Managing Lean Project

This article discusses the implementation of lean project management for the FIFA World Cup event, identifying terms like Voice of the Customer, Critical to Customer Requirements, Critical to Quality Parameters, and processes from PMBOK, PRINCE2, Organizational Project Management Agile Practices and Lean Six Sigma (DMAIC Methodology) that could support your lean project implementation.

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Managing Lean Project
Student’s Name
Institution
Date

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Introduction
Lean management is a concept that looks into continuous and systematic improvements in an
organization with the aim of enhancing quality and efficiency. Lean management can be
employed in both organizational processes as well as project management. Organizations that
apply lean management in their operations and projects have a long-term plan for enhancing
quality production. FIFA World Cup is a project that takes place after every four years, and
therefore lean management would be suitable for promoting continuous and minimal
improvements for the sake of perfecting the project in the coming years. Many improvements
have been made in the preparations of previous FIFA World Cup tournaments, and therefore lean
management is coming in place to look at areas that need gradual and continuous developments.
1. As the project manager in charge of delivering such an important world sporting
event:
i. Identify and elaborate the following terms with regard to the event.
a. Voice of the Customer (VOC)
The Voice of the Customer is referred to as the information that a customer provides in
line with a specific product or service. The voice might be in the form of the comments about a
product or a service, the expectations, and the preferences of the customer. In the case of the
event at hand, the Voice of the Customer would be associated with how the customer expects the
event to turn out (Lam & Mayer, 2014). The customers in the case of the event are the audience
and the media. The audience or rather the fans buy tickets to the event, and the media buy the
right to broadcast the event live (Ashley, Oliver, & Rosen, 2015). Some of the preferences that
the customers would have in line with the event are the venues, and the availability of live

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proceedings of the World Cup matches on the media. Expectations of the media would be to
have efficient services, and that includes the coverage of the matches and the strength of the
broadcasting signal from the venues that the sport will be taking place.
b. Critical to Customer Requirements (CCR)
Critical Customer Requirement refers to the expectations of the customer regarding a
specific product or service. The expectations are sensitive to the customers, and most of the
times they do not compromise. When the organization that is providing the product or the service
fails to meet the expectations of the customers, the customers may opt to purchase from a
competitor who provides the same products or services (Goetsch, & Davis, 2014). In CCR, the
customers look into two essential, and they are quality and efficiency. In line with the World Cup
event, the essential aspects that the customers such as fans would be looking for are the
accessibility of the match venues, the conditions of the venues, and the affordability of the
tickets. When it comes to the aspect of the media, the media would be looking for the quality of
the broadcast; voice and graphics, the strength of the broadcasting signal, and the affordability of
the right to air the matches.
c. Critical to Quality Parameters (CTQ)
Critical to Quality Parameters are the essential internal aspects of quality that are related
to the needs of the customers. It is imperative to understand that VOC and CTQ are different.
CTQ looks into ways of enhancing the quality of products and services so that they can stand out
from those of the competing organizations. Therefore, the needs of the customers are indirectly
addressed through the quality of the products (Tortorella, Marodin, Fogliatto, & Miorando,
2015). VOC is aimed at the general needs and expectations of the customers. In the case of the

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event at hand, the quality of the services comes in handy. FIFA provides a significant service
during World Cup events, and that is to show the matches both live and through the coverage of
the media. The quality will, therefore, be associated with the coverage and the state of the
stadiums that will host the event.
ii. In what ways would you have implemented lean project management for this
event?
The best way to implement the lean project management in this event would be by
employing the five essential practices that are utilized in the process of lean management. The
five practices of implementing lean management are as follows;
a. Reducing waste
The event takes place every five years, and that means that there is an essential need to avoid
wastage. Reducing waste comes with the benefit of making sure that all resources are utilized in
line with their intended purposes. The lean project makes sure that there are continuous
improvements and this is achieved by reducing wastage (Goetsch & Davis, 2014). In the
preparation of the world cup, different resources are provided by FIFA. Some of the resources
include the balls that will be used by the teams that will be taking part and at the same time the
uniforms of the players. Providing more balls and uniforms than required is a wastage of
resources because the event only takes place once in four years. In this respect, the first practice
to implement the lean management would be to make sure that only the required number of balls
and uniforms are provided, and this would eliminate wastage by a significant percentage
(Fullerton, Kennedy, & Widener, 2014). FIFA also provides essential services such as
transporting the teams to their respective fields from their respective areas of accommodation. In

