Crossrail Project: Operations Management, PLC, and Efficiency Critique

This report provides a detailed analysis of operations management principles applied to the Crossrail project. It reviews the application of accountability, collaboration, change management, humility, competition analysis, and organization within Crossrail's operations. The report further examines the implementation of Lean Production, focusing on value, value stream, flow, pull, and perfection, alongside a critical appraisal of its benefits and drawbacks. Additionally, it discusses the Six Sigma methodology, including DMAIC and DMADV, and evaluates its advantages and disadvantages in the context of Crossrail. The report also develops a continuous improvement plan based on the evaluation of these operations management principles and critiques the efficiency of the Product Life Cycle (PLC) application within the Crossrail project, utilizing suitable models and theories. This document is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools and resources for students.

Operations and Project
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Review the application which is used in operations management principles in terms of
company.................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................8
P2 Make a continuous improvement plan depends on the evaluation and critique of operations
management principles...........................................................................................................8
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
P3 Application of each stage of Product Life Cycle to a given project with supporting
documentation......................................................................................................................11
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................16
P4 Critique the efficiency of the PLC in application of respective project through suitable
models and theories..............................................................................................................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18
Books and Journal................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION
Operations management is an administrative concept that entails a variety of roles and
activities that help with anything from planning to controlling an operational process. The
operational department's functions and operations assist the organisation in running
manufacturing processes in a steady and productive manner. Supply chain management is an
important aspect of operations and project management since it helps the organisation provide its
goods and services to its consumers in a timely and effective manner (Loch, 2017). Project
management is concerned with the successful execution of the project's duties and assigned tasks
in order to increase the project's productivity. Part 1 entails a critical examination of Cross Rail's
management procedures in connection to its operating department, as well as an improvement
plan. The product life cycle of the Cross Rail Project is covered in the second section of the
study, as well as the impact and efficacy of the project.
TASK 1
P1 Review the application which is used in operations management principles in terms of
company
Operational management is the most important component of a business organization's
management functions since it assists the organisation in the seamless execution of operational
actions on a consistent basis. It is an organisational technique that enables an organisation to
have a better understanding of the transition process, or the transformation of raw materials into
finished goods and services (Wu and Olson, 2020). Cross Rail's operational processes must be
scrutinised in order to ensure its long-term viability and development in the potential market
situation. The following are the general principles that influence the execution and
implementation of Cross Rail's operational management:
Accountability
It is the authorised operational manager's duty and responsibility to accurately supervise
the operations carried out by its subordinate in order to decrease the likelihood of workplace
disturbances and errors. The Cross Rail operational manager is in charge of ensuring that
personnel perform well and that operations run smoothly inside the company (Singh, Amekudzi-
Kennedy and Clark, 2021). It is the job of operational management to ensure that consumers are

communicated with in a prominent manner, that their feedback and reviews are considered, and
that appropriate resolutions are offered.
Collaboration
Cross Rail must essence on examining the consumer tendency in the marketplace in
terms to get insights into the preferences and aspirations of its potential customers in order to
speed the manufacturing and processes within the appropriate business organisation. To evaluate
the potential requirement, the organisation must interact with the client (Zhongming and et. al.,
2019). In order to achieve company goals and provide amazing products and services to the
target consumers of the concerned business firm, collaboration within the organisation and with
customers must be facilitated.
Change and Modifications
The relevance and utility of regular alterations or changes in the operational process is
stressed by the respective operational management philosophy. Cross Rail can benefit from
changes and modifications to the present process in order to build new and improved procedures
and models in the operational department. Modification is also important since it allows the
company to improve its quality standards in terms of technology, staff performance, the
structural situation, and commercial procedures.
Humility
The process of periodically adopting new concepts in the organisation, mapping and
measuring their efficacy, is a time-consuming effort that may have an impact on the efficiency of
the Cross Rail organization's operational activities. To lessen the impact, the person who is
authorised to perform the duties of operational manager must put forth effort in identifying and
implementing the most appropriate concept for the operational process (Hajjaj and Lechheb,
2021). The management of Cross Rail will be able to save money and time by following this
principle.
Competition
Cross Rail must keep a watch on its competitors' moves in order to properly analyse and
assess their tactics in regard of surviving longer in the market environment. This analysis of
competitor moves and strategies can aid Cross Rail in implementing more advanced and better
methods from competitors in order to gain a competitive advantage over their competition. Cross
Rail benefits greatly from competition analysis since it allows the company to generate more

