Project Management: American Constructors Inc- World Outreach Expansion Project

This document discusses the project management of American Constructors Inc- World Outreach Expansion Project. It includes a Gantt chart, analysis of main issues and stakeholders, project deliverables, and notorious project challenges.

Running Head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT: AMERICAN CONSTRUCTORS INC- WORLD
OUTREACH EXPANSION PROJECT 1
Project Management: American Constructors Inc- World Outreach Expansion Project
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Running Head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT: AMERICAN CONSTRUCTORS INC- WORLD
OUTREACH EXPANSION PROJECT 2
Gantt chart screen shots
The Gantt chart was developed in a Project Management software, based on the tasks
required to complete the World Outreach Church building and the interrelationships between the
tasks as shown below;
Figure 1

Running Head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT: AMERICAN CONSTRUCTORS INC- WORLD
OUTREACH EXPANSION PROJECT 3
Analysis
Q1. Main Issues
The main issues in the project are a tight schedule within which to complete the work earlier
than had previously been planned for. Initially, the WOC project was to be completed on 10th March
2010; however, the WOC (the client) wants the project to be ready for use by December. Grott,
knowing this would be too much to ask, has added two weeks so that the project is now scheduled
to be completed on 14th December 2009. Still, this still remains a challenge because it implies the
project has been pushed forward by three months which Grott and his team must find a way to
compensate for. To complete the project on time; Grott and his team must compress tasks, either by
hiring additional staff and/ or contractors (resources) and by working overtime (Billows, 2015).
This will ensure tasks are crashed by taking advantage of lag times to do extra work and shortening
the Critical Path so the tasks are completed by the new set deadline. Undertaking tasks concurrently
will also help compress the Critical path and ensure Grott and his team finishes on time. Another
technique is fast tracking where tasks that are dependent on the preceding task to be completed are
done in parallel, at least for a portion of their duration.
Q2. Main stakeholders
The main stakeholders in the project include the Church itself (the church management, who are the
project sponsors/ clients) and who need to accept the project in order for it to be considered
finished. Another important stakeholder is Grott, who is responsible for ensuring the overall project
is completed within the given time schedule and budget. Grott must plan the project effectively,
working with Bordbeck and Hawker, as well as the client, to ensure the objectives are met. Grott,
for instance, must decide which tasks can be combined, what resources are needed, and where to
use extra resources and over time to ensure the project schedule is maintained. Bordbeck is another
stakeholder who is responsible for ensuring the work tasks (the work breakdown structure) flows
smoothly, and that everything is done as required. Hawker is another stakeholder, responsible for
determining the required time to complete tasks such as installation of concrete stairs on the deck,
installation of hardware and doors within the sanctuary, and painting as well as works on the stairs
RACI\The RACI was developed in a spreadsheet as shown in the figure below by listing all tasks in
a single column and then listing the persons involved. The roles are the assigned based on who is
accountable, who is responsible, who needs to be consulted, and who must be informed.

Running Head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT: AMERICAN CONSTRUCTORS INC- WORLD
OUTREACH EXPANSION PROJECT 4
Project Deliverable Grott Bordbeck Hawker WOC
Framing/ hanging/ dry wall finishing C R I I
Installing hard tile – F2 R A I I
finishing stone columns R A I I
Milling R R I I
Casework (installing cabinetry) C R R I
Installing flooring- F 6 C R R I
Glass installation-F 3&4 R R I I
Painting -F 8 R R I I
Installing doors and associated h/ware- F 9/7 C R R I
MEP A R I I
Cleanup and Punch list- F 2 C I I I
Fire Marshall inspection -F 12 A R R I
Architect Punch List – F 13 C R A I
reception area- millwork R A A I
hard ceiling R A A I
lobby drywall R A A I
Painting -F 18 R A R I
Hard tile -F 18 C A R I
Wood flooring treatment – F 21 C A R I
Carpeting 1st floor, stairwell & lobby 2nd floor-F 21&22 C A R I
Finish public restrooms- F17&18 C A R I
Glass installation/ hanging chandeliers- S 25 C A R I
Ceiling tiles -F 19 R R I I
Doors and handles – F 27 R R I I
Complete MEP work- F 27 R R I I
Cleaning and ACI punch list -F 29 R R I I
Sanctuary work-Auditorium seating R R I I
bowl R A I I
terrace R A I I
Core drill rails R A I I
Install rails, C A I I
seats, C A I I
wood paneling, stage work, trim C A I I
staining concrete floor R A I I
stage steps carpeted -F 35 R A I I
carpet at seats completed R A I I
Carpeting seating area-F 41 R A I I
staining concrete in stage BOWL- F 38 R A C I
SEAT Installation- F 33, 38, 40, 43 R A C I
stage steps, lats, isles carpet – P 43 R A C I
Doors and hardware installation in sanctuary- F 45 I A R I
window surrounds sept 24- F 31 I A R I
terrace waterproofing-F 47 I A R I

