Engineering Contribution in Project Failure - Case Study Example

To underscore the thesis statement, the research will attempt to review the case from project management as an aspect inherent among contemporary engineers. As noted above, this research tries to find case studies on the design and progress of projects in view of finding contributions engineers make towards such projects. To underscore this statement, cases of projects such as Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) of NASA will be significant when comparing its cause for failure vis-à-vis projects such as QantasLink flight QF1466 whose failure was minimized as a result of engineering contributions.

Comparative research by the National Academy of Engineering (2005) brings the aspect of project management as a tool that engineers can use to mitigate and or minimize project failures. Their study on 18 projects created by engineers indicated that integration of project management skills and engineering skills is the best approach to minimizing project failures especially those that suffer from overload. This study finds that projects that fail do so due to engineering errors, usage problems and to some extent, lack of engineering experience and skills.

Integrating these findings with the Learning from Failure in System Engineering panel held in Huntsville, AL on November 8, 2010, often, engineers can in part or significantly, contribute towards minimization of project failures and the magnitude is even larger when engineering code of conducts are respected alongside project management ethics (American Society of Civil Engineers, 2007).The above argument helps give this research an objective consistent with the identified thesis. This is to enrich existing knowledge and understanding about project failures how to further show that against researches such as that of the National Academy of Engineering (2005), project management skills are relevant for engineers working on projects.

Conversely, it has the objective of showing contributions made by engineers towards ensuring projects are minimized from failing.

Different approaches have been developed to help estimate projects reliability and if there is relationship between such reliabilities and project management and their failures. In response, Royal Australian Institute of Architects (2008) admit disconnect between projects reliability and engineering factors that make such project sustain risks of failures. On the other hand, Flight Safety Foundation (2004) admits that reliability is a factor created by engineers who contribute towards minimizing project failures.

It is on this basis that this research finds its core aim. This is to consider different contingency theory frameworks so as to enhance the understanding or for a retrospective look at the failed and non-failed projects and more significantly, prospective approaches made by engineers in both cases so as to find whether there were contributions made by engineers in cases of failure and if any, project management approaches was a factor for consideration. Important aspect to note with the proposal is that there seem to have been limited literature regarding the topic and this regard, with qualitative surveys, the theories and approaches such as Deming Cycle, Weibull Plot and exponential distribution regarding successful and failed projects will be analysed so as to establish significant difference with regard to some literal arguments that at least 89% percent of projects have been failing not because of engineering faults but managerial (Royal Australian Institute of Architects 2008; The University of Melbourne, 2008; Gale, 2007).

Still on contingency theory, investigation on project failures and contributions engineers have been making to minimize such failures, this research notes that the area under study has been evolving thus offering more insight on the project management in addition to providing an opportunity for this proposal to re-examine the aspect of project failures, fit between project characteristics and contributions of engineering in minimizing failures. To understand the aspect of contingency theory vis-à-vis project failures, project management on successful projects and efforts made by engineers, this proposal will adopt five key frameworks; Weibull Plot to ascertain project failures, Deming Cycle, exponential distribution, Dvir and Shenhar’s NTCP diamond framework, Clark and Henderson categorization of change and innovation and Lock De Meyer’s strategies for managing uncertainty regarding projects.

To understand the tenets of the matter, the paper also explores the aspects of failure, success engineering regulations on projects and complexity of projects vis-à-vis engineering project management techniques. It approaches this area by drawing on in depth research of different major projects and how efforts from engineers changed the course of their performance. In doing so, it seeks to establish a framework for considering what successful projects are and engineering implications. Furthermore, it gives suggestions on the implications for contemporary analysis of engineering project’s specific features of uncertainty and risk.

Such research will bring the establishment of new and different perceptions on project success and failure beyond the traditional assumptions that that has been inherent among engineers and further re-define or refine the practical frameworks used by engineers when developing projects. The results of this research will enable engineers and future projects to be established and rely on heuristics and thus lead to a new application of project design and management strategies that aim to apply project management techniques towards contributing towards project failure minimisation.

CHAPTER ONE 1.0. Introduction 1.1. Background of the study Arguments have been strife on whether project management skills are necessary for engineers in minimizing project failures. It is for this reason that scholars such as Hofmann and Lehner (2001) put engineering at the center stage when projects malfunctions or fail to perform as per expectations.