Project Management Implementation - Essay Example

?Executive summary Project management mainly deals with application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities in order to meetthe stakeholders’ needs and expectations from a project (Burke, 2007). It is comprised of various phases which ought to be taken into consideration in order to ensure the success of any given project. Some of the disciplines include the project’s scope, quality, risk time, human resources management, cost as well as work breakdown structure among others. Against this background, this report has been designed to critically analyse a case study based project by Electronic Data Systems (EDS) with regards to the steps taken in implementing the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI). Basically, this project was primarily concerned with improving the information and communication system through the implementation of a new computer based system with the aim of improving the operations of the navy in the US. The report mainly focuses on three broad categories that are involved in the implementation of the project. The tasks include the following: project management principles, project organisation and people as well as project processes and procedures. The aim is to analyse how the project has been implemented with regards to different steps involved in carrying out such a task. A close analysis of NMCI’s performance shows that to a certain extent, the organisation did not achieve its intended objectives though it was not a total failure. Unexpected losses were witnessed during the course of project implementation and some targets were not met as a result of different factors. Table of contents Introduction 3 Task 1a Project management principles 3 i) Identification of needs 4 ii) Formation of objectives and definition 5 iii) Detailed planning and scheduling 5 iv) Project activity management 5 v) Closure and feedback 6 1b) Evaluate the methods used to appraise the viability of the chosen project 6 1c) Outline the process which took place at the end 7 Task 2 Project organization and people 9 2a) Identification of the organizational structure adopted by NMCI 9 2b) Determination of human resource management 10 2c) Style of leadership that was used by NMCI 10 2d) Ways that could be improved in this project 11 Task 3 Project [processes and procedures 12 3a) Critical elements of any successful project plan 13 3b) Reasons for the use of the critical path analysis and Gantt chart in the project 13 3c) Evaluate the use of the change control procedures throughout the project 13 3d) Description of the methods for measuring performance 14 Task 4 Conclusion 14 5 Bibliography 16 Figure 1 MNCI work breakdown structure 6 Figure 2 Organization breakdown structure for NMCI 9 Introduction According to Hellriegel (2001), a project can be described as a series of linked activities that are carried by an organisation and they are aimed at achieving a specific objective. Usually, these events are short term based and in most cases, all projects have similar characteristics. They involve a certain time frame of which they are expected to be completed and they are also characterised by some form of risk. In order for any project to achieve its desired objectives, it can be noted that thorough project management is a virtue especially in the implementation of various activities that characterise a particular project. As such, this report seeks to critically analyse a case study based project about the measures taken in execution of the project by Electronic Data Systems (EDS) with regards to implementation of the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI). This project was about implementing a new computer system to be used by the Navy Marine in the United States of America. The report is divided into three categories and these deal with different aspects involved in the execution of the project. Task one is mainly concerned with project management principles while task two deals with project organisation and people and task three is concerned with project processes and procedures. A critical analysis about project management with regards to aspects related to NMCI’s overall performance will be carried out in order to establish if the project was a success or not. Task 1 a) – Project management principles i) Identification of needs The main scope of this project is the need to upgrade the information and technology infrastructure of the navy in the US. The advent of the internet has significantly improved the way different organisations are run given that it is easier to gather information and process it. It can be seen that this project was carefully chosen in order to improve the operations of the military in US. The manager for this particular project played a pivotal role in ensuring that all the phases involved were fully implemented. Burke (2007) posits to the effect that a project manager has a major role to play in the management of the project in order for it to achieve the desired goals. In this case, the project managers played a key role in identifying major activities as well as determining their sequence given that this project was supposed to be completed in five years after its inception in 2000 (Verton, 2000). The manager had a task to coordinate the activities of the team members as well as estimating the required time for completion of the project. The manager also played a role in ensuring that all project phases were accomplished. Basically, the main need of this particular project was to improve the communication system in the army through implementation of advance computer systems. ii) Formation of objectives and project definition The main objective of NMCI project was to create a single computer network system that could be used in the US Navy with the aim of improving the communication system of the military. Given that background, the EDS got a $9 billion contract to provide the US Navy with a seamless and single computer network which was regarded as the largest contract by the government in US at that particular period (Verton, 2000). The other objective was to implement it as a pilot project with the intention of revamping the entire communication system in the US military. The aim of this objective was to ensure that the US Navy had the autonomy to master its operations in relation to the IT desired needs. iii) Detailed planning and scheduling Since this project was meant to revamp the communication system of the US Navy, it can be observed that detailed planning and scheduling were implemented especially at preliminary stages. The major external factors or requirements for this project included the following: computers, software as well as computer drivers that were required in its execution. It was scheduled that this