Project Plan For Whitbread World Sailboat Race

Running head: PROJECT PLAN FOR WHITBREAD WORLD SAILBOAT RACE

Project Plan for Whitbread World Sailboat Race

Adrian D Brown

University of Phoenix

Project Plan for Whitbread World Sailboat Race

In several months from now, on a misty spring morning the waters around London will be invaded by sleek designs of the latest sailboats technology has to offer. Approximately 14 countries will converge on the United Kingdom to participate in the Whitbread World Sailboat Race. One of the teams to participate will be lead by Trygve Wallvik, chosen helmsman to represent his country. Over the next 45 weeks, Bjorn Ericksen will manage the task of implementing the project to design and construct a sail boat, and train a crew to compete in the upcoming Whitbread race.

This paper will examine Ericksen’s project strategy, which initially start off with two parallel paths: one for the boat design and the other for crew training. As the project is laid out and the cost accounted, Bjorn and his team analyze the critical path of the project and determine ways to meet the time constraint on the project. Taking advantage of crash time, Ericksen’s team develops resources to get the project complete, maintain performance, at the cost of budget overruns. However, the overruns are tolerable based on the priority matrix chosen by this team. Lastly, implementation of project closure is discussed as the program makes a normal transition from a full fledge project to completion upon delivery.

Bjorn Ericksen Project Strategy Analysis

Bjorn Ericksen has been selected as project manager to represent his country for the Whitbread World Sailboat Race, because of his master helmsman experience and fame as the �best designer of racing sailboats on the world” (Gray & Larson, 2005, p.305). Proud to be chosen for this prestigious event, Bjorn has hand picked Karin Knutsen to be the chief design engineer of the new vessel for the upcoming race, and Trygve Wallvik its new master helmsman.

The project plan has two parallel paths running through the projectвЂ"design and construction and crew training. While Karin is working on the new design and construction of the boat, Trygve will concentrate on building the team and getting them trained for the new vessel. Until the new entry is ready, the boat from last year’s race will be used to train until the new boat is built and ready for trials. The goal is to have the boat and crew ready for the race in 45 weeks, when the new entry must arrive in the United Kingdom to start the race.

In the kick вЂ"off meeting, the major activities for each path are discussed. Table 1 shows the deliverables and task. Figure 1 shows the network diagram of the project plan. On the design path the major activities identified are based on design, construction, and boat testing. Specifically, Karin will start off with the design which is slated for 6 weeks. Once the design is finished, construction of the hull can begin, taking about 12 weeks. In addition, the mast, sails, and accessories will be placed on order which will take up to 15 weeks to arrive (the accessories being the long lead items in this case). When the hull is completed the ballast tanks will take 2 weeks to be installed. Once this is done, coating the hull and building the deck can be accomplished simultaneously. The coating will be already be finished by the time the deck is done. At this point the ordered parts will have arrived and can now be installed by the crew on the new boat. The sails and mast will take two weeks and the accessories six weeks. After the parts are installed, boat testing can begin. Finally the boat will be ready for testing that is scheduled for five weeks. Based on this plan the schedule from items A to K will take 36 weeks top complete at an approximate cost of $2,520,000. No indirect costs included in this project path.

On the team training path, the major activities are focused around crew training. Securing both crew and housing will are parallel efforts and can start at the same time. Once the crew has arrived equipment can be selected and ordered. Likewise, efforts in developing a routine sailing and maintenance program can commence on the old vessel. As this maintenance program is developed, the crew will be able to use the new equipment as it arrives to complete development of the program. This will take about 15 weeks. When the preliminary routines are completed, the deck will be finished, and the boat parts (accessories, mast and seven sails) will be ready for installation. After the parts are installed and crew maintenance training is complete, the initial sail trainings effort will parallel the boat testing effort. Finally, when all initial training is complete, there will be 8 weeks of see trials. Based on this plan the schedule from item M to S will take 38 weeks to complete at an approximate direct cost of $270,000. The additional indirect expense of operating the boats will cost $ 162,000 where the old vessel cost is $60,000, and the new vessel cost is $102,000. The final effort will be the sea trials in the new boat will take eight weeks and have a direct cost of $200,000 and indirect cost of $48,000 for using the boat. Based on the schedules and paths lay out, the total cost of the project is $3,200,000, this would met the budget. Unfortunately, the schedule for the design path through sea trials will take 44 weeks, whereas the schedule time for the crew training through the sea trials will be 46 weeks. Since the initial two weeks were invested in cost estimates, this means that the schedules should not exceed 43 weeks. This may indicate a need to reduce schedule duration to meet the goal of arriving at the race start point on time.

Plan to Reduce Project Duration

Analysis of the initial strategy has shown there may be a problem of schedule overrun. This is based on independent critical paths of the design and construction plans, and the crew training process. The total allotted time for the project is “45 weeks before next year’s vessel must leave port for the United Kingdom to start the race” (Gray and Larson, 2005, p. 305).

Two weeks were invested in the planning and cost estimating of the project by Bjorn, Karin, and Trygve, thus leaving a total of 43 weeks is left for the project, activities A вЂ" S. With this information the project plan is further refined