Executive Summary Report: St. Croix River Crossing Project Analysis

This report provides an executive summary and detailed analysis of the St. Croix River Crossing Project. The study examines the project's charter, organizational structure, stakeholder requirements, and project plan, including the use of WBS, Gantt charts, and network diagrams. It discusses the project's background, objectives, and various project types, such as civil engineering and manufacturing projects. The report also explores risk management strategies, including contingency planning and the importance of communication among stakeholders. Furthermore, the report analyzes the project's design, success factors, quality enhancement measures, and stakeholder management techniques. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of scope definition, scheduling, and the use of project management tools for successful project completion. The report also includes a work breakdown structure (WBS), Gantt chart, and network diagram, along with an analysis of critical paths and activities for ensuring project success. The report emphasizes the role of effective communication and graphical illustrations of project timelines.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
St. Croix River Crossing Projects designed to improve transportation facilities and for minimising accidents. The main agenda of government to
develop this bridge is to increase employment opportunities and improving environmental condition of nation. Study describes project charter,
responsibilities of each involved person in this project. I am consultant and this study has been prepared by me. I wanted to find out the things
that have been applied to complete this project successfully. Furthermore, it illustrates organisational chart and its importance. Stakeholder
requirements are being presented in this assignment and project plan is being prepared. It is found that Acceptance is the best way to minimise
risk by this way individual can prepare contingency plan to resolve plans and can gain success. It is identified that design build and best value
approaches to contracting were the strength of this entire proposal. That has supported in bringing new innovation. There was less involvement
of oversight staff in construction process. Communication plays significant role in any project, if there is strong interaction among all
stakeholders then it supports in meeting with the objectives. There should be graphical illustration of timing so that it can get complete with
stipulated. time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
001A................................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Project background................................................................................................................1
1.2 Project charter and purpose...................................................................................................1
1.3 Project types...........................................................................................................................2
1.4 Project fits with the definition of project...............................................................................3
1.5 Organisational chart...............................................................................................................3
1.6 Elements need to be included in managing scope plan of project.........................................4
1.7 Tools and techniques.............................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
001B.................................................................................................................................................6
1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................6
1.1 Project background................................................................................................................6
2 WORK BREAK DOWN STRUCTURE......................................................................................6
3. PLOT...........................................................................................................................................8
Gantt Chart...................................................................................................................................8
4. NETWORK DIAGRAM WITH FORWARD AND BACKWARD PASS..............................14
5. CRITICAL PATH.....................................................................................................................15
6. ACTIVITIES FOR MAKING PROJECT SUCCESSFUL.......................................................15
7. CRITIQUE PROJECT DESIGN...............................................................................................15
8. DETERMINE PROJECT SUCCESS........................................................................................16
9. QUALITY ENHANCEMENT..................................................................................................16
10. ACTION TAKEN BY PROJECT MANAGER......................................................................17
11. STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT......................................................................................17
Recommendations......................................................................................................................19
Lesson learnt..............................................................................................................................19
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20

001A
INTRODUCTION
Project management is the process of managing all activities and transforming inputs into
desired outputs (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017). The present study is based on St. Croix River
Crossing Project. One of the main agendas of the government is to provide safe and reliable river
crossing to the population. Furthermore, by developing this, bridge authority will be able to
generate more job opportunities in the country. Present report will illustrate project charter and it
will also define its purposes. In addition, it will describe elements that needed to be included in
managing scope plan of project. In addition, it will include Organisational chart and will explain
activities need to be done to manage scope. Limitation of this project is lack of time and poor
financial resources. Both these thongs will create problem in completing the entire task within
stipulated period of time.
1.1 Project background
St. Croix River crossing project is the most essential project of the government. Authorities
have planned to prepare a bridge for safer transportation. In the year 1970, authorities have
suggested this project but due to lack of financial resources, it was not approved. Later on, in the
year 2010, Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) had shed light on this
construction project again (Fleming and Koppelman, 2016). Width of actual bridge is planned
100 feet and it would be hybrid of a cable -stayed and segmental box bridge structure.
1.2 Project charter and purpose
Project title St. Croix River crossing project
Scope The four lane bridge will be constructed over
river at present location. It will be converted to
bicycle facility.
