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Project Control Techniques, Communication Plan, and Resource Management

Terrell McGhee

QSO-645

Project Mgmt for PMP Cert

SNHU

12/25/2022

Project Control Techniques

Project control techniques involve managing the project's resources and objectives by monitoring and controlling project activities to ensure the project is completed on time and within budget. They are essential in successful project management because they enable the project manager to identify risks and problems early in the project and take corrective action to prevent them from becoming more significant (Kumar,2022). Project control techniques also help the project manager keep stakeholders informed of progress and any changes that may be necessary. They are also crucial in assessing the success of the project and any potential improvements that can be made in the future. More importantly, project control techniques can be used to identify any areas of the project that require more attention or resources to ensure the project is completed on time and within budget.

Quality Auditing

Although there were many signs that the organization's internal communications could have been more well-organized in the early stages of the Airbus A380 project, there was also evidence indicating that the team had project control techniques in place. The project development team conducted frequent meetings to review the project's status and identify any potential problems that might arise. Expert judgment was the main control technique area where the Airbus project team fell short. With 530 km of wires, cables, and wiring harnesses winding through the aircraft, the A380 had a sophisticated wiring system (Jackson,2021). The Airbus A380's electrical system was the most intricate one that Airbus had ever created, with more than 100,000 lines and 40,300 interconnections performing 1,150 different duties. As a result, multiple engineering teams were needed for the model and system design, which were the project problems' precursors.

Specific reporting metrics

Airbus could have used several reporting metrics to avert the problems and risks that affected the project's success. Notably, a cause-and-effect diagram may have shown them the process that leads to the wire harnessing being too short to be installed on the airplane. Once this was determined to be the most likely outcome, the team should have performed a Cost Benefit Analysis to evaluate the project’s benefits vis-a-vis the cost, which could have saved Airbus the time and the vast resources utilized in the execution of the project. More significantly, the planned Cost Variance could have allowed the team to measure the project’s cost efficiency and determine whether the project is staying within budget (Kerzner, 2022). The Airbus A380 project could have benefited from this metric and avoided or reduced the budget overrun, which characterized the project’s implementation and contributed to its failure. Besides, Schedule Variance could also have allowed the team to measure the project's progress and determine whether the project is staying on schedule. The Airbus A380 project could have benefited from this metric to minimize the delays witnessed during the execution. For instance, in 2007, there were delays in delivery as the company could only manage to deliver one aircraft out of the 25 that had initially been planned.

Another crucial specific reporting metric that could have been utilized to avert the project problems is root-cause analysis. The issue of the software versions used would have been established in the root cause analysis. Additionally, assumptions and constraints, such as that the harnesses will not fit, could have been identified and handled beforehand. The Cost Performance Index, which measures the ratio of the actual cost of the project to the planned cost of the project, could also have helped to reduce the budget overrun witnessed during the implementation of the Airbus A380 Project. This metric allows the team to measure the project's cost efficiency and determine whether the project is within budget. The Airbus A380 project could have benefited from this metric since it was over budget.

Communication Plan

The communication tactics were chosen for the Airbus A380 project ineffective, as evidenced by the delays and budget overruns. For instance, the project was delayed by two years and went 6 billion dollars over budget due to the inadequate communication plan. However, there are some areas in which the tactics could have been improved. For instance, there needed to be more focus on building long-term relationships with customers and stakeholders. This could have been achieved through more targeted communications efforts and a greater emphasis on customer feedback and engagement (Nelson, 2020).Additionally, the project could have benefited from a more proactive approach to public relations and press coverage. This could have included more targeted media outreach, access to key decision-makers, and a greater focus on creating a positive narrative around the project. Finally, the project could have benefited from better use of social media and other digital channels to reach a wider audience and engage potential customers.

Communication Strategies

For the Airbus A380 project, communication strategies should prioritize transparency and honesty. This would have enabled stakeholders to stay informed about the project’s progress and potential risks while also providing the project team with the opportunity to address potential issues (Sobreiro,2022) proactively. One strategy that could have been employed is regular updates from the project team to stakeholders. These updates should have included the successes and any challenges, delays, and potential issues. The project team should have also invited stakeholders to participate in the development process and provide feedback on the project's progress. Stakeholders should have been invited to attend periodic meetings to discuss the project objectives, timeline, and budget. This would have allowed stakeholders to be more aware of the progress and any potential issues that could arise.

Resource Conflict

The Airbus A380 project faced several resource conflicts, many of which were caused by the complexity of the project and the fact that there were multiple locations involved. The central conflict between different areas was the disagreement over-allocating resources and responsibilities. For instance, there was a dispute between the French and German teams over developing the wing box for the A380. The French couple wanted to use their existing design and build the wing box in France, while the German team wanted to use a new design and build it in Germany. Both teams had valid arguments for why their approach was the best choice, but it was challenging to make (Wood & Duong,2019). Another issue was the disagreement over the production of cabin parts. The French team wanted to produce the regions in France, while the German team wanted to make them in Germany. The French team argued that they had the necessary skills and experience to make the parts in France, while the German team argued that producing the regions in Germany would be more cost-efficient. Resource planning and scheduling were two areas where the Airbus A380 project witnessed major resource conflict. The two teams in Germany and France used different versions of the CATIA software because the A380's manufacturing timeline was extremely aggressive and there needed to be more resource planning. There needed to be more connection between the engineering and manufacturing teams. The engineering required help designing components that could be manufactured efficiently and economically, leading to delays and cost overruns.Additionally, engineering could not anticipate the manufacturing challenges, leaving manufacturing unable to start work before engineering finalized its designs. Besides, there needed to be more communication between the design and production teams, making it challenging to develop parts that could be produced quickly and with minimal waste. This led to an increasing backlog of orders and an inability to meet delivery deadlines.

Best practice in resource management

The successful implementation of a large-scale project such as the Airbus A380 requires effective resource management. The following are some best practices that should be implemented to ensure a successful outcome:

Staffing: When staffing a project, it is essential to ensure that each team member has the skill set and experience necessary to complete the tasks required. It is also crucial to ensure that the team is adequately staffed to prevent resource conflicts (Shamim,2022). It is beneficial to allow team members to specialize in certain areas of the project to maximize efficiency.

Communication: Communication is essential for successful resource management. It is vital to ensure that all team members are kept up to date with the progress of the project and that any changes or issues are discussed promptly. Regular team meetings should be held to ensure everyone is on the same page and address any problems that may arise. Project Planning: A comprehensive project plan should be established before the start of the project. This plan should include detailed timelines, resources needed, and a clear definition of the project's goals and objectives. This will ensure that all team members know their responsibilities and that the project is completed promptly.

References

Kerzner, H. (2022).  Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. John Wiley & Sons.

Kumar, M. (2022). Tools and Techniques of Project Management.  Available at SSRN 4072538.

Jackson, R. (2021). Airbus A380.  Airbus A380, 1-88.

Nelson, C. A. (2020).  Investigating the Airbus A380: Was it a Success, Failure, or Combination? (Doctoral dissertation, University of Oregon).

Shamim, M. I. (2022). Exploring the Success Factors of Project Management.  American Journal of Economics and Business Management,  5(7), 64-72.

Sobreiro, S. M. T. (2022).  Exploring the best internal communication practices for optimal employee engagement in corporate sustainability: Hi Fly case study (Doctoral dissertation).

Wood, L. C., & Duong, L. N. (2019). Airbus and the A380. In  Operations Management for Business Excellence (pp. 388-392). Routledge.