project was supposed to take five years to be completed after its inception. According to Verton (2002), the project was supposed to roll out about 160, 000 seats after completion. It was also scheduled that the EDS, NMCI as well as the US governments were the major stakeholders involved in this particular project. Therefore, the major phases of the project involved sourcing IT requirements, upgrading the old system and monitoring to ensure that all the work was going according to the schedule. In this particular case, it was anticipated that the project will take five years to be completed. There were various stages that were involved in this particular project. iv) Project activity management After the planning stage, the contractors went on to break down the work into smaller manageable tasks while retaining the main goal of the project. Different teams were established and these were primarily concerned with fulfilling different tasks such as software developers as well as technicians that would be responsible with upgrading the IT infrastructure to be compatible with the new system. All activities were coordinated by the project manager though some people were also delegated to oversee different tasks in the project. v) Closure and feedback The contractors were tasked with overseeing that each stage of the project was going according to schedule. The five year period was supposed to be achieved by the contractors and it can be seen that the project manager had a task to give feedback to the appropriate sponsors of the project. However, some hiccups were encountered along the way during the implementation process of this project since it took a longer period than anticipated. 1b) Evaluate the methods used to appraise the viability of your chosen project The work breakdown structure of this particular project involved the identification of the software as well as hardware to be used. It also included the other resources such as financial as well as human resources. In this case, the EDS had the sole priority of procuring the materials to be used in the execution of this project. Fig 1 MNCI work breakdown structure Whilst measures were taken to define the task objectives, it can be seen that the responsible authorities in this particular project overlooked some of the important aspects of the tasks to be completed. Embarking on a new project like the adoption of the use of the new computer system requires a clearly outlined plan which ought to give people the direction to follow such that they will be able to achieve the desired goals. Some of the stages in the project life cycle were not fully executed. The model of project operations is very significant in that it helps to measure the expected goals. However, a critical analysis of the given project of MNCI reveals that it did not fulfil all the requirements of the project and this is the reason why the NAVAIR CEO had to order the stoppage of any deployment of the new system (Verton, 2002). The project lacked an effective structure of performance management, measurement of client satisfaction as well as improvement of understanding between the contractors and the US Navy authorities. It can be seen that investment appraisal could have played a role in minimizing the chances of failure of the project. This could take into consideration the efforts of all stakeholders involved. 1c) Outline of the process which took place at the end of the project According to Yeates and Cadle (1996), risk in project management is inevitable and it has to be taken into consideration in order for any project to be a success. In this particular scenario, the project was established in 2000 and was expected to run for five years. However, of notable concern is that NMCI project ended up taking longer than anticipated as a result of various factors. The contractors had little measures in place to review the risks as well as keeping them under control. The other problem that was made by the responsible authorities is that they overlooked scheduling which is very important in the execution of any project. This is the reason why the project ended up taking longer than anticipated. According to Dawn (2002), the NMCI did not achieve their strategic goals as revealed by their failure release the data for their performance as stated in their 2000 plan. The Navy’s outline of the nine performance divisions were not fully achieved given that it only managed to fulfil about three targets out of the expected twenty which shows that only 15 % of the set target was achieved. The other constraint that was encountered by this organisation is that their budget of $9billion did not take into consideration some of the likely impediments that can be met in implementing a project such as unexpected delays. The financial resources mainly determine the success or failure of a given project hence there is need to stretch it to cover some of the unknown problems that can be encountered. In this case, the contractors only considered core events that were likely to be covered which resulted in the straining of the budget. The other reason which shows that NMCI did not fully achieve its objects is their stance about denying that the project was bedevilled by certain problems. Their plan did not go according to schedule. It seems that they lacked common understanding with other important stakeholders in this particular project. Instead of doing all the work on their own, they decided to contract other people to do some of the tasks and this led to unexpected losses which resulted in the organisation failing to meet its targets (Verton, 2002 & Dawn, 2002). The project was taking longer than anticipated against the backdrop of high prices charged by the subcontractors. It can be observed that though the project did not completely fail, it did not fully meet its objectives. The NMCI also did not take into consideration the aspect that computers which could not operate on Windows 2000 were not compatible with the envisaged network. This meant that two computers were required in executing the task which was supposed to be done on one machine only. They lacked understanding of the system in their initial project plan. Task 2 – Project organisation and people This section of the report looks at project organisation and people. It is divided into four categories which deal with the structure of the project, issues related to human resources management, leadership style as well as measures that can be taken in order to ensure the success of the project. 