inventive and better products and services that can compete well in the market. This will assist
the specific organisation in gaining a larger retail market share.
Organisation
One of the most important parts of operational management is the organisation of
established strategical plans. An organisation might define a million goals for its business
process, but how those goals are organised is what matters most. Cross Rail can also concentrate
on improving and elevating the organization's execution standards. In order to better facilitate the
organisation of the established objectives, the corporation must ensure that employees and
workers offer good performance (Eivazy and Malek, 2020). The main goal of the respective
concept is to emphasise the need of focusing on the administration of organisational factors in
such a manner that they are reliably connected to each other in order to maximise operational
smoothness and fluency.
LEAN PRODUCTION
Lean Production is a management technique that allows a company to concentrate on
reducing waste materials and components in the manufacturing process. Due to the
implementation of the former practise, the organisation is able to function with more
consistency, and the probability of disruptions in the operational process is also reduced
(Walcher and et. al., 2019). Cross Rail has implemented lean manufacturing and production
practises in its manufacturing and production processes in order to reduce waste management
costs and endorse an effective systematic and prepared line of actions within the company. The
following are some of the many aspects of lean production that Cross Rail has implemented:
Value
One of the major aims of a corporate entity is to generate value. Cross Rail must meet the
exclusions of the target customers in the business environment in terms of leveraging the
organization's worth. In order to develop more value, the company must supply the highest
quality goods and services to the clients who currently exist in the market.
Value Stream
It is critical for the concerned government to brook and display the essential phases and
procedures complicated in the transition of raw materials into finished goods offered by the
worried company amongst the target market situation in regard of providing value to the
organization's expectations and to meet the demands and requirements of customers (Ghasemi,

2017). In this section, the components that do not contribute to the achievement of organisational
goals are identified. Once these non-essential factors have been identified, management
individuals involved in lean production work to eliminate them from the lean production process
in order to focus attention on the significant value group variables while dipping the emphasis on
non-credential rudiments of the manufacturing process.
Flow
The operations flow is extremely important since it allows the organisation to provide
high-quality services to customers on schedule. The operations team at Cross Rail must manage
and control the flow of operations in order to ensure that the regular patterns of operational flow
are maintained, eliminating the possibility of any pauses in the relevant organization's
operational functions.
Pull
Flow assists business subrogation in improving the existing operational flow in the
concerned business organisation. Sainsbury will be able to extract the essential items for the
client in the event of an urgent needs or demand, thanks to the improved and seamless flow of
lean production (Pooladvand and et. al., 2021). Cross Rail will have to focus on maintaining a
good inventory stock to ensure that the company can meet unexpected requests for goods and
services, as well as improve customer retention.
Perfection
With the application of the values laid out for the proper regulation of the lean
manufacturing process, perfection in lean production can be archived. Cross Rail must adhere to
and integrate lean production concepts in order to improve the accuracy and credibility of its
operations (Almedallah, Clark and Walsh, 2021). To get the most out of lean production
procedures, Cross Rail needs to focus on informing employees about how to execute them
effectively and teaching them how to use them to the benefit of the company.
On a broader scale, the critical appraisal of the lean manufacturing process' integration into the
operational purposes of the administration concludes that there are several benefits as well as
drawbacks.
Benefits:
 By focusing on the elimination of waste substantial produced in the system, the
respective procedure aids Cross Rail in validating and improving production operations.

 It also ensures that the work efficiency and effectiveness of personnel working in lean
manufacturing are increased to the point where they can deliver maximum output to the
company over time.
Drawback: The main disadvantage of the lean manufacturing process is that it can put a worker's
patience to the test because it creates a busy and chaotic schedule for work operations
that must be adhered to. To improve the relevancy of lean production, the functions must
be implemented in the sequence specified in the schedules.
SIX SIGMA
Six Sigma is a methodology or process that may be used by businesses to improve their
job productivity and accuracy. The tools included in this strategy also assist businesses in
improving their management and operations systems (Péter and Csaba, 2017). The six-sigma
approach also aids businesses in increasing their long-term profitability by providing them with
business tools that may be combined with plans to improve the benefits and profit margins
connected with the same. The use of six sigma improves the organisational climate by allowing
the embers of the organisation to increase their willpower in order to accomplish various
functions in the business firm. The use and capitalization of the six-sigma approach in the
specific corporate institution may also help to maintain conspicuous and standard quality.
The DMADV and DMAIC theories or methodologies are the two key theories or techniques
contained in the six-sigma system.
DMAIC assists business organisations in improving the quality of the goods and services
they provide in the marketplace. The underlying philosophy focuses on providing the greatest
available services and goods to end users who are competent and trustworthy. In order to device
in an effective way, Sainsbury must successfully instrument the determination to the control
stages offered in this technique.
DMADV is a process that is used to endorse the overview of new commodities and
services into the target area in regard of raise awareness of their existence between potential
buyers in the marketplace (Devi and Ganguly, 2021). The relevant method centred on
determining the product and service standards that customers required and providing them in
order to improve customer satisfaction and retention in the business entity.

