Project Management - ORION Systems - Case Study Example

Project Management Customer Inserts His/Her Name Customer Inserts Grade Course Customer Inserts Tutor’s Name 20, October, 2010 Introduction Project management has been defined as the process through which resources are planned for, organized, secured and managed to allow for successful project completion as well as the achievement of goals, aims and objectives. Projects are undertaken as a way of achieving set goals and objectives required to bring up change that is beneficial or to improve a given situation. The major challenge during the management of projects involves the achievement of every project goal and objective set while at the same time honoring each of the preconceived project constraint. The main constraints include those of time, cost and scope. A secondary challenge includes the process of optimizing the allocation as well as the integration of the various inputs required for the successful achievement of set objectives. It is important for every project manager to ensure that he or she is able to efficiently manage the basic project elements that include time, money, scope and resources. These four elements work together for and hence need to be managed as one for the project to be successful (Ireland, 2006). In the case studies provided, different issues related to project management can be identified and a number of lessons learnt. The case study on ORION systems presents a case whereby a project manger is supposed to manage a huge government project that required them to build the next generation of high speed, light rail trains. The case study presents various undertakings through which the project manager responsible will ensure that the project process and outcome is successful. Such undertaking s include reviewing of the current and previously used systems of project management, identifying the mistakes made in the past projects and problems encountered as well as making necessary changes in the project process as a way of ensuring that the project meets all set objectives and goals. Identified problems included issues to with the quality of products produced, production costs that were higher than the intended, problems with client support, poor project ownership and scope creep. The identification of these problems is what the project manager and the other members of staff are using to develop a new plan for the jaguar project. The second case study is related to a soccer club called “Manchester United Soccer Club” with whom the board of directors has just announced a plan to sponsor a soccer tournament that will help in generating revenue to help in conducting the club’s planned activities that include increasing the number of available soccer fields and giving scholarship programs. The study illustrates proceedings of committee meetings held to plan the upcoming tournament. The first meting is marked with a lot of disagreements between the members causing some of them to leave before the meeting ended. The meeting is also said to end 30 minutes later than was required yet no concrete decisions were made. The study also brings out suggested ideas through which the project manger will undertake the project efficiently. Suggestions given included creation of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), a process that would require the identification and listing of major project deliverables. In the third case study, Marcia Williams had just gotten a job as a conference manager in a newly constructed conference centre. During the undertaking of her duties, Marcia points out a number of problems with the construction. She then learns that the construction had been undertaken by one contracted party who was responsible for contracting architectures, engineers as well as other consultants and sub contractors and as a result was able to ensure that the completion was as per the schedule and within the planned budget. The resort manger had been responsible for contracting the sole constructor. The main task in the case study involves undertaking a project to correct all the mistakes made during the construction, an undertaking that the resort manager is completely in opposition to. Marcia is faced with a task of making all the rectifications within a period of less than three weeks (Rosier, 2008). Discussion and Analysis ORION Systems, Jaguar project: This case study brings out the importance of reviewing past projects and identifying the problems as well as the gaps obtained as well as putting up measures to help deal with these projects in future projects. Another lesson learnt is that of good organizational management as a key to successful project management and completion. In each level of the organizational structure, the roles and responsibilities of each person need to be clearly identified with the team leader ensuring that all assigned roles and responsibilities are undertaken. One major change undertaken by ORION in planning for the Jaguar project was the addition of 3 more seven managers to the four in the previous projects. Expanding the project team was one way through roles would be divided in such a way that there will be reduction of the workload among the managers meaning that they will be able to efficiently handle the assigned responsibilities. By adding the additional team, then project team will be able to handle the projects not only at the design phase as was with previous projects, but until the project completion delivery of the product to the customer. This was one way of ensuring quality delivery of projects and in dealing away with problems related to customer support and customer satisfaction. Another evident change is with the creation of 5 to 12 team members half of which were allowed to work on the project full time, this is contrary to the arrangement in the previous projects whereby, personnel were shifted from one project to another. This is likely to create a sense of ownership for the personnel who will feel that they successfully took part in the entire project process, ensure that team members remain committed to the project and enhance continuity. It is from this case study that I learn of how to deal with common mistakes encounter during project management through the various measures taken by the project manager in undertaking the jaguar project. Though the plan for the project as proposed the project manager and the team members can be seen as being effective, it is not without a number of challenges. One major challenge is with the senior management or personnel who might not be in agreement with the plan. The personnel might for example disagree with the expansion of the project team with the view that this might increase expenses in terms of salaries. Manchester United Soccer Club: This case study brings about the importance of the Work Breakdown Structure during project management. It also brings out the issue of conflicts in decision making during project management. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) helps in defining and grouping the various work elements such a way that there is organization and that defines the entire scope of work. It is also through effective creation of a WBS that resources can be appropriately allocated, responsibilities assigned, monitoring done and control measures put in place. The WBS presents concrete and precise deliverables hence project team members are able to easily identify what each deliverable is supposed to accomplish. Through this, time, risks and costs can be estimated as projects are handled in small tasks (Haugan, 2003). A WBS would be one way through which the committee members would be able to meet and discuss the main areas of concern without conflicts. Rather than the project team manager asking the team members to brainstorm ideas, she would have used a WBS which would list the various tasks to be undertaken right from the planning phase to completion. Nicolette, the project team manager, can get more information on the WBS from previous projects that are similar to this and that have used the WBS in its project undertakings. It is from learning other people’s mistakes and experiences that the project team can be able to successfully undertake their projects without repeating the same mistakes made in previous projects. By estimating the cost of each section or deliverable within the WBS, the project team will be in a better position to estimates the costs for the entire project. The New conference Center: This is a case study on contracting of project tasks and of the importance of ensuring that project undertakings not only meet the planned budget and fall within the scheduled time but that they also ensure quality. The project of constructing the conference had been undertaken solely by the resort manager. This was the first mistake made in undertaking this project. By being the sole decision maker, the resort manager believed that the decision to give the contract to only one builder who will be responsible for all other responsibilities, tasks and resource allocation for the entire project was the best. Effective project management requires staff members to work together in decision making for how the project is to be carried out. It is through working together and exchanging ideas that the members of staff are likely to come up with workable decisions based on past experiences, knowledge, resources available among other factors. The appointment of the builder to be responsible for undertaking the entire project process that includes contracting architects, engineers, and subcontractors as well as other consultants was another mistake during the project undertaking. Successful project undertaking requires for the contracting company, through selected project team members, to identify the various tasks that need to be undertaken and in turn contract appropriate parties such as the engineers, architects and other consultants to undertake the tasks. It is also important for the manager to ensure that appointed parties are well qualified and experienced for the job. If the resort manager for example took time to investigate if the hired architects were qualified he would have realized that they had no previous experience in the job and hence would have not selected them for such a project. In undertaking the project, the builder focused on completing the project within the budget and time schedule but not on achieving quality, a major mistake during project management. To carry out a successful remedial work, Marcia needs to consult other personnel who may have the knowledge and experience as well as to contract experienced specialists to undertake the various tasks that need to be done. Designing a Work Breakdown Structure would be one effective way through which deliverables can be listed and prioritized and time and cost can be well estimated and hence the project can be planned in such a way that the essential areas can be completed within the three weeks before the conference center opening by the local Member of Parliament. Rock’n Bands Exercise: This was an exercise about the assignment of resources. An important lesson learnt from this exercise is that resource assigning basically but underlying lesson is that during projects undertakings and the impacts that such conflicts can have on the progress of project management and the project life cycle changes in resources and in the schedule have to occur. A number of people are bound to get frustrating while on the other had some may find this challenging. The reaction depends on a person’s personality. One major lesson that I obtained was on the importance of being mentally prepared for any changes as this is the only way through which I can effectively be able to deal with them as well as to overcome occurring challenges. Another lesson was the need to initially allocate more resources in situations whereby there is limited time to complete the project. Allocating more resources will be an effective way through which activities will be undertaken first enough and within the designated time. This would also help in preventing many critical paths from occurring. I have found the entire learning experience as being very beneficial with lessons being obtained form the lectures, exercises as well as case studies. Initially, I was always of the opinion that project management is only related to huge constructions and engineering projects. This is however not true, on the contrary, project management can apply to many other fields, areas of work and industries in the day to day life through the use of the required techniques and tools. My favorite method was on the use of case studies through which I was able to relate with as most of the problems identified are those that I have encountered in real life situations. Through the exercise, I have gotten the chance to enhance my skills and hence I am in a better position to deal with future problems in life as well as to obtain lessons from the experiences of other people. Conclusion Each of the case studies discussed above has a lesson for any person undertaking a project not just as a project manager but also as a team member. The ORION systems case study brings out the importance of reviewing past projects and identifying the problems as well as the gaps obtained as well as putting up measures to help deal with these projects in future projects. Another lesson learnt is that of good organizational management as a key to successful project management and completion. The second case study, Manchester United Soccer Club, presents a case of conflicts in decision making during project management and the use of Work Breakdown Structures as an effective tool to cost and time estimation, resource allocation, assignment of responsibilities and effective monitoring. The New conference Center case study is on contracting of project tasks and of the importance of ensuring that project undertakings not only meet the planned budget and fall within the scheduled time but that they also ensure quality. Issues of hindrances obtained from the seniors have also been brought out. From all the case studies, I have realized that the problems I experience in my day to day undertaking of projects are common in many project undertakings and have solutions. References Haugan, G.T. (2003) Effective Work Breakdown Structures. New York: Management concepts. Ireland, L. R. (2006) Project Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Rosier, G. (2008) The New Conference Center. Attached case study. Read More