Program Management Essays Example

Project management is a prudently arranged effort to achieve a successful project (Trelles-Ducket, n.d).In this study, we would look into the case of the Woody 2000 project of Woody’s, the custom woodworking company. With this, we would identify management shortcomings and suggest changes. In order to answer the questions, we will utilize four points in the project appraisal page of the case. We would then discuss the remaining points as supporting views. We infer that managerial inadequacies were covered in these parts.
The concept behind the Woody 2000 project was that it was an attempt to address all the challenges at the time. For this, we could say that it was a well-conceived project. The directors could have articulated the expansion of the manufacturing business as their main objective. Its strategy lies in the organizational structure with the VP for Finance and Administration Spencer Moneysworth as the head. While it is crucial to involve financial control, it is important to note that the project is all about construction. Thus, we recommend making the VP for Production Miles Faster co-director of the project as he would be able to lend the project with expert guidance. The success of the project could be gauged through performance evaluations in relation to the achieved goals. This is done at the end of the project and would be reviewed in future ones (Naybour, 2014; Wideman, n.d.).
2. It was likely that they would be receiving a massive task, given the opportunity presented for the project. Certainly, the company would need a befitting place to house such tasks and their agreements. However, we do not think it was a good idea, as it would require the use of additional resources. Also, it may cause people to deviate from the main tasks at hand.
The scope would be stated through the following: The Woody 2000 project is under the operations of Woody’s personnel, led by Spencer Moneysworth. This project is a step towards Woody’s business expansion initiative. It is aimed to achieve an additional 25% production capacity equivalent to the current floor area. The total budget for the execution, aside from the office renovation, would amount to US$17 million. Meanwhile, on the work breakdown structure, it would be divided into five sections. The sections include the planning, design, construction, start-up, and control (Wideman, n.d.; Kemp, 2006).
3. Project planning consists of the scope, division of tasks, estimate of costs, and budget preparation, schedule setting, communication plan development, standards and procedures identification, and risk surveying (Maserang, 2002; Naybour, 2014).
Woody’s has included similar aspects. However, they must include a contingency, which would serve as a back-up procedure in case something cannot be met such as the budget. They could have also considered the project environment. The contracted EID released a fixed-price quotation. However, the budget unfortunately shot to US$20 million. It was agreeable that Moneysworth sought a second opinion. However, he should have pushed through despite EID’s counter proposal (Wideman, 2001; Wideman, n.d.).
The plan did not include a section on control. The case has put it on the latter part. T should be noted, though, that control is included in program design of the execution section where activities must be monitored. Planning only deals with concepts as opposed to actual practices (Trelles-Ducket, n.d).
4. As early as the planning phase, the standards and procedures have been set. With this, quality must be approached according to the standards. It is through this standard that the vision and goals for the project would be followed and achieved. During the construction, the project got into trouble since Ian Lead better failed to impose quality on the installation of equipment. It turned out that its documents were not formalized. This caused delays and contract cancellations when the project was launched. Quality was crucial to this project since the credibility of the company banked on it as proof that the company could fulfill deliverables on time.
These four points tapped on the initial phases of project management, particularly the planning section. In some instances, they have also presented their relation to the succeeding phases such as in the fourth point where the planning elements made bitter consequences later on. Through the discussions in these points, we point out that source of the problems came from the planning stage of the project. Although planning merely deals with conceptualization rather than execution, its purpose is crucial. Thus, it must neither be ignored nor skipped.
The planning stage is where all the anticipated circumstances, tasks, and finances are identified. It would serve as a guide that can be referred to later on. It is also an opportunity for preparing pertinent documents when the project gets to the execution and evaluation stage (Trelles-Ducket, n.d).
When taken for granted, the people involved would certainly get lost. They would have a difficult time in tracking where things went wrong. In the case of Woody 2000, they were able to trace that they were missing certain formal documents. However, this issue still delayed them. This is not to say that a project’s doom would be inevitable when planning is overlooked. Certainly, things could be changed during and especially, after a project.
When the project is still ongoing, it is important to note that this is the phase of monitoring, managing, and maintaining other than executing. Project management tools and techniques such as the use of Gantt charts would assist managers in monitoring. Here, they would see what is lacking and how much time remains for achieving them (Maserang, 2002).
In projects like the Woody 2000 project, since it was arguably a massive project involving numerous departments and in turn, department heads and teams, we suggest breaking the tasks down. Meanwhile, each broken down task would have copies. It would be ensured that the other department gets one. This is to allow for the checking and reviewing of each other’s tasks. The finance department was able to completely prepare the budget, for example. They would then cross this out on their task lists as well as on the copies of the other departments. Through this, the others would know that the responsible department truly achieved their tasks. Furthermore, the related tasks among the rest o the departments could proceed accordingly. In times of missing out on such details, people would have to review and see the thing that were not yet crossed out. Having at least the knowledge of what is lacking would give authorities a clear picture of the project’s state. With this, they could utilize solutions currently available to them.
When the project is done, it would be time to evaluate the results and to review the circumstances that led to those results. All the documents and reports must be compiled, including the planning list (Maserang, 2002).As discussed on the first point, results would be evaluated in relation to the goals. This is where the succeeding plans would be based. In the case of Woody 2000, it has experienced delays. Consequently, it harmed the company’s credibility and had likely compromised further business expansion. Given the circumstance, we suggest that the company include a back-up plan in case things could not be delivered on time. This back-up plan may explore the idea of giving discounts to the hassled party in order to make amends with them. At the same time, this would allow the company’s credibility to be protected.

References

Kemp, S. (2006). Project management made easy. Entrepreneur. Wisconsin: CWL Publishing Enterprises, Inc.
Maserang, S. (2002). Project management: Tools and techniques. Retrieved from http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/488_f02_papers/ProjMgmt.html
Naybour, P. (2014). The basics of an effective project plan. Association for Project Management. Retrieved from http://www.apm.org.uk/blog/basics-effective-project-plan
Trelles-Ducket, A. (n.d). All about project management. Authenticity Consulting. Retrieved from http://managementhelp.org/projectmanagement/
Wideman, M. (n.d.). Case Study: Woody 2000 project. Retrieved from http://www.maxwideman.com/papers/woody2000/intro.htm
Wideman, M. (2001). Managing the project environment. Retrieved from http://www.maxwideman.com/papers/projenviron/projenviron.pdf