住了非常大壓力。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"波音公司的高層、泛美航空以及項目組大部分成員，都對這個決定都頗爲震驚。最後項目組通過模型，充分模擬展示了兩個方案的優劣，才取得泛美航空和波音公司高層的認可。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"薩特在自傳中總結到："}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"這件事與我將波音737那個畫在紙上的發動機剪下來並在機身上四處比畫一樣，講的是同一道理，就是最簡單且最快的方式的方式往往是最有效。"}]}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"align":null,"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"4、項目總是充滿政治，堅持做正確的事情，以不變應萬變。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"當波音取消超音速飛機項目，全力豪賭747項目，不知道有多少人士想踢開資歷相對較淺的薩特來主導這個項目。最後，薩特還是憑藉自己的能力和勇氣，加上最上層的支持，出色的完成了飛機研發任務。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"在項目開始，波音一位副總裁安排一個C-5項目的同事進入747項目組，名義說是給薩特當助手。但是這位老兄一到任就宣佈是那位高管讓他來接管項目，要求薩特充當他的助手。薩特不能理解這樣安排，但是抗議沒能阻止這位仁兄的腳步。剛上任不久，就讓薩特的手下重新開始雙層艙的設計方案。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"薩特只好找任命他的技術副總裁，告訴一切，並要求公司明確747項目技術負責人到底選誰？當然最後那位仁兄不久就拍拍屁股走人了，否則也沒有這本自傳了。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"在747項目試飛階段，暴露了嚴重的機翼設計問題，第一批零件已經生產出來了。如果要完全推翻重新設計的話，將會嚴重影響747投產時間以及大大增加成本。這件事情驚動了波音高層。領導層召集了一批專家來集中診斷。這個時候727、737項目經理傑克.斯泰納就想乘機介入747並取代薩特。情況很危急，但是薩特還矇在鼓裏。他在自傳中總結到："}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"一開始，我完全被矇在鼓裏。事實上，對於項目之外的政治鬥爭我可謂一無所知。我知道的不過是我有一份工作要做，它要求我按時完成項目進度、控制預算以及確保747分機能夠實現我們承諾的各種性能。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"也正是薩特具備過硬的技術能力和解決問題的決心，最終他帶領項目成員，以較低的成本很好的解決了這個機翼危急。他在自傳中回顧到："}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"回顧過去，我認爲自己處理這起危機的結果還是很圓滿的。我知道危機重重，當時我將精力完全集中在如何解決工程上存在的各種問題上，而完全不理會身邊的政治鬥爭。當時，有不少人一再企圖把我踢走，並在747飛機上採用其他的機翼設計方案。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"劉易斯在《項目計劃、進度與控制》一書中指出："}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"一名項目經理的核心工作就是處理政治。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"在747項目進行中，薩特還遇到的工廠選址、發動機選型、項目組裁員等政治問題，每次面對來自公司高層的壓力，他都堅持從事情本身出發，頂住壓力，凡事不利於747研發的不合理要求，一概拒絕。波音公司也多虧薩特這位不聽話的項目經理，才贏得了747項目的最終成功。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"薩特在處理政治中，一切爲項目着想、爲公司着想，堅持做對的事情，這一點我非常認同，也值得所有真正想做事的項目經理借鑑學習。"}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"align":null,"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"5、領導力就是生產力"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"關於領導力，薩特的一段描寫讓我讀了很受感動。核心思想是就是讓項目成員看到項目的真實情況，瞭解自己工作的真正意義。只有這樣才能激發每個項目組成員的創造力。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"一天晚上，已經很晚了，項目組艾爾.韋伯還在苦苦思索如何解決起落架的相關的問題。薩特看到艾爾.韋伯心情十分沮喪，並決定留下來跟艾爾交流一下，把747項目的整體情況給艾爾做了詳細的說明。他寫道"}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"在我成功的讓他覺得我描述的纔是真實的情況之後，他說他感覺好多了。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"最後薩特總結到："}]},{"type":"blockquote","content":[{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"在開車回家的路上，我開始思考這件事。我意識到在這個極度複雜又讓人勞心勞力的項目中，所有人距離自己所面對的問題是如此之近，很可能的情況是大家都只見樹木未見森林。我下決心要打破這樣的局面。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"從那時起，我便儘自己最大的努力，讓項目組的所有技術人員瞭解到我所能瞭解的關於項目本身的一切事情。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"我列席他們的會議，或是到他們工作的地方去即興召開一次小型會議，向他們介紹飛機的銷售情況，在技術方面遭遇的挑戰，以及大家對此的決議、公司內外發生的與項目有關的事件、我們預計未來可能發生的事情和其他所有看似與項目有關的事情。"}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"薩特在這本自傳中描述的747項目情況，還有很多經驗值得我們學習，比如有關溝通管理、文檔管理等。限於篇幅原因，我就以上五個方面分享一下我的讀後感，希望對你有所啓發。"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"indent":0,"number":0,"align":null,"origin":null}}]}