Resources required

The life cycle is first defined and the complete resource requirements (materials and energy) quantified. This allows the total environmental emissions associated with the life cycle to be quantified by putting together the individual parts. This defines the life-cycle inventory. 

Unfortunately, the resources required for these numerically exact methods grow exponentially with the number of degrees of freedom in the system of interest. Without the use of clever algorithms to optimize the basis set used [106,107], this limits the range of systems treatable to 4-6 degrees of freedom (3-4 atoms). For larger systems, the MCTDH method [19,20,108] provides a... 

In an ambitious study, the AIMS method was used to calculate the absorption and resonance Raman spectra of ethylene [221]. In this, sets starting with 10 functions were calculated. To cope with the huge resources required for these calculations the code was parallelized. The spectra, obtained from the autocorrelation function, compare well with the experimental ones. It was also found that the non-adiabatic processes described above do not influence the spectra, as their profiles are formed in the time before the packet reaches the intersection, that is, the observed dynamic is dominated by the torsional motion. Calculations using the Condon approximation were also compared to calculations implicitly including the transition dipole, and little difference was seen. 

Many computational chemistry techniques are extremely computer-intensive. Depending on the type of calculation desired, it could take anywhere from seconds to weeks to do a single calculation. There are many calculations, such as ah initio analysis of biomolecules, that cannot be done on the largest computers in existence. Likewise, calculations can take very large amounts of computer memory and hard disk space. In order to complete work in a reasonable amount of time, it is necessary to understand what factors contribute to the computer resource requirements. Ideally, the user should be able to predict in advance how much computing power will be needed. 

The primary problem with explicit solvent calculations is the significant amount of computer resources necessary. This may also require a significant amount of work for the researcher. One solution to this problem is to model the molecule of interest with quantum mechanics and the solvent with molecular mechanics as described in the previous chapter. Other ways to make the computational resource requirements tractable are to derive an analytic equation for the property of interest, use a group additivity method, or model the solvent as a continuum. 

Methods for obtaining electronic excited-state energies could be classified by their accuracy, ease of use, and computational resource requirements. Such a list, in order of preferred method, would be as follows ... 

Size-consistency and size-extensivity are issues that should be considered at the outset of any study involving multiple molecules or dissociated fragments. As always, the choice of a computational method is dependent on the accuracy desired and computational resource requirements. Correction formulas are so simple to use that several of them can readily be tried to see which does best for... 

Planning. Through planning, technology managers estabUsh objectives, develop the rationale for these objectives, and estimate the resources required over time to succeed at the strategic business, R D organizational, and project levels. 

This section describes how both hypothetical and real accidents are analyzed. These methods varying greatly in complexity and resource requirements, and multiple methods may be used in an analysis. A simple method is used for screening and prioritization followed by a more complex method for significant accident scenarios. Some methods give qualitative results more complex methods give quantitative results in the form of estimated frequencies of accident scenarios. The process systems in Figures 3.3.1-1 and 3.3.1-2 are used in the examples. 

The standard requires that the supplier identify resource requirements for management, performance of work, and verification activities and provide adequate resources. 

There are two types of resource requirements those needed to run the business and those needed to execute particular contracts or sales. The standard is not specific, but a glance at ISO 9004-1 will reveal that it is more than those needed for a particular contract and less than needed to run the business. ISO 9004-1 limits the resources to those needed to implement the quality policy and meet quality objectives. It will be very difficult for companies to distinguish between those resources which serve quality and those which serve other objectives. There may be some departments that can be eliminated, such as the legal, insurance, catering, medical, or publicity departments, but in a company-wide quality culture all departments etc. will be included. 

The way many companies identify resource requirements is to solicit resource budgets from each department covering a 1 to 5 year period. However, before the managers can prepare budgets they need to know what requirements they will have to meet. They will need access to the corporate plans, sales forecasts, new product development plans, marketing plans, production plans, etc. as well as the quality policies, objectives, and procedures. 

On resources The manpower, material, facilities, and plant needed to execute a particular contract shall be established, documented, and agreed with senior management prior to submission of any tender, bid, or offer. The estimate shall include the resources to manage and carry out the work required and in addition the resources required to verify that work has been completed in accordance with the contractual requirements. ... 

