The Manhattan Project Based on the Factors of Time, Cost and the Achievement of an Object - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages This research will begin with the statement that the success of a project is measured in relation to the three major constraints namely time, quality and cost which depend on each other. Adjustment of one element requires that you adjust the other two elements. Proper balancing of the three elements ensures successful scheduling, resourcing and implementation of the project. The quality of the project indicates the desired result objective of the project. The cost includes all the resources need for the accomplishment of the stated objective that may include capital, labor, materials, and risk management among other requirements. Time is the duration of the project which can be broken down to the time required to accomplish every task within the project. The Manhattan Project, like all other projects, was based on the factors of time, cost and the achievement of an object. The project was a military-funded research project responsible for the creation of an atomic bomb. Most of the phases were carried out within the United States thus the main stakeholder was the United States Government. Other stakeholders included the rest of the Allied nations with Canada and United Kingdom providing support to the program. The project started on a small scale but eventually grew to employee more than 130,000 people and the cost exceeding that of $2 billion, cost of which estimated in 2013 would have been $26 billion. At the time of the start of this project the world was engaged in a fierce war. The Allied nations were doing everything in their power to end the war as soon as possible with as little few casualties as possible. The activities of the project and their time limit have been given in the Gantt chart below. The project has three main stages. First stage was Uranium 235 enrichment through gaseous diffusion, electromagnetic separation and thermal diffusion until 1945 when efficiency was raised to12730 pounds. The second stage was plutonium enrichment which was to be used as substitute for uranium 235. 95% pure plutonium was produced in February 1945. The final stage of bomb designed using plutonium and uranium. The first bomb was tested in the year 1594. The project was later transferred to Atomic Energy Commission and in August 1947 Manhattan Engineer District was ended. The Manhattan project used the theory of production in the construction of the bomb. Three basic phases were used in its construction planning, execution and control. These phases are measured in relation to the factors of productions that include time, resources and the scope of the project. Planning phase included a number of technical activities that needed to be addressed before the start of the construction. The first issue was the enrichment of fissile materials Uranium and Plutonium. Second phase was the structure and design of the bomb while third phase was the testing of the atomic bomb. Evaluation of the project Over several decades the success of projects has been assessed by the Iron Triangle that consists of time, quality and cost. Project management involves use of resources, tools and techniques to achieve a specific assignment within the limits of cost, time and qualities. Project managers has a responsibility of managing, planning, coordinating various activities in a project as well as managing the changes that occur in the duration of the project. According to Atkinson, success of the project should also be measured in relation to benefits to all the stakeholders of the project as well as the final product and thus the success of a project should be measured at different stages of the project. Some projects have a positive impact at the initial stages but the set objectives are not achieved in due to time, quality and cost constraints. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More