An improved step on evaluation of using a generic simulation package for processes to support SPR techniques as PERT and CPM

This paper represents an attempt to evaluate how a software tool to model and simulate process can support typical activities that any Project Manager commonly perform, and to enforce his work. In detail, It will be represented the whole work of programming activities, resources scheduling (man work especially), and their definition in team; moreover, we will see costs definition and planning, and the related control activity, and finally, periodical activities of progress control, and the following corrective actions. Structure, logics, any parameter and terminology in the model have been inspired to Network Programming Systems (NPS) like PERT, CPM, Man Scheduling, RAMPS, etc., of whom has been kept attitudes, conditioned just by specific most relevant needs in our contest and, stimulated, by opportunities offered by specific software simulating tool adoption. The case of project and process we referred to, is the activities flow deployed to reply to a commercial proposal and related price estimation for some equipment for tiles production in the ceramic field, and, under hypothesis of acceptance, the necessary following work flow to design, to produce and to supply and test at the customer plant. We adopted this hypothesis based on the big experience with this kind of equipment and of plants in this field, that made easier focus on the idea and on example we built, and to validate the hypothesis; on other hand, because in the case and contest we proposed, it should be more justified the burden to represent in a simulating model the entire flow of activities related to the project, in terms of time, cost, and effort, and should be easier replicate some part of the model structure, logics, and others, because of analogies that distinct project should present. Under these considerations, it’s possible obtain some structural repeatability, also if in light and apparent opposition with characteristics of uniqueness that each project has, under the most commons definitions about PM in literature. The use of a simulating “general purpose” SW should be achievable also to SME’s present in a so large amount in the Italian contest. Software tool is Arena of Rockwell.