Managing Difficult Projects - Case Study Example

Project Management: Table of content: Introduction…………………………….……………………………… Thesis ment…………………………….…………………………. Executive Summary:……………………………………………………. Objectives…………………………….………………………………… Given Scenario…………………………….……………………………. Keywords…………………………….…………………………………. Practical project undertaken: …………………………….……………… Broad line dissection of the project: …………………………….……… Defining Stage …………………………….……………………………. Practical Example Planning Stage…………………………….……………………………. Practical Example Executing Stage…………………………….……………………………. Practical Example Completion Stage…………………………….…………………………… Practical Example Conclusion…………………………….………………………………….. Practical Example References…………………………….…………………………………. Introduction: A project is a collection of steps and activities that are undertaken for a particular task and objective. Under this process the roles and responsibilities are assigned. The individuals’ performance criterion is determined. The span of control is determined, following by the objectives, the path to be followed is determined. All these steps make a project a comprehensive process and for this purpose a project must be performed in the due consideration and regard of the basic steps. Regardless of the nature of any project, a project in generic terms entails certain steps. These steps are common in all kinds of project, whether it be a business project, service activity, construction process or any educational purpose. This includes the basic steps, and other basic prerequisites of the project and its entire life cycle. The project as a whole is divided into broader segments such as initiation phase, development phase, followed by the completion phase. These are few of the basic steps and detailed study will be provided further in the paper. Executive Summary: A project is an endeavor undertaken towards betterment of an organization or department. It has fixed life line, quality factors, key performance indicators, roles assignment, hierarchy determination, time frame and schedule. The step wise dissection was elaborated through the definition of each phase along with the graphs, tables and charts. For the banking sector where this project was performed, the need was felt for revamping the overall structure and making the overall interaction more effective and lively towards the clients as well as workers. The standardized format of project handling was adopted with clearly defined goals, definition of standard operating procedures, parameters determination and the potential benefits that were to be gained from the project initiated. The project also gave an insight into the potential loopholes in the organization and the areas where improvements can be made. Thesis Statement: Project makes up for integral part of any organizational functioning and span of control. It largely subjects the organizations’ success or failure in the light of its assessment and performance in short term and long term. Objectives: The paper looks into the overall nature of a project. This is done so through the practical demonstration of a project that was being performed practically. The paper would also provide details of the objectives, the prerequisites, the constraints and other factors that come along a project. Given Scenario: The financial organization in the form of government bank has had a three decades old setup which had made the entire proceedings slower. The organization gave an obsolete outlook in its existence. In order to brace itself to the conditions and present day circumstances, the organization was in need of a overall revamp and digitization. For this purpose the information technology enabled network was ordered which would make things better and easy to handle. Key words: Objectives, project phases, goals achievement, supporting functions, Information technology, digitization, feedback. Practical project undertaken: The project that was performed practically was related to the digital equipment providing to the financial organization in the city. This included the establishment of network enactment. Basically the project was an Information Technology related project and had to be devised in the line of practical project performance which would enable successful implementation and execution of the project as whole. Broad line dissection of a project: The following steps make up for a standardized project that is being undertaken. Defining Planning Executing Delivering Source: Sage. The project so undertaken in form of the digitization of the incumbent organization took into regard these broad line divisions and execution was performed in the same manner. Further dissection into the each step entailed the following steps: Defining -- Goals -- Specifications --Tasks -- Responsibilities Planning -- Scheduling -- Budget -- Resources -- Risks -- Staffing Executing --Status reports -- Changes -- quality -- Forecasts Delivering --Train customer -- Transfer documents -- release Resources --Release Staff – Lessons Learned (Westland, 2007) Defining phase: The initial phase relevant to the Information Technology system establishment pertained to defining what was to be created. Knowing what is to be done makes the further task relatively easier. Besides this, it enables knowing the right kind of step that must be taken. It enables knowing what to do, how to do and when to do. The defining phase also enables knowing the real purpose of the project. In this stage the initial plan is being discussed, and considered. At this level multiple options are also under slated and not all may make it to the practical stage, but are brought forward for the purpose of creating multiple options and alternatives. Goal setting: Project Case scenario: With the entire world going digital and the large number of benefits being availed from these digital devices, the digitization of the working environment would not only speed up the processes, but also make the processes more reliable and user friendly with more customer oriented tasks and better outputs from the organizational goals. Project Components: In the case of Information system establishment, the responsibilities so assigned were as following: Hardware department division Software skills expertise Wiring and installation unit personnel Monitoring unit Administrative members Expertise providing personnel Supply chain and transportation unit Specifications: The specifications pertain to the kind of the tools, and devices that are to be used and installed. The usage and consideration of specification becomes more important in the case of Information technology related projects since large number of digital devices are available against each set of item and choosing the right kind of item is very important for the overall project. the specifications consideration is made with regard to the budget, the overall expenses, the technological drive and consideration, the users compatibility and support system which includes the user friendly