Analysis of Boeing 787 Dreamliner Project Failures: A Case Study

This report presents a case study analysis of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner project, focusing on the challenges and failures encountered during its execution. The project, undertaken by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, aimed to manufacture fuel-efficient aircraft using composite materials. Despite initial success in securing numerous orders, the project faced significant delays, cost overruns, and technical issues. Problems included weight issues, engineering faults, and delays in raw material procurement, leading to customer dissatisfaction and penalties. The report critically evaluates the project management aspects, highlighting the lack of effective planning, critical path analysis, and quality control measures. The analysis reveals that the company's failure to address these issues resulted in overall project failure, impacting its brand reputation and customer satisfaction. The report concludes that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner project suffered from inadequate project management, leading to the inability to meet deadlines, quality standards, and budget constraints.

Assignment 1: Individual Report-Case Study
Student Name: Student ID:
Subject Name: Subject ID:
Date Due: Professor Name:
1 | P a g e

1.0 Introduction to the Company and Project
The case study concerns the Company Boeing 787 Dreamliner which has various fleets. The
Company was developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes and is considered to be fuel efficient
as it manufactured from composite materials (Burke, 2013). The aircrafts were said to consumer
almost 20% less fuel compared to its counterparts and includes several of its counterparts in the
business. the newly designed and engineered aircrafts had been successful in obtaining various
customers from diversified categories.
The Project that the Company had been successful in obtaining was related to manufacturing of
such aircrafts from 57 customers. Becoming one of the fastest selling airlines in the history of
aircrafts, the Company entered into several problems from engineering of its aircrafts (Ika,
2009). The project it undertook was to serve such large number of customer Boeing aircrafts.
2.0 Project Problems
On the on-set of the project, it had encountered several challenges and complaints that were
launched across the board by its customers and legal boards. Though the project was very
ambitious and had been able to successfully procure large number of orders yet it had been
delayed miserably from the first instance (Alves, 2012). Then the first batch of products made
ready suffered from heavy weight. There were various other factors that led to overall poor
performance of projects, due to delay in procurement and multitude of other factors, This
eventually led to shooting up of costs and further costs due to incorporating technical innovations
in the projects. There were a series of problems associated with clients from all over that led to
overall dissatisfaction amongst them, ultimately leading to failure of the project (Zwikael, 2008).
From the very first endeavor the Company had failed to accomplish its objectives regarding
multiple aspects regarding the project. While the project had been initiated, with appropriate
aspects that could have easily led to establishment of a successful aircraft Company, but it failed
miserably to do so. the project did not encompass a critical path and planning techniques that
could have allowed success for the project. From the starting point the project had numerous
drawbacks that affected its effective and efficient timely completion. The ambitious project
could easily had been attained by means of project planning endeavors where critical points in
2 | P a g e

regards to the project could easily had been attained to. With numerous technical issues and
implementation as well as execution issues, the project failed to be accomplished in a desirable
manner.
3.0 Critical Evaluation
On the on-set of the project it encountered a varied range of problems arising from mechanical
errors to engineering faults. The first critical issues arising from the project was its changes made
in the mechanism of the machineries and other engines. Such led to tremendous faulty engines
which caused variety of noises (Morris, 2011). In the first instance, where the airline made use of
composite materials in order to make it fuel efficient, there were problems in regards to four-
panel windshield, noise-reducing chevrons along with smoother nose contour. This problem was
created due to engineering and structural changes being made to the airline. This challenge was
not attempted to by the airline but it extended itself for procurement of new orders. Post
procurement of large-scale order with the customers especially ILFC (International Lease
Finance Cooperation) there were several factories set up (Bredillet, 2010).
Large-scale collaboration with suppliers around the globe has enabled to cater to multiple clients.
However, still there were many delays in procurement of raw materials that let to overall delay in
catering to its orders. Such delays led to un-adhering to standards leading to overweighing of the
aircrafts. There were also several technical issues associated with delivering of the aircrafts in
appropriate standards. Failure of technical issues and overweighing of aircrafts has led to penalty
issues for the Company. Tremendous lag has resulted in overriding of budget and also challenges
(Cervone, 2011). Challenges were several in automated systems as well, including complaints
regarding several injuries. From analysis of the entire project in a critical manner it can be
understood that project management endeavors in the Company remain unaccomplished. There
was no project planning even with so many orders, the Company failed to design project critical
path and techniques for attaining its objectives. Lack of project planning led to failure in overall
project budget and costs leading to its ineffectiveness. Further as raw material procurement had
been delayed, it led to the entire process getting delayed and then un-accomplishment of
3 | P a g e

customer time limits, resulting in penalties and other costs (Thomas, 2008). As there were no
checks done on the final product and innovative output had directly been tested on the aircrafts,
there was failure in such endeavors. Not only the project failed to attain its objectives of meeting
quality standards and adopting testing techniques but it also failed to accomplish its deadlines.
The Company had diverted from its project management path with change in manufacturing
processes and engineering techniques. Reporting of several pertinent challenges in regards to
repair and non-adherence to standards reflects that the Company had negligence and ignored
catering quality products to its client in totality (Baker, 2008). The multifarious problems in the
engines and manufacturing of the aircrafts led to total failure of the entire project. The plane had
emerged to a complete failure as a product with the Company emerging with almost nil brand
name. The Company incorporated a software to update and address its problems. But the primary
issue that the Company has failed to accomplish is project planning where each and every step
could have guided to achieving successful project output.
4 | P a g e

Reference Lists
Alves, A. C.-C.-J. 2012. Project Based Learning in first year, first semester of Industrial
Engineering and Management: some results. project management. 20.
Baker, B. N. 2008. Factors affecting project success. Project Management Handbook, Second
Edition, 902-919.
Bredillet, C. Y. 2010. Project management deployment: The role of cultural factors.
International Journal of Project Management, 183-193.
Burke, R. 2013. Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
Cervone, H. F. 2011. Understanding agile project management methods using Scrum. OCLC
Systems & Services: International digital library perspectives, 18-22.
Ika, L. A. 2009. Project success as a topic in project management journals. . Project
Management Journal, 6-19.
Morris, P. W. 2011. A brief history of project management. Oxford University Press.
Thomas, J. &. 2008. Preparing project managers to deal with complexity–Advanced project
management education. International journal of project management, 304-315.
Zwikael, O. 2008. Top management involvement in project management: Exclusive support
practices for different project scenarios. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business,
387-403.
5 | P a g e

6 | P a g e