2a) Identification of the organisation structure adopted by NMCI The structure of the organisation is designed in a hierarchical structure that shows the functional roles of all the people involved in it. Burke (2007) suggests that the organization breakdown structure represents that the hierarchy of the company managing the project and the members who are performing the work. In the case of NMCI, the structure can be illustrated diagrammatically as follows. Fig 2 Organisational breakdown structure for NMCI From the diagram above, it can be noted that the CEO is on top of the hierarchy and he has the overall responsibility of communicating all the vital information with the project sponsors which include the US government. The project manager is the second most powerful person who has the responsibility of ensuring that all work goes according to schedule. He also plans the work during the different stages of the project life cycle. The project manager in this case also has the responsibility of overseeing the operations of the team members, contractors as well as the supervisors. It seems the structure of the organisation is hierarchical in this case where communication follows a top to down channel. However, during the contemporary period, the responsibility has shifted from functional managers to project managers. This new organisation structure is known as the matrix organisation structure (Burke, 2007). This has become synonymous with project management. The project manager has the sole responsibility of overseeing the project throughout its lifecycle from initiation to completion. 2b) Determination of the human resources management The requirements for human resources were calculated on the basis of the amount of work that was likely to be undertaken in this particular project. Kleyhnas (2005) suggests that the human resources are the most important asset in any given organisation and they are supposed to be hired on the knowledge they possess about a particular subject. The responsible authorities in this particular project had estimated that the work would take approximately five years and they hired people on the basis of that knowledge. The job descriptions for various people who were going to be involved in this particular project were done on the basis of knowledge possessed by the individuals hired with regards to this new system being implemented in the US Navy. In this case, it can be noted that the organisation undertaking this project overlooked the aspect of the human resources required. According to Verton (2002), this organisation ended up subcontracting other companies to do the work given that they had little capacity to do it on their own. This contributed to an increase in the costs involved in this project. 2c) Style of leadership that was used According to Robbins (2005), a leadership style can be described as a particular way of leading people in organisations and there are different styles adopted by different companies. In this particular case, the autocratic or task style of leadership is used by the leaders. It can be noted that the other team members have little autonomy in contributing towards the decision making process. According to the Belbin’s team roles, it can be observed that members of a project team are supposed to have different parts to play but it seems that all the power is vested in the hands of the superior powers in the organisation. However, the leaders in this case used a delegation approach of work as it can be seen that some work was delegated to the subcontractors. It is widely believed that it may be difficult for a project to function effectively without a well defined communication system. Problems can be solved through communication and it also enables people involved in a particular project to share the same understanding towards the attainment of the set goals. In this case, it can be seen that Rick Rosenberg the executive of EDS's program for NMCI denied the allegations that the project had encountered several setbacks that were affecting its viability (Verton, 2002). This reveals an autocratic type of leadership where communication follows a top to down structure. 2d) Ways that could be improved in this project The coordination and control of the project plans and schedules for instance overlooked a lot of pertinent issues that affected the project as a whole. The scheduling missed important elements with regards setting attainable time frames for the completion of the project. The CEO of the project ended up contemplating to establish a fast track program since the project was behind schedule according to Dawn (2002). As such, measures to control and coordinated such kind of huge task have to be improved such that the responsible authorities do not overlook important aspects about a project. A feasibility study has to be taken before undertaking such a huge project. It can also be seen that communication has to be improved since it plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the goals of the project are achieved. This can be attained through implementing a democratic participatory leadership style which gives other members of the organisation the autonomy to contribute towards the decision making process. The cultural factors obtaining on the ground with regards to this project are not mutually shared by all the members of the organisation hence they need to be improved given that information obtained from this case study by Verton (2002) shows that the leaders of this project overlooked this important aspect of project management. Task 3 - Project processes and procedures Implementing a project by an organisation is a process which requires a holistic approach since there are a lot of things that have to be considered in order to achieve the set organizational goals. This part of the report outlines the important elements about a project plan, the change control procedures implemented as well as performance measures implemented in this particular project. 3a) Critical elements of any successful project plan The success of any project largely depends on the project plan that is implemented. Defining the scope of the project is regarded as a very important element of a successful project plan. When the scope is clearly outlined, people involved in this project can have the direction to follow which can enable them to attain the set project goals. Another important aspect of a successful project plan involves the basic layout of the objectives that have to be achieved. It may not be wise to embark on a project that does not explain the main objectives to be achieved at the end of the day. A well outlined project plan documents the all the necessary information that is required in the execution of a project. People are in a position to have the knowledge about what needs to be done and the people who should do it are identified in the plan. It also documents the processes involved in carrying out the project as well as the additional resources that are required. Lock (2003) suggests that project organisation requires concerted efforts by the responsible authorities to clearly divide the project into various tasks that are easily attainable. This can be done through work breakdown structure, product breakdown structure as well as organisation breakdown structure. The WBS is illustrated on the diagram below. Fig 1 MNCI work breakdown structure If the work is broken down into smaller components, it becomes easier to manage it since it can be done by an identified team. It is also easier to delegate smaller tasks to teams involved in various tasks in this particular project. 