Huawei UK Telecom Project Management

Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. With 207,000 employees, Huawei operates in over 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Huawei is committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.

The development of Huawei in the United Kingdom dates back to 2001 when the company established an office in London, focusing on wireless network operations. With the continuous growth of the UK communication market and increasing government emphasis on communication technology, Huawei's business in the UK experienced rapid expansion.

Established in 2010, Huawei's UK Research and Development (R&D) Center is located in the city center of Cambridge. The choice of Cambridge was based on the city's abundance of technological talent, favorable policy environment, and innovative atmosphere. The primary responsibilities of Huawei's UK R&D Center include the development and research of wireless communication technology, with a focus on areas such as 5G technology, wireless sensor networks, and next-generation communication protocols. Additionally, the center collaborates with other research institutions in Europe, providing leading open research platforms.

Huawei's UK R&D Center has achieved notable milestones in wireless communication technology. For example, in 2018, the center successfully conducted the world's first 5G wireless sensor network experiment, also developed a new wireless communication protocol called Fleetcom, designed to offer more efficient communication and data transfer for various Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

On June 25, 2020, the UK government formally approved Huawei's request to establish an optoelectronics business park in Cambridge. The initial phase of the project focuses on the research and development as well as manufacturing of optical devices and modules. By integrating research and manufacturing functions, the goal is to accelerate product development and commercialization processes, efficiently bringing products to market.

Jack Song is the Leader of the Technology Development Team for Huawei's UK Communication Business. In 2023, ZenTao officially embarked on a collaborative journey with Jack's R&D team. Currently, his team, consisting of over 50 members, utilizes ZenTao as their project management tool. As a manager in the field of communication engineering projects, Jack believes that choosing a suitable project management software is crucial：

"We spent two years evaluating over 30 different types of project management tools available in the market. After multiple trials, ZenTao project management software stood out for its flexibility and practicality."

Jack shared:

"Over the past 5 years, influenced by various factors such as regional culture, values, and working methods, over 90% of our projects have experienced scope changes. These changes have resulted in alterations to project schedules and costs, leading to severe project delays, often extending 3-5 times beyond the planned duration, and cost overruns of 2-4 times. Ultimately, this has led to decreased customer satisfaction, an increase in complaints, and subsequently impacted the company's reputation, undermining its ability to secure new projects and diminishing overall profitability."

"After trying various versions of ZenTao, we ultimately chose ZenTao Max. In our day-to-day operations, we primarily utilize the Agile development model (Scrum) and the Kanban model. Through visualized processes, we can intuitively measure production cycles and optimize project workflows."

By deploying ZenTao Max, Jack's team has complete support the whole process of agile development and enhanced the project requirements matrix.

1. Full Lifecycle Project Management Solution

ZenTao provides a comprehensive software full lifecycle project management solution designed based on Agile and CMMI management principles, covering the core processes of project management. ZenTao integrates product management, project management, quality management, document management, organization management, and transaction management, offering a complete lifecycle solution for software from planning to release. ZenTao revolves around core management concepts such as requirements, tasks, defects, and use cases, incorporating frameworks for programs, products, projects, and executions. It supports three management models: Scrum, Waterfall, and Kanban.

2. Customizable Project Templates

As a management tool, ZenTao features robust workflow, allowing customization of fields, actions, interfaces, and data information within built-in processes. Users can extend and rewrite ZenTao's built-in processes and create personalized workflows that align with actual usage needs.

Jack states："We can customize ZenTao project templates based on the characteristics and requirements of different projects. Whether it's a small or large project, whether it's base station construction or network optimization, users can flexibly customize templates according to actual conditions, improving project management efficiency and accuracy."

3. Visual Progress Control

During the specific implementation of projects, Jack's team can promptly identify potential risks, such as schedule delays, cost overruns, and implicit safety issues, through visual progress. They create effective risk prevention and control mechanisms. Additionally, real-time visual analysis of construction quality and project costs allows for regular monitoring and analysis of project progress and benefits. Jack's team can adjust and optimize project plans promptly, enhancing overall project efficiency.

Jack says, "For management, through the visualization of project management processes and results, the entire project's progress and outcomes can be easily understood, enabling management to better grasp the project's status. By using visual boards, we can understand each iteration's execution details, reducing unnecessary meeting time."

4. Clear Assignment of Responsibilities

ZenTao covers multiple roles, breaking down work barriers between functions. Project data can flow seamlessly throughout the entire process, ensuring data validity and enhancing team collaboration efficiency. Through ZenTao project management tool, Jack has devised an Agile management plan, established a comprehensive supervisory system, implemented hierarchical management and mutual supervision. Different roles such as Leader/PMO, Product Owner, Scrum Master, Dev Team, and Tester clarify the division of responsibilities, ensuring the overall progress and quality of the project.

The introduction of the ZenTao project management tool has provided robust support for Huawei's UK Telecommunication Business R&D team, enhancing project management with increased flexibility and visualization. Through a thorough application of ZenTao's functionalities, the team has successfully overcome various challenges in project management, improving both the execution efficiency and management standards of engineering projects. This has laid a solid foundation for the company's long-term development.