need towards the operating staff and other members. For the purpose of understanding the right kind of specification, a team of experts must be hired and assigned the task of determining the elements that would be most suited to the project and overall activity. This is one of the most important steps of the overall process and slight negligence in this phase can result in severe problems in longer run. These problems may show up in form of non compatibility or increased expenses in future or possibly the issues of obsolete items usage in shorter run with technology already moving at a high pace. Tasks: The next step that makes up for the important part of the defining phase is the task determination. The task determination is perhaps the most critical step that helps defining the future prospect. The task defining pertains to assigning the right kind of man to the right kind of job. It is the knowledge and ability of decision making with regard to the usage of skills towards appointment of the deserving individual. The Human Resource Management department comes into action in this stage and they through their actions make use of the skills. Schedule Template: Tasks assigned in the banking project: In the case of this particular project, the task assignment was based on the previous skills, the knowledge possessed. Other broad line divisions in this context were the division of tasks and individuals into skilled members, the staff unit, the technical staff, the managerial staff, the financing staff, and the top leadership who would make the decisions that are best suited to the organizational objectives and long term success. Budget of the Banking digitization project: In the case of the project performed, the budget was allocated against the following areas: Budget for number of computers/ laptops to be purchased. The total number of laptops and other personal devices was 35. The number of routers to be installed. A total of 15 routers were ordered. The total number of fax machines to be purchased. Total of 4 items were purchased. Printers: a total of 10 printers were being ordered. Video conferencing devices: Projectors were being purchased. With total of five items in number. Apart from this other funds being allocated were for the purpose of maintenance and other devices purchases which were covered in the category of miscellaneous. Responsibilities: Once the right kind of personnel is being assigned, this will be followed by the distribution of the responsibilities. Responsibilities include short term to medium and long term goals accomplishment. The scope of task assignment is nearly the same as that of responsibilities assignment. Assigning each individual the sufficient amount of work load is an important consideration in this domain and area. Making sure that the individual person is not over loaded nor is he being let loose makes up for the critical decision in this regard. These were few of the broad line divisions and distributions of the responsibilities being assigned during the project. These steps made up for the first phase of project in the form of defining of the project. The second phase planning: Planning pertains to original ideas execution. The planning process is an intermediate between numbers of steps that are to be taken formally. While the defining phase is the table work, the planning process is more or less the physical implementation. The project’s success is largely subject to the proper planning. It is always being said that failing to plan is planning to fail (Jonson, 2002, p.76). Without this the entire activity and entire project falls into disarray In the case of the project of digitization that was undertaken, the task so performed included planning the resources, planning the work load, planning the activities, planning the schedule against each activity, planning the funds allocation, planning the skills and tasks that are required and planning the unforeseen and backup plans. This enabled for accomplishing the objectives in a timely manner. The secret of any organization and any project being undertaken is largely subject to this part and proper planning. Planning is an invisible force that keeps the project units and sub components intact and without it the project looses the shape of being a collective entity and compounded structure. The sub components within the Planning process: Scheduling: The top most care and consideration that must be taken into account is that of schedule. Schedule is an important factor that must be taken into regard with any project under taken. The schedule enables determining the goal accomplishment on weekly basis, monthly and long term basis. Schedule enables giving the other stakeholders a clear view and picture of the project. Schedule in other terms is a means towards defining the process of achievements being made and the possible lag that may have incurred and the possible means by which that particular lag can be overcome. In the context of the digital project, the schedule pertained to the bi monthly reports and the tasks to be performed on each department within the organization. Scheduling gives the managers and the budget allocators an assessment and clear view of what can be achieved and also against the possible obstacles that may be present in the system which are obstructing the pace of overall process (Vanhoucke, 2012, 2). Budget: Budget is an integral part of any project undertaken. It relates to the capital to be invested in the entire project, the amount of payments to be made to the personnel involved, the expenses that would be incurred in the material purchase and various other factors( Costin, p.200). Risks curtailing: The planning process includes identifying the areas with potential amount of risks involved in them. This may pertain to the risks in terms of the employees’ low yield and low productivity, or it may also be in the form of lack of support from the finance department. The other risks that may be taken into account for include the factor of mitigating any mishap or loss of items. Facing the challenge and problems that may be of the origin of political instability or the social issues that the international organizations are faced with. All these factors must be taken into account while undertaking a project. Risk curtailing is akin to minimizing of the risk. Staffing: Staffing is a generic management function and thereby it finds in any kind of project (Pandey, 2006, p. 8). This again is subject to the functioning and processes of the Human resource management department. Staffing means appointment of the right kind of personnel for the right kind of job and in the right frame and right time. Staffing also includes dealing with the labor unions and other organized unions. These considerations (of labor union) are taken into account in the case of multinational and broader organizations that operate on large scale. Execution: Once these two steps are performed, the formal step of practical