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Can you assist with the below?

In the 1990s the worldwide commercial aircraft industry was undergoing significant changes. The demand for large jumbo jets like the Boeing 747 was receding and the airline industry was asking the airplane manufacturers for smaller jets that were more efficient and could fly longer routes without refueling. The airline industry also wanted the new jets quickly and wanted them in service in record time. Boeings answer to these challenges was the Boeing 777.

At the outset, the 777 project was designed with two objectives in mind. First, to produce the most reliable and efficient two-engine aircraft ever made. Second, to design and build the airplane quickly and efficiently. To achieve these simultaneous objectives. Boeing knew that it had to set aside its traditional design process. There simply was not enough time for the design of the plane to move through each functional area in the firm in a sequential manner. Instead, Boing designed the 777 largely by using virtual teams. Virtual teams are groups of geographically and/or organizationally dispersed coworkers who use information technology (such as the Internet), intranet videoconferencing, and other products to communicate and work with one another. The advantage of virtual teams is that they are flexible, and employees can work with each other, regardless of physical location, time zone, or organizational affiliation. Virtual teams are also fairly cost efficient, because teammates do not meet face to face and can avoid the downtime associated with traditional meetings and travel.

In the spirit of this concept, to design the 777 Boeing created 238 virtual design teams to work on separate components of the airplane simultaneously. The design teams consisted of Boeing employees and, in some cases, customers and suppliers. To facilitate this process, Boeing created sophisticated and robust computer network. As a result of the computers power available, the teams were able to produce paperless prototypes of the components of the airplane, permitting the engineers to the assembly of the 777 on computer, rather than building actual mockup (to check critical wiring)was built before assembly of the first plane. The design teams used a network of 1700 individual computer systems, which had link to Japan, Boeing facilities in Philadelphia Witchita, and Seattle, and other Boeing and non-Boeing locations. The teams were not limited to Managers and engineers. Boeing included a wide array of people in the design process, from customers and operators, down to line mechanics. To facilitate the teamwork aspect of the process, Boeing also greatly reduced the secrecy of the design of the 777. Within reasonable limits, the teams were able to share information with each other and work toward the common goal of designing a high quality airplane in an expedient and cost efficient manner.

In the end, the 777 project was highly successful. The aircraft was developed in just more than two years, which is a record in the commercial aircraft industry. The Boeing 777 teams also achieved impressive results in terms of quality and efficiency. In comparison to the design of the other Boeing aircraft, the 777 teams reduced changes in design, errors and rework by 50%. The 777 family of planes fly up to 550 passengers for a range that exceeds the range of the Boeing 747. In addition to its favorable passengers capacity and fuel efficiency attributes, the 777 also was designed with pilot and group crew efficiencies in mind.

As tribute to the members of the 238 virtual teams that designed the 777, Boeing named the first 777; Boeing named the first 777 placed in service working together, a name that appeared prominently on the fuselage of the plane. The high-profile nature of the 777 project also attracted the attention of the other companies benchmarking against Boeings virtual teams concept. For example on high-profile project emulating the design process of the 777 is the international space station.

The use of virtual teams is an exciting development for increasing the quality, speed and efficiency of the design of the products and services. For Boeing the result was not simply the acquisition of a new plane, it was the acquisition of a new way of building planes- a new way of building planes that Boeing is confident will become the industry standard.

Questions

1. In your opinion, did the use of virtual teams play a key role in the successful development of the Boeing 777? Explain answer.

2. Why do you believe that virtual teams speed up the product design process?

3. Other than the design of an airplane, what other types of design project might benefit from using virtual team concept? Why?