Project Appraisal Report: The Case of Blue Spider Project

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Executive Summary
The current report is based on the evaluation of the Blue Spider Project. The focus is to
understand the importance about various essential elements in project management like price
contracts, handling project team, ethics, manager selection, stakeholder communication, and
so on. The Blue Spider was a project on Research & Development (R&D) which aimed to
make the Spartan missile better by enhancing the structural capabilities of the missile. One of
the most important lessons learnt from the Blue Spider project is regarding the need for
establishing transparent and efficient communication process in the project management, so
as to ensure trust of the stakeholders.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................4
Ethical Issues in Different Phases of the Project........................................................................4
Handle Risks at Different Phases of Project Life Cycle............................................................5
Stakeholders and Communication Management Issues with the Major Stakeholders..............6
Suitability of the Selection of Project Manager.........................................................................7
Situation of Mistrust Between the Customer and the Contractor..............................................7
Choice of Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Contract...............................................................................8
Evaluation of Project Management............................................................................................9
Lessons Learned and Recommendations.................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................13

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Introduction
In the modern era of faced passed digital industrialization, every activity, be it business or
personal, can be found to represent a group or array or tasks to be performed with some
proper planning and consideration, with most of them requiring involvement of multiple
heads. Therefore, managing the entire function or activity has led to the emergence of project
management techniques which are essential to be followed to ensure successful completion of
the project or activities. Besides ensuring overall success, project management ensures
managing the resources and associated aspects to make sure the project is completed within
anticipated time, plan and budget, along with defining the roles and responsibilities of the
members associated with the project. For a better evaluation of the importance of various
project elements a case study of a critical project, referred to as the Blue Spider program has
been presented. The purpose of this assignment is to understand the importance about various
essential elements in project management like price contracts, handling project team, ethics,
manager selection, stakeholder communication, and so on.
Ethical Issues in Different Phases of the Project
The main objective of any business organization is to earn profits. In order to sell the
products or services or win proposals, many situations arise before the organization, when the
decision makers become unethical in their decisions and further actions. In case of the Blue
Spider Project of Parks Corporation there were some unethical actions undertaken by the
management of the organization. The Blue Spider was a project on Research & Development
(R&D) which aimed to make the Spartan missile better by enhancing the structural
capabilities of the missile. The Parks Corporation was inclined to win this project. The basic
incentive to win the project was that it would help the organization to get a program of $500
million spread over two decades. In order to win this proposal, the management of the Parks
Corporation, mainly Henry Gable, decided to be unethical. Their reputation was at stake and