3b) Reasons why ‘critical path analysis’ and ‘Gantt charts’ were used in the process of the chosen project The critical path method which is considered by many as one of the cornerstones of project management was used in this particular project. Burke (2007) suggests that this method allows the project manager to juggle with an increasing number of variables. As such, the critical method offers a sequence of critical activities in the network diagram and it identifies the duration of the project. As noted, the work break down structure provides a structured breakdown of work into manageable work packages and these can be illustrated using a network diagram drawn from the above work breakdown structure. Task In this project, computer scheduling was used to determine the duration of the project as well as the other activities involved. The Gantt chart was used as visual aid for planning and controlling the project. It showed the schedules of the work to be done as well as the estimated duration that was likely to be taken by these different phases. The project manager had the task of developing the timeline for other techniques which involved the procurement schedule as well as the cash flow. The Gantt chart was also used to measure the actual progress against the original plan of the project. 3c) Evaluate the use of ‘change control’ procedures throughout your chosen project. In any given project, it can be noted that change is inevitable and is likely to be encountered during the course of the project life span (Burke, 2007). As such, change control measures have to be put in place in order to ensure that all the work goes according to plan. Having realised that there was more work to be done and that they were behind schedule, NMCI decided to subcontract other organizations to carry out some of the tasks. Though this was taken as a control measure, it can be noted that the organization did not put enough measures to deal with risk measures and that is the reason why it encountered numerous problems with regards to the changes it encountered. This forced the organization to alter the scope of the project where it can be noted that the CEO advocated for a fast track program to cover up for the unprecedented challenges that were caused by the changes encountered (Verton, 2002). 3d) Description of the methods for measuring performance that were used during the project In order to monitor the performance of the given project, it can be noted that different methods were used by the responsible authorities. The cost control method was mainly used in a bid to establish if all work was going according to plan. Given that the initial $6.5 billion budget was anticipated to cover all the costs likely to be involved in this project, it can be seen that losses were later incurred as a result of extra costs that were met along the way. The stance by the senior management to stop some work indicates that the budgeted cost of executing the scheduled work was outweighed by the actual cost of the work. According to Burke (2002), the balanced scorecard is an ideal strategy for measuring performance of the project. This strategy is used to measure the level of costs, customer interests as well as promoting learning and growth in the organisation. It is meant to ensure that all work goes according to schedule and is closely monitored. Organisations which do not implement this strategy often fail to achieve their goals such as the given case. Therefore, in this case, the costs were used as a standard method to measure the performance of the organisation with regards to attainment of the project goals and objectives. Task 4 Conclusion Basically, proper project management determines the extent to which a project can be a success or a failure. A project manager also plays a very important role in overseeing and controlling the different phases carried out in a particular project. The viability of a particular project is determined by a lot of factors such as the project’s scope, quality, risk time, human resources management, cost as well as work breakdown structure among others. As such, this project sought to analyse a case study based project by Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in relation to NMIC in the US navy. A close analysis of the project shows that its objectives were not fully achieved as a result of different factors. The project could not be fully completed during the year it was expected to be finished as a result of unprecedented challenges that were encountered along the way. The contractors were concerned with establishing the extent of performance while neglecting the important aspect of customer satisfaction. Case study links Dawn, SO May 16, 2002, EDS: Despite report, NMCI project's on track, Viewed 23 September, 2011, http://www.washingtontechnology.com/ online/1_1/18259-1.html. EDS July 29, 2004, EDS cites losses on military contract: Project costing more than firm expected, Viewed 23 September, 2011, http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040729/news_1b29eds.html. EDS March 27, 2006, EDS Gets $3.12B for USMC-Navy Intranet Services, Viewed 23 September, 2011,http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/ eds-gets-312b-for-usmcnavy-intranet-services-02067/. GAO December 8, 2006, DOD Needs to Ensure That Navy Marine Corps Intranet Program Is Meeting Goals and Satisfying Customers GAO-07-51, Viewed 23 September, 2011, . Lock D — Project Management 8th Edition (Gower Publishing, 2003) ISBN: 0566085518 The register October 9, 2000, Dell, MS big winners in EDS $9bn US Navy contract Windows for Warfare everywhere as .mil buys the pitch big time, Viewed 23 September, 2011, http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/10/09/dell_ms_big_winners/. US Navy, September 16, 2004, U.S. Navy, EDS Modify NMCI Contract, Viewed 23 September, 2011, http://www.crn.com/government/47900114. Verton, D May 15, 2002, Delays, technical problems plague Navy's intranet program, Viewed 23 September, 2011, http://computerworld.com/managementtopics/management/ outsourcing/story/0,10801,71193,00.html?nlid=PM Bibliography Burke, R 2007, Introduction to project management, Burke Publishing, CT. Hellriegel, G et al 2001, Management, Oxford, CT. 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