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this case, the best way to reduce wastage would be by making sure that most of the stadiums that
are selected for matches are closer to each other and also to hotels that accommodate the players
(Lugli, Dawson, Blank, & Zlobec, 2017). Therefore, the federation would not go through a rough
time while transporting the players.
b. Continuous improvement
The second practice to implement the lean management is initiating continuous
improvements. Continuous improvements are part and parcel of the principles of lean
management (Martínez-Jurado, & Moyano-Fuentes, 2014). After identifying the best areas to
work on when it comes to the aspect of reducing the wastage in an organization or project, it is
essential to come up with a practice that is aimed at promoting improvements in the project. In
the case of the event, the best continuous improvement would be to make sure that the
production of balls and uniforms is retained at a specific number (Martínez-Jurado, & Moyano-
Fuentes, 2014). For example, if initially, a team was getting two extra pairs of uniforms, the
number could be reduced to one, and this would help in knowing if one extra pair is suitable for
the event. The initiative becomes an improvement from what was recently or previously
exercised. The practice of making sure that the wastage on transport cost is avoided can be made
a continuous improvement by making sure that it becomes a trend for the teams to be located
closer to the stadiums and at the same time, the stadiums selected for the matches are closer to
each other (Fullerton, Kennedy, & Widener, 2014). The continuous improvement would be an
advantage to FIFA and to customers who travel from many nations to watch the world cup in
countries that host the event.
c. Organize

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The third practice in the implementation of lean management would be to organize the
systems in a way that they promote both continuous improvements and the reduction of waste
(Lugli, Dawson, Blank, & Zlobec, 2017). It is essential to note that there is a dire need to come
up with a strategy for how the functions of the event would be organized. The reason for doing
so is because the initial structure of the organization has already proven that it is not efficient
when it comes to the implementation of the lean management (Martínez-Jurado, & Moyano-
Fuentes, 2014). Organizing starts from the top to the bottom. It helps to make sure that the new
strategy is put in place and it is effective. In the case of the event, the best way to organize is by
having a meeting with the FIFA top management and requesting a reduced number of the
uniforms. It would also be essential to organize on how the criteria for selecting stadiums and
accommodation are followed. The move would go a long way in favoring the customers who in
this case are the fans and also the federation.
d. Safety
Safety is essential in lean management. Lean management is aimed at making sure that the
improvements come in handy and at the same time the workplace is safe. In the case of the event,
the safety of the FIFA employees during the event, fans, and the players come in handy
(Martínez-Jurado, & Moyano-Fuentes, 2014). The practice of promoting safety during the
implementation of lean management is taken seriously, and this is because there are no positive
results that can be attained if there is no safety. In this case, the best ways to promote the safety
of all stakeholders would be to make sure that the standards of the stadiums are high and at the
same time, the physical security during the days of the events should be enhanced.
e. Track metrics

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Improvements cannot be made in the absence of a measuring tool. It is for this reason that the
aspect of tracking the metrics comes in handy during the implementation of lean management.
The proposed changes that have already been outlined ought to be made part and parcel of the
culture of the event (Lugli, Dawson, Blank, & Zlobec, 2017). To make sure that the wastage is
reduced and the satisfaction of the customers is enhanced, it would be essential to make sure that
an audit is done to dictate if the improvements are made, or the federation is still using its old
ways to run the affairs of the event. Positive results mean that lean management is working for
the federation.
iii. Identify and elaborate processes from PMBOK, PRINCE2, Organizational
Project Management Agile Practices and Lean Six Sigma (DMAIC
Methodology) that could support your lean project implementation.
a. PMBOK
The PMBOK processes that could support the implementation of the lean management are;
developing team, planning resource management, manage a team, and plan stakeholder
engagement. The process of developing a team would come in handy because the
implementation of the lean management needs more than one person (Larson & Gray, 2015).
The proposed improvements involve many people in different ranks of FIFA. Therefore, the
need to have a team would come in handy to make sure that different essential processes are
carried out by the team. The changes that ought to be made are associated with the allocation of
resources (Zwikael, 2009). Planning the resource management would make sure that the
resources are allocated in line with the desired lean management improvements.