Objectives Main objective of working on this St. Croix
River crossing project is to control over high
traffic volume. Due to increasing traffic
issues, transport from one place to other take
too much time. This situation gets worst during
the seasonal time when many tourists come to
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this location (Verzuh, 2015). This makes local
population and tourists frustrated. Authorities
have planned to construct this bridge so that
traffic can be controlled and accidents can be
minimised.
Stakeholders are aiming to provide safe
transport facilities to local people in budget
friendly manner.
Another objective of this project is to improve
environmental conditions by minimised
pollution (Turner, 2016).
Generation of more job opportunities is the
purpose of this project. Goal of SFEIS was to
develop new crossing bridge without
compromising the trust.
Risk and dependencies Financial Risk
Human Resource Risk
Scheduling Risk
Technical Risk
1.3 Project types
There are various types of projects: civil engineering, manufacturing and management
projects. Civil or construction projects are generally conducted by large industries. It requires
huge investment. For example, warship, IT, customer call centre etc are related with
construction projects. Furthermore, manufacturing projects generally work to produce equipment
or designed hardware (Scope management plan, 2018). Such type of activities is able to generate
revenues in the business unit. Whereas management projects are related with activities in which
firms plan to relocate their branches or make changes in their existing practices. For example:
improvement in accounting process, changes in software etc.
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1.4 Project fits with the definition of project
Project can be defined as activities that are made to achieve specific objectives. St. Croix
River crossing project is completely a pure project. Team is working for accomplishing
objectives (Fleming and Koppelman, 2016). There are technical experts who continuously
concentrate on completing this bridge in an efficient manner. The main aim of St. Croix River
crossing project is to generate revenue and to control over traffic issues. Project manager has
involved expert people in this activity so that it can meet with objectives. Hence, it is completely
a pure project which has specific starting and finishing date (Turner, 2016).
1.5 Organisational chart
St. Croix River crossing project is completely a unique concept that helps in making
connection between Minnesota and Wisconsin. This crossing bridge works as gateway between
two different cities.
Figure 1: organisational chart
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Executive committee was responsible to make final decision on this project. They
ensure that adequate funds are provided for this project so that it can get completed within
specified period of time. Executive committee determine the delivery process for river bridge
project. Furthermore, oversight team is another part of organisational chart. Team members are
responsible for approving public information plan (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017).
Successful implementation of St. Croix River crossing project can be beneficial for both
environment and society. This impacts on social, cultural and natural aspects positively.
Oversight team have to look on quality measures so that this bridge can be developed with
desired quality. Project team leader is another important person who is responsible for
maintaining schedule and managing security issues (Fleming and Koppelman, 2016).
Coordination team has to make effective interaction with financial and delivery team so that they
can perform their duties well. They all are interrelated; if one person fails to perform their work
effective then it will impact the other related person where the department may create situation
of failure.
1.6 Elements need to be included in managing scope plan of project
Scope management can be defined as process that ensures all the activities give positive
results. It has five main phases: collecting requirements, defining scope, creating work break
down structure, verifying scope and controlling scope.
Essential components that need to be included in managing scope plan in the St. Croix
River crossing project are described as below:
 Scope definition: It is essential for the project manager to define scope effectively. It
needs to be described in such a manner so that overall objectives can be accomplished.
Assumptions, constrains, deliverables, exclusion etc. all activities need to be defined
properly (Scope management plan, 2018).
 Scope verification: This is another most essential element that needs to be included in
scope management of St. Croix River crossing project. It ensures that deliverables are
being verified against its original range. It needs to be formally accepted and signed by
higher authorities.
 Scope control: It is the process of monitoring the entire project progress against set
criteria. All the team members have to perform their responsibility as per the WBS
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element. This supports in making effective control over scope and meeting with
objectives (Turner, 2016).
 Scope change: If existing scope management plan is unable to meet the objectives then
project manager has to make changes in the entire process to scope baseline so that actual
goals can be obtained.
1.7 Tools and techniques
It is very important for the Project Manager to take support of various tools and techniques
for completing project in an effective manner.
Methods used in St. Croix River crossing project are described as below:
Work Break Down Structure (WBS)
It can be defined as hierarchical decomposition of all activities. This tools supports in
making effective project plan and defining scope for the proposal. WBS breaks entire project
into sub activities that aids in making better plan and tracking progress (Tools used by the Project
Manager for Project Planning, 2017).
Network diagram
This is another most essential technique that would be utilised in the St. Croix River
crossing project. This tool supports in identifying interdependencies between various activities
and measuring their impacts on each other.