The deployment of the Six Sigma Method can be viewed as a value-added component for the
organization's business process facilitation.
Advantages:
 The strategy aids Cross Rail in leveraging and elevating the current level of performance
of the company enterprise's individuals.
Disadvantages:
 One of the key drawbacks of this method is the organization's inability to effectively and
prominently enhance the occupational tools supplied by the Six Sigma model of the
Cross Rail organisation.
TASK 2
P2 Make a continuous improvement plan depends on the evaluation and critique of operations
management principles
Continuous improvement plan depicts the ongoing procedure where an organisation is
needed to put emphasis on that how they can put their best efforts so that the overall quality of
products can improved. In terms of Cross Rail, they can consider continuous improvement plan
so that the overall performance of company can developed and they can deliver the commodity
within the particular period of time and market. The improvement plan is critical for Cross Rail
since it can help the company focus on its long-term expansion and upgrade opportunities.
Further, lean principles put emphasis on the elimination of wastage without any sort of
compromise on the overall productivity. For this, the performance of each resources are
considered and the overall objective of these principles is to generate the maximum value of
productions process and offered to the company.
Source Principles Outcomes Target Date Administration
Safety and
cautiousness
Safety and
security
guidelines
Cross Rail must
ensure that a
systematic
security system is
in place in the
operational and
25th February,
2021
Safety Officer

production units
of the business
entity in order to
decrease the risk
of accidents and
risks to the
employees of the
company.
In order to
accomplish the
same, the
corporate entity
might concentrate
on defining
policies and
guidelines that
must be followed
when performing
functions and
conducting
company
activities (Nagai,
Lima and
Mesquita, 2020).
Cost reduction Six Sigma Model Cross Rail can
improve its
financial stability
and productivity
by optimising and
incorporating the
six-sigma
30th March, 2021 Financial
Manager

approach into its
operations. The
approach also
gives the
organisation the
ability to change
the costs incurred
within the
operations and
management
processes. The
efficient use of
the Sic sigma
model in Cross
Rail management
can also help with
cost reductions
and management.
Quality
maintenance and
waste reduction
Lean
Manufacturing
Cross Rail can
use the lean
manufacturing
method to
maintain the
highest quality
standards while
producing the
firm's products in
the commercial
context (Tosen,
Van der Walt and
Govender, 2020).
15th April 2021 Head of
operations
Department

With increased
attention and
concentration on
improving the
lean production
process in the
appropriate
business unit,
waste
management can
also be decreased
and minimised.
In order to design a competent and effective improvement plan, the organisation must first
outline the goals that it wants to achieve through the development plan. The enhancement plan
will assist the company in gaining a strong and steady market position. It will also assist
commercial organisations in providing the best services to clients in order to effectively meet
their expectations and maintain a high level of engagement with the organisation. Incorporating
lean manufacturing and the six-sigma model can improve and inspire the overall processes of the
occupational secure in the target souk in a maintainable fashion, allowing the company to be in
business for a longer period of time. With the implementation of a continuous improvement
strategy, Cross Rail's financial and marketing departments may also function in a systematic and
professional manner.
TASK 3
P3 Application of each stage of Product Life Cycle to a given project with supporting
documentation
The life cycle of a Cross Rail Project can be built by incorporating the five primary phases that
illustrate the journey from the conception of the project to its completion. The cross-rail project
is known to be one of the largest railway projects in the United Kingdom's history, requiring a
manpower of approximately 15000 employees or individuals to complete the building and

