Project Work Plan

Objective: finalize the group consensus around a specific project idea and develop a detailed plan of action.

Deliverable: a blog post with the final project idea and project planning outlines, sketches, schedule, and budget as described below.

Work Plan Scope

The work plan is the second design document and should both reflect the project group consensus and detail a plan of action. Details will change as the work unfolds, but it must represent a full and feasible plan for producing a successful piece to show.

Please include at least the following main elements:

  1. A clear and concise statement of the overall concept.
    • A candidate title for the work.
    • An artistic motivation for the piece.
    • A narrative description of what the viewer or participant might experience.
    • A brief justification how the project relates to the course themes.
    • A description of the physical resources required: props, materials, mechanisms, electronics, computation.
  2. Revised sketches showing the complete system from multiple views.
  3. A critical path analysis: the multiple parts of the project are dependent; some decisions must be made sooner than others. The critical path is the longest path through the sequence of decisions and represents the rate-limiting development pathway.
  4. A schedule of specific milestones. Please note the Fall 2018 Calendar specifies some deadlines.
  5. A draft bill of materials (partial, but including all anticipated fabricated or purchased parts).
  6. A draft budget.

Milestones

The schedule should include candidate dates for the following general milestones:

  1. Detailed CAD drawings for part fabrication.
  2. Behavioral or animation design.
  3. Software architectural design.
  4. Purchasing orders.
  5. Proof-of-concept demonstration.
  6. Prototype.
  7. Behavior demonstration.
  8. Artifact.

Please identify specific objectives for the following milestones:

proof-of-concept demonstration:
 The smallest possible demo which supports that the concept will work both artistically and technically. Most projects usually start with one or more unanswered questions, and this demo is the chance to test the most critical of these. This should be a functioning device which enacts an essential piece of the idea.
prototype:The first prototype should realize the concept, albeit imperfectly. Your group should focus on the critical path and may choose specific implementation details to neglect. This is a physically functioning prototype showing important mechanical function.
behavior demonstration:
 This is the first draft of a fully animate system showing all the interactions or behaviors for critical evaluation.
artifact:The second physical iteration will likely be a revision of the first to account for unexpected outcomes. All elements should be resolved. In this piece, the form and behavior should be completely integrated to convey the idea. This is a final system ready for dress rehearsal or final performance adjustment.

Bill of Materials

A Bill of Materials (BOM). is an itemization of all parts, whether borrowed, purchased, or fabricated, at the best possible level of detail. For fabricated parts, this should include the material, and a working name used to identify the part on drawings and in discussion. If possible, please include specific part numbers for purchased parts wherever known. Please be sure to include electronics and sensor parts. This is usually best delivered as a spreadsheet.

Partial example:

Quantity Part Name Part Number Description
8 Finger Phalanx   custom 3D printed plastic finger ‘bone’
2 Thumb Phalanx   custom 3D printed plastic finger ‘bone’
1 Carpal Structure   custom 3D printed plastic ‘wrist’
2 Forearm Plate   custom laser-cut 6mm plywood lower arm ‘half’
2 Forearm Cross Brace   custom laser-cut 6mm plywood cross structure
2 Humeral Plate   custom laser-cut 6mm plywood upper arm ‘half’
2 Humeral Cross Brace   custom laser-cut 6mm plywood cross structure
2 Scapular Plate   custom laser-cut 6mm plywood shoulder ‘half’
2 Scapular Cross Brace   custom laser-cut 6mm plywood cross structure
... ...    
10 Finger Shafts McM 91585A909 1 mm x 12mm stainless steel dowel pin
6 Arm Joint Bearings    
3 Arm Joint Shafts    
6 Arm Shaft Clamps    
6 Arm Shaft Washers    
3 Pneumatic Linkage Pin   1/4” by 0.5” steel shoulder screw
1 Finger Pneumatic Cylinder   0.5” x 4” double-ended pneumatic cylinder
1 Thumb Pneumatic Cylinder   0.5” x 4” double-ended pneumatic cylinder
1 Elbow Pneumatic Cylinder Clippard UDR-17-6 1.063” x 6” double-ended pneumatic cylinder
1 Shoulder Pneumatic Cylinder Clippard UDR-17-6 1.063” x 6” double-ended pneumatic cylinder
... ...    
1 Arduino Uno    
1 Wrist Load Cell   10 lb single-axis load cell
1 Load Cell Amplifier    
1 8-channel Valve Stack   pneumatic valves to drive four double-ended actuators

Please note that including prices and part numbers wherever known will ease converting this into a purchasing order.

Budget

The budget should reflect an itemization by category of all spending. This need not replicate the level of detail of the BOM if reasonable estimates can be made, although specific high-value items should have their own line.

Partial Example:

Amount Category/Description
$100 finger and thumb pneumatic cylinders
$300 3D printing services for finger and wrist
$50 plywood for laser-cutting
$50 ball bearings
$50 small parts (shafting, washers, clamps)
$50 two-part silicone rubber

If you exceed the amount promised from the course budget, please explain how the group will negotiate out-of-pocket spending.