Gantt chart
This is important part of project management as it represents the entire planning in
graphical manner. This supports manager in making effective control over progress and
completing St. Croix River crossing project within specified period of time (Kerzner and
Kerzner, 2017).
CONCLUSION
From the above study, it can be concluded that project manager needs to define scope
properly and have to schedule activities in such a manner so that project can be completed within
specified period of time. Preparing WBS can help in allotting correct responsibilities to all and
Gantt chart helps in completing tasks within set duration.
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001B
1. INTRODUCTION
Present report will draw Work Break Down Structure for St. Croix River crossing project. It
will plot Gantt chart that would have a clear starting and finishing times. Furthermore, study will
explain benefits of using Gantt chart in any project. In addition, assignment will describe
stakeholder requirements in the current project (Schwindt and Zimmermann, 2015).
1.1 Project background
St. Croix River crossing project is construction project that was planned to improve
transportation facilities and increase job opportunities in the destination. In the year 2010,
(SFEIS) had shed light on this construction project again. Width of actual bridge is planned 100
feet and it would be hybrid of a cable -stayed and segmental box bridge structure. It is valued by
residents and has improved visitor attraction in the location.
2 WORK BREAK DOWN STRUCTURE
As per the view of Schwindt and Zimmermann, (2015).Work break down structure (WBS)
can be defined as dividing team work in appropriate manner so that it can be managed well. It is
hierarchical decomposition of work that helps the project manager in managing entire project
well.
Responsibility project matrix (RAM) describes participation of all involved person in order
to complete the task.
Table 1:
RAM - responsibility education matrix
Deliverables Executive
committee
Project
team leader
Oversight
team
Coordination
team
Design
team
Permit I C R R
Traffic R I R C
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report
Intersection
design
C R R I R
Provide
resources
R/A A A I R
Decide
release date
I C I C R
Figure 2WBS
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Theory of best practices explains that project manager has to take support of deliverable
oriented WBS, this can support in meeting with objective and getting positive outcome.
All the people have been allotted different responsibilities and they had to perform it.
Executive team was responsible for determining delivery process; oversight team members were
responsible for ensuring funding and managing coordination among all involved people
(Willems and Vanhoucke, 2015). Project team leader was responsible for adequate staffing,
monitoring and maintaining schedule.
3. PLOT
Gantt Chart
Critical path
Table 2Critical path
Yes Gantt chart reflect requirement of a good Gantt chart. Assumption based theory
describes that underlying assumptions is essential to manage project well. This helps in
identifying risk and breaking the project in manageable form.
Benefits of using Gantt chart
As per the view of Padalkar and Gopinath, (2016) Gantt chart is considered as the most
essential technique in project management. It supports manager in scheduling activities and
monitoring progress. By this way, an individual can complete the entire proposal within
specified period of time.
Benefits of using Gantt chart in for St. Croix River crossing project are described as below:
Clarity
One of the major advantages of using Gantt chart is that it breaks down the entire task into
sub activities that helps in managing project well and increasing clarity (Padalkar and
Gopinath, 2016). Stakeholders can easily understand scope of the project by looking at this
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graphical scheduling presentation. Gantt chart is the best way through which manager can
address progress of entire project. By this way individual can make effective strategies to
manage the task.
Improved communication
Gantt chart is beneficial in order to improve communication between all stakeholders. There
are many shareholders those who have huge interest in St. Croix River crossing project.
Due to lack of coordination among all employees, confusion gets created and managers fail
to complete project in efficient manner (Top 7 Benefits of Gantt Charts in Project
Management, 2018). Gantt chart supports in improving communication and pass relevant
information to other involved persons.
Avoid overload of resources
This is another most essential advantage of using Gantt chart in St. Croix River crossing
project, this helps in managing all resources well and minimising their wastage. This is the
best way of completing project within stipulated budget and period of time (Liu, Meng and
Fellows, 2015).
Measuring progress
Another benefit of using Gantt chart in St. Croix River crossing project is that it aids in
measuring project’s progress and make necessary changes in entire activities so that issues
can be resolved (Ekrot, Kock and Gemünden, 2016).
Better time management
Gantt chart allows project manager in managing time well; it helps in scheduling activities
and completing entire task within set time. By this way individual can understand severity
of delay and can make strategies to finish this project within set period with quality (Yang,
Chen and Wang, 2015).
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