development of the project. The project manager is responsible for developing the Product life
cycle in order to gain a better understanding of the operations and functions that must be
completed during each phase of the project.
The Initial Phase
The identification and selection of the goal for the creation of the Cross Rail project is the
first phase of the Product Life Cycle. The feasibility as well as the long-term viability of the
project are assessed at this stage to see whether it will be able to meet its stated objectives. The
project will be evaluated against a variety of components in order to determine its relevance and
competence in a real-time setting.
The Planning
The planning stage is defined as the stage in which the Cross Rail project manager plans
for the resources needed to carry out the process in a systematic and ordered manner. The plans
will be created to make it easier to carry out the specified procedures during the project's
development (Roth and Rosenzweig, 2020). In terms of leading the processes in a maintainable
way, the individual plan portfolio, working strategy, financial plan, advertising plan, risk care
plans and procedures, possibility strategic plans, and so on will be established in relation to the
cross-rail project.
The execution
The competent execution of the goals and objectives created during the planning stage is
required to preserve the accurateness of the purposes and minimise the chances of any needless
disturbance in the development procedure or organisation of actions. The Cross Rail must ensure
that the task given to the staff is completed in a timely and efficient manner.
Performance Monitoring stage
The valuation and checking of the presentation transported by the labours assigned to the
growth of the Cross-rail project is part of this stage, which entails identifying any deviations in
performance and taking corrective action.
Closure Stage
It is the stage at which the plan comes to an end and the cross-rail project accomplishes
and achieves all of the objectives and goals set forth for the project's development.
Gantt Chart

Gantt charts are a type of chart that assists an organisation in calculating the work agenda
that must be shadowed in bid to wind-up a project on time.

Work Breakdown Structure:
Project
Life
Cycle
Survey Feasibilit
y Study Approval
Land
acquisitio
n
Construct
ion
Project
template Cost run

Project Portfolio
It denotes to the collection created to prove the methods, techniques, and procedures that
will be shadowed by the project's management. It lays out the project's plans as well as the
methods by which they will be carried out (Ball and Lunt, 2018). It also entails resource
allocation and the division of duties and responsibilities.
Executive Summary
The activities of the relevant cross rail project are listed in the executive summary. The
project's main goal was to create a ground-breaking organisation capable of advancing the city's
current transportation system.
Goals
The project's goal is to meet the requirements and desires of travellers and customers who
want a simple and convenient form of transportation.
Solution
The answer can be described as the creation of a project plan that can be used to meet the
needs and requirements of city visitors.
Cost
The cost of project management for the cross rail is estimated to be over £18.6 billion.
The estimated expense would be proportionately divided to facilitate various departments such as
people, resource, construction, finance, and marketing (Turner, Aitken and Bozarth, 2018).
Risk
The risk connected with the cross-rail scheme can be defined as the project's inability to
meet customer needs and offer customer satisfaction.
Resources
Technology, human resources, finance, stock, machinery and equipment, raw materials,
and other key resources will be required to complete the project.
Benefits
The benefits generated from the project can be defined as a rise in the price, as well as a
healthier standing and willingness in the souk.
Execution time
The time experienced for the achievement of the project is 10 months.
Project Plan

The plan specifies the scope of the project, its cost, and the resources needed to complete
it, as well as the risk associated with its implementation.
Work breakdown structure
It refers to the systemic technique by which project work is divided into multiple
workings in bid to control and assign cross-railway plan accountability and effort to dissimilar
people.
TASK 4
P4 Critique the efficiency of the PLC in application of respective project through suitable models
and theories
Initialisation phase: It is a phase in which an authoritarian leadership strategy was used to
establish future plans that needed to be initialised in order to facilitate the cross-rail project's
start-up phase (Martens and et. al., 2018).
Planning phase: In this phase of the project, a situational leadership style was used to
allow subordinates to change and adapt planning behaviours and methods in response to
changing circumstances.
Execution Phase: In the respective phase, a servant leadership method was used to guide
the workers in following the stage manager's instructions in an obedient and disciplined manner
(Rönkä, 2020).
Closure Phase: In order to recognise the workers' contributions and team efforts, the
leadership took a team strategy in the respective phase.
Programme Theory
The assumption that project analysis and programming have a better possibility of
beneficial outcomes is a source of worry for programme theory (Reindl and Schmitz, 2019). The
premise behind this is that if Cross Rail's project is carried out in a planned and systematic
manner, the results are likely to be accelerated and enhanced.

Benchmark Model
It's a model that Cross rail can use to make it easier to estimate the inputs and outputs
needed to complete a project in a systematic manner. This can be accomplished by gathering the
essential information and referring to past projects that have been completed in this manner
(Zamora, 2020). Cross rail can accomplish the same because it will assist the company in
realising the prospective resources and costs that will be incurred when regulating and executing
Cross rail's project management. In context of Cross Rail, they tend to consider competitive
benchmarking undertaking the effective comparison with other organisation by considering the
respect to the leading competition specifically with respect to essential attributes, concerning
values and functions with products and services of company.
CONCLUSION
From the above analysed information, Cross Rail is adopting the correct set of
management operations principles, but it needs to focus on altering its lean production from time
to time. The Cross Rail Project's PLC appears to be quite smart, and the project is expected to
succeed in the near future.

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