Keep the resources required to implement the policies and procedures compatible with the actual resources available. 

Determine the resources required to design, develop, introduce, and evaluate the quality system. 

The purpose of the requirements is to ensure that you have established the requirements you are obliged to meet before you commence work. This is one of the most important requirements of the standard. The majority of problems downstream can be traced either to a misunderstanding of customer requirements or insufficient attention being paid to the resources required to meet customer requirements. Get these two things right and you are halfway there to satisfying your customer needs and expectations. 

Service specifications should provide a clear description of the manner in which the service is to be delivered, the criteria for its acceptability, the resources required, including the numbers and skills of the personnel required, the numbers and types of facilities and equipment necessary, and the interfaces with other services and suppliers. 

Provide broad schedule parameters Suggest categories of resource requirements... 

The third area in which top-level support is needed is assuring that the PSM initiative receives the resources required for success. It is only realistic to expect that PSM implementation will require a significant level of funding— either direct or indirect. 

There is no single formula for estimating resource requirements, which are a function of two variables whaf s planned (PSM goals) and whaTs already... 

Develop a detailed plan, including resource requirements and timetable How can we meet our goals ... 

The kinds of resources needed are fairly straightforward. The primary resource requirement for most PSM implementation efforts will be staff-time, both professional and clerical/secretarial. It is also reasonable to expect to incur travel expenses at intervals throughout the process, especially for companies with multiple facilities. Support resources, such as telephone, computer time, facsimile, photocopying, and document production, will almost certainly be required in any initiative. 

More Important, compare the broad themes and projections you presented then with the perspective you have gained. Pay particular attention to major shifts in key areas such as goals and resource requirements. If these have changed dramatically based on your findings, it may be wise to bring them to management s attention sooner rather than later, in case fundamental expectations need revision. 

It may be useful to consider the program plan, at this stage of its development. as your company s ideal," within the limitations you have established for its scope. By first identifying what is needed, independent of the constraints of time or resources, you emphasize the tasks themselves as the substance of the plan—the core that drives decisions about resource allocations, rather than the other way around. (For example, see Figure 5-7) The result may prompt your team to think more creatively about schedule and resource requirements, as discussed in the following sections. 

Any schedule you develop should reflect both the tasks you have defined and the resources available for accomplishing them. In addition, the implementation schedule in some cases may depend on a predetermined end date. For this reason, schedule and resource requirement tasks should be seen as interdependent it s realistic to expect that you may need more than one iteration before both are firmly established. 

As discussed in Chapter 2, most of the basic resources you will need are fairiy self-evident time of staff will almost certainly be the latgest single cost. Support expenses and travel also require funding. In addition, in the course of yourwork to date you may have identified specific resource requirements, such as computer software for hazard analysis or project management, or consulting services that fill in specific gaps in the knowledge base. 

As a final task in estimating resource requirements, ask the team to play devil s advocate. Given the range of experience the team represents, they should be able to poke holes in even the most precise, well-considered estimates. This will help you identify areas in which your numbers maybe soft and flag those in which you may have been overly ambitious in terms of time requirements. 

Once you have developed the program plan and schedule, and estimated resource requirements, you should organize this information in a manageable form for presentation to your PSM sponsor. If you have kept management informed about your progress you should have a clear idea of what is expected in terms of form, content, and level of detail. A sample table of contents for a project plan appears as Figure 5-12, and Figures 5-13 and 5.14 provide additional detail on selected portions of the plan. 

Reconcile the resource requirements. The model program will involve some time requirements and may also call for some materials or information. Determine how the time will be made available, and where the materials and information will come from, before trying to use the model program. 

Enable management to accurately re-estimate resource requirements. A pilot test helps take a great deal of the guesswotk out of forecasting timetables, staffing needs, and costs for full PSM implementation. 

Resource requirements. Maintain careful records of staff time and other costs involved in using the system for comparison with resource requirements projections. If certain aspects of the pilot test require more time than you had anticipated, does this suggest that the system can be further streamlined If less time is needed, does this mean the system isn t getting proper attention ... 

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