Running Head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT: AMERICAN CONSTRUCTORS INC- WORLD
OUTREACH EXPANSION PROJECT 5
Insulation- F 48 R I I I
concrete deck and stairs on terrace-F 49 I A R I
pour concrete for deck-F 50 I A R I
Stairs – F I R A I
Aluminum rails installation A R I I
complete stair masonry-F 53 C R A I
Figure 2
Q 3
By using project management techniques such as compressing and fast tracking, the project should
be completed on time. For instance, work on the lobby can be undertaken at the same time as tasks
are done in the sanctuary and in the kitchen/ cafe/ bookstore. However, some tasks must be done
after others; for example, the walls must be finished before they can be painted; similar to the floors
being stained before carpeting can be done (Kerzner, 2009).
Q4. Notorious Project Challenges
The most notorious project implementation challenges, especially in a construction project
like the WOC project include not having well defined goals, frequent or undue changes to the
project scope, lack of accountability where all goals assigned to specific persons are undertaken as
required. Other challenges include lack of/or a poor risk management strategy, poor stakeholder
management, poor or ineffective communication, having expectations that are not realistic, and
indifference by stakeholders (Wright, 2016). These challenges can be overcome by effective project
planning, employing suitable project management techniques and methodologies, such as using
PRINCE 2, effective risk management, and putting in place effective scope and change
management plans. Further, sticking to the project schedule and baseline will ensure these
challenges are overcome (Kerzner, 2016)
Conclusion
The WOC project undertaken by ACI can be best managed and tracked using the project
management tool of a Gantt Chart (Fig I) which has been developed based on the tasks required.
The main issues in the project include having to complete the project earlier by three months and
ensuring the highest quality standards are maintained without too much additional costs. To achieve
the new deadline of December 14th 2009 and not march 10th 2010; Grott and his team should use the
tools of crashing and fast tracking. The main stakeholders in the project include Grott, Bordbeck,
Hawker, and WOC (the client) as illustrated in Fig II. Notorious project issues in similar projects
include poor goal definition, changes to scope, poor accountability, poor risk management strategy,

Running Head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT: AMERICAN CONSTRUCTORS INC- WORLD
OUTREACH EXPANSION PROJECT 6
poor stakeholder management, poor or ineffective communication, having expectations that are not
realistic, and indifference by stakeholders

Running Head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT: AMERICAN CONSTRUCTORS INC- WORLD
OUTREACH EXPANSION PROJECT 7
References
Billows, D. (2015). Project Trade-offs - Project Alternatives-4PM.com. Retrieved from
https://4pm.com/2015/10/12/project-trade-offs-4pm-com/
Kerzner, H. (2009). Project Management: A Systems Approach To Planning, Scheduling, And
Controlling 10E With Case Studies 3E Set (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Kerzner, H. (2016). Project Management Metrics, KPIs, and Dashboards: A Guide to Measuring
and Monitoring Project Performance, Third Edition (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
Wright, S. (2016). Project Management Challenges in the Construction Industry. Retrieved from
https://project-management.com/project-management-challenges-in-the-construction-
industry/