performance is being undertaken at this point. This point includes the practical demonstration. All the work that has been undertaken in the first two phases of defining and planning is practically incorporated into the physical form. Execution stage involves working on the steps and instructions that have been tabled previously. In the case of the project that was undertaken, the execution phase included the practical installing of the devices, upgrading of the computer devices, installing of the new softwares, installing the projectors and providing the staff with the training and skills that would be termed necessary with the introduction of new technology. In the execution phase the status report pertains to giving out the clear instructions and ground reality against a given set of action. The status report provides a map wise and graphical representation of the percentage of objectives being achieved and those areas where the progress is relatively low. Status report also highlights the areas where the performance needs to be brushed up. Quality is an important factor towards any project, service or product. Ensuring that the quality is being maintained in the project is the top priority for a professional activity being undertaken. Quality is anything that is made in the consideration of the professional, standardized patterns and in views and demands of the clients. In terms of the information network establishment, quality pertained to making sure that the devices being installed provides for long lasting features; they do not demand revamping and upgrading every other week and every other month. They do not demand for repair of the items. Other factors and means by which the element of quality can be defined is that of compatibility and the cost factor. The quality does not have to strictly come in with the most expensive item and product. Forecasts: Forecasts are the process of making calculated assessments in a scientific and realistic way. Forecasts enable predicting the future outcome along the line of the investments made, the progress made and the lag that may have incurred as a result of the negative performance indices. The forecasts in a project are usually performed on short term basis, midterm basis and long term basis. Forecasts are effective and important towards determining the budget of the processes that are being initiated. In the light of these steps being taken, it enables keeping a record and view of how much more would be spent. Forecasts in other words is a way of keeping the pocket and budget in balance and ensuring that the future factor is taken care of in terms of the salaries and other factors that would be critical towards future of the project. By this time the project has reached its maturity age and the goals are on the track towards being accomplished if executed in the proper manner (Kreitner & Cassidy, 2012, p 199). Delivering stage: This is the stage by which nearly 80 percent of the project has been completed. This stage includes the output and delivery to the clients. In the case of services industry and project the delivery of service to the clients is performed in this stage. The final touches are being given to the proceedings. By this time, the proper contact is being established with the clients for the purpose of delivering the items. In the case of the digital system and digitization, the installment and making the entire network functional comprises the part of delivering stage. By this stage the bank should have fully integrated system of digital equipment and these devices should be in use on regular basis for the purpose of providing better services and ease of operations to the personnel involved. Releasing the staff means assigning them a new task, or returning them to the departments from where they may well have been hired for this particular project. Making sure that the employees and other resources and tools that are being purchased, outsourced or borrowed are delivered to their parent companies and organizations also makes up for a vital consideration and this should be taken care of while dealing with the final stages of a given project. The benefits of the project undertaken: The following are few of the benefits enacted from the digitization of the banking department: It has made the banking system more secure More reliable Faster Customers oriented State of the art equipped In consonance with the need of the hour and global trends. Documentation: Documentation also serves as important part of the entire project. it serves as an evidence, as a sample and as a guide for future work. It is helpful towards the aspect of auditing that may be performed at the end of the project. Documentation is helpful towards the parts of project that may need repair and other corrective actions in longer run. It would serve as representative item towards the future prospects and future proceedings in a given project. Training the customers: In the case of the digital equipment, the technical staff provided the personnel of the company with the sufficient amount of knowledge. This enabled them using the new devices in a more effective way which enabled them extracting benefits as well as benefits for the clients. The use, repair, and replacement of the different items and electronic machines made up for the training. Hands on tools procedures also made up for the training of the customers. Feed back: Feed back is an important part of any project undertaken. Feedback enables overcoming the shortcomings that may be present in a project that is being performed. Feedback enables knowing the opinion of the masses and clients towards whom the project is being directed. Feedback may be received through the direct manner or indirectly. Conclusion: All these steps make up for a comprehensive project life cycle. Each step acts as a complementing factor towards the other. The absence and negligence of action and policy in one domain may lead to overall failure and dysfunction of the project, thereby special care has to be taken. Proper care must be taken while undertaking a project. Experts on the field of project performance must be indulged in the entire process in order to gain maximum benefits from the given project. References: Costin, A., 2008. Managing Difficult Projects. s.l.:Routledge. Press. Jonson, K. F., 2002. The New Elementary Teachers Handbook: Flourishing in Your First Year. s.l.:Corwin Press. Kreitner, R. & Cassidy, C., 2012. Management. s.l.:Cengage Learning. Press. Pandey, A., 2006. Staffing Management. s.l.:Global Vision Publishing House. Press. Sage. Project Life Cycle. 14 May 2012. 15 Match 2014 Westland, J., 2007. The Project Management Life Cycle: A Complete Step-by-step Methodology for Initiating, Planning, Executing & Closing a Project Successfully. s.l.:Kogan Page Publishers. Press. Vanhoucke, M., 2012. Project Management with Dynamic Scheduling: Baseline Scheduling, Risk Analysis and Project Control. s.l.:Springer. Press. Read More