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Lean management should be implemented using a team that is focused on delivering the
desired goals of the event, and that is why the process of managing the teams comes in handy.
Lean management is aimed at initiating strategies and programs that help the company to reduce
wastage and launch a process of continuous improvements (Project Management Institute, 2018).
Managing teams helps to make sure that the team members involved in the whole process are
dedicated and committed to the desired improvements. The lean management implementation
would assist in the elimination of wastage at FIFA during world cup events (Van Rooij, 2009).
Therefore, the stakeholders in this event would be involved and affected in one way or another.
To promote understanding and a smooth process of initiating improvements at FIFA, it is
essential to engage the stakeholders, and this is because the changes are likely to affect them.
b. PRINCE2
PRINCE2 processes will help in the implementation of the lean management in the FIFA
event. PRINCE2 has seven processes, and they are interconnected to each other (Al-Zoabi,
2008). Each of the processes would be helpful in the implementation of lean management. The
following are the processes of PRINCE2 and some of the ways that they would be beneficial to
the implementation of lean management.
1. Starting up a Project (SU)
The process would help in planning for the project. The process entails the aspect of coming
up with the reason as to why the project should take place (Fox, 2008). In the case of the event,
the reason to initiate the project is to enhance efficiency, reduce wastage, improve customer
satisfaction, and start a continuous improvement process at FIFA.
2. Initiating a Project (IP)

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Initiating the project will come in handy because it will foster the process of starting to
implement lean management (Siegelaub, 2004). The process is essential because it encourages
taking a step towards working on the project.
3. Directing a Project (DP)
The process of directing the project entails the aspect of communicating with the project
board on matters that are associated with the project (Matos & Lopes, 2013). The process
dictates whether the project will continue or stop at its current stage. The implementation of the
lean management cannot be completed without consultations with the FIFA board, and this is
why the PRINCE2 process comes in to help in its implementation.
4. Controlling a Stage (CS)
In the implementation of lean management, different stages are involved. Each of the stages
is essential to the project, and it makes sure that results at the specific level have been attained.
The lean management implementation is likely to involve different improvement stages, and that
is why controlling stages is essential.
5. Managing a Stage Boundary (SB)
The process creates a boundary of the project. It helps the project to stay focused on the
activities and events that are associated with the stage (Raziq, 2006). The process would assist in
assisting the team in implementing the lean management to stay focused on the identified goals
of the implementation.
6. Managing Product Delivery (MP)

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The primary aim of this process is to make sure that plans have been met and the results are
delivered (Lianying, Jing, & Xinxing, 2012). In the case of the event, different goals have
already been outlined. The process comes in place to help to assist in making sure that the targets
have been made.
7. Closing a Project (CP)
The process is crucial because it dictates if the purpose of the project has been met
(Hedeman, 2006). The project manager has the power to wrap up after the project has attained its
goals or the project is still immature. The implementation of lean management in the case of the
event is aimed at reaching different goals. The process will help in wrapping up the
implementation after the desired goals have already been met.
c. Organizational Project Management
Organizational project management can be defined as the execution of the strategies of a
company by using projects through the combination of project management, program
management, and portfolio management (Project Management Institute, 2008). Organizational
project management supports the implementation of lean management because the lean
management is aimed at using a project perspective to reduce wastage by implementing different
strategies. The aspect of using different strategies to reduce wastage and foster a continuous
process of improvements in the event creates a link between lean management implementation
and organizational project management.
d. Agile Practices

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Agile practice is characterized by the development of software in a project that helps in
responding to the unpredictability that is associated with the construction of software (Yu &
Petter, 2014). Agile practice supports the implementation of lean management because it has
touched on lean development in one of its methodologies. The lean development comes in place
to support lean functions, and that includes lean management.
e. Lean Six Sigma
DMAIC Lean Six Sigma is aimed at improving processes through the use of data-driven
quality strategy. The long form of the methodology is Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and
Control. The strategy supports the implementation of lean management in different ways. The
first way is associated with the aspect of improving processes (Sharma, Gupta, & Saini, 2018).
The implementation of lean management is aimed at improving processes with the aim of
increasing customer satisfaction and reducing waste. DMAIC is data-driven, and that means that
the improvements should be made in line with the needs that have already been established. The
implementation of Lean Management is data driven as well because the changes have been
focused on the areas that are crucial and need to be transformed (Pyzdek & Keller, 2014).
DMAIC also looks into future performances, and that is supported by the aspect of continuous
improvements in lean management, and therefore it is evident that there is a link between
DMAIC and the implementation of lean management.

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Appendix 1

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Appendix 2

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Appendix 3