Unit 2 Projects + Preview Project planning a ‘Which of the following tasks would be included in each of the phases above? TL. review the results 6. launch a pilot project | | evaluate the risk factor = 7, obtain status reports. |B. forecast costs 8. validate the project “4. select the project team 9. allocate resources |S. deliverthe project 20. prepare a project overview = Keynotes ‘A project is a complex series of tasks that have to be completed within @ specific time period and with limited financial resources. Successfully managing a project involves estimating and controlling the resources, budget and time schedule necessary for a positive outcome. Starting with the specifications of a project, project managers put together @ project plan which will enable them to complete the work on time and on budget. ‘A. READING Glossary ‘stint period of work ‘plague (¥) cause continual trouble ‘bumb up suddenly increase something comer-eutting doing things badly spin-off business new company that emerges from 2 larger enterprise Managing a project Up, up and away Tony Douglas is redefining how co run massive construction projects “TO THE west of London building. This is Heathrow and connections tothe is a vast building site. In the tport’s fifth terminal, London Transport network. midst of a landscape of mud destined to cater for 30m and men rises a vast glass- passengers a year. It will *Big construction projects are fronted box that will soon be include not just a terminal always tricky, but. airports Britain's largest free-standing but also new road rail links ing special problems: trickybuilding techniques, and the need to interface with other transport links and to install sophisticated electronics to handle passengers. and baggage. >the man in charge ofthis logistical nightmare, Tony Douglas, came to British Airports Authority via stints in the car and the commercial jet industries, and at Kenwood, a domestic appliance firm. For three years, he ran BBA's (British Aports Authority) supply chain. He took over as projet. manager for T3 (as the project is known) after the last boss left suddenly. The risks attached to this huge project are so great that BBA has been forced to tackle it in novel ways. If this giant endeavor is not completed on time and on budget, it could take the whole company down. “First, BBA is unusual in running the project itself. Mr Douglas insists. that. outsourcing to a big project management group such as Bechtel would cost more, not less. Second, as much as possible of the construction is taking place off-site. This reflects the site's physical constraints; it has only one entry point, through which a remetre load must move ‘every 30 seconds for a period of four years. And the site has ‘capacity for no more than two days of storage. The solution, he says, has been some ‘car industry logistics’ ~ a large investment in ‘computing and training that no individual supplier would have made. SBut the biggest novelty is the T5 Agreement. This is a contract with the project’s main suppliers, companies and subcontractor like Balfour Beatty and Bombardier, which aims to minimize the conflicts and cost-cutting that usually plague big building works. “Usually, contractors hold a beauty parade and take on the suppliers who bid lowest. ‘The suppliers rely on glitches and delays to bumb up the cost. Every time something goes wrong, legal haggling breaks out among suppliers and between them and the contractor, and work shuts down for weeks on end. With construct behind schedule, time runs short for the final installation and testing of the electronic systems. TUnder the Ts Agreement, BAA carves the risk, putting a precautionary sum into a fund that will be shared out among all its suppliers if the project finishes on time and budget. The effect, says Mr Douglas, has been to change the whole pace and culture of the project, allowing teams of employees from different suppliers to work together. As one example, he cites the elegant steel air traffic control tower. When the first two sections were engineered, they were out by mm. ‘Normally,” says Mr Douglas, “the manufacturers would have blamed the structural engineers, who ‘would have blamed the steel fabricator.” At fist, they did just that. Then Mr Douglas said, “Guys, this is my problem,” and sent them off to find a collective solution. New departures Passing risk to suppliers chosen. by beauty parade increases the risk of comer cutting, And, as T's suppliers are partners who will work ‘on future projects, they have an incentive to do a good ob. IF something goes. wrong later, there may be a debate about negligence, but not bout which suppliers isto blame. 16 T5 works so well, why isn't BAA building airports elsewhere? A bigger priority, at least for now, is to get permission to build an additional runway at Stansted, London's third airport. But ultimately ‘success will surely point to a spin-off business that can build other big projects safely and cheaply.Managing a project 1. Read the text and answer the question. 2. Read the text ag: How has the TS agreement facilitated the management ofthe TS project? and find the information to complete the following lists (1-4). 1) The principal problems related to building airports a b c 2) BAA’s options for managing the project. a] b 3)_The specific constraints imposed by the nature ofthe site a b 4) The major risks usualy involved in managing a project like TS (para 6) f b « B. VOCABULARY ‘Vocabulary 1 Read the sentences and find synonyms in the text for the underlined phrases. if ‘The company will be in serious difficulties if they don't complete the project within the ‘time schedule and cost estimates. (para 3) on time and on budget BAA decided against giving the project to an outside supplier. (para 4) Contractors generally award contracts to the companies that make the least expensive ‘proposals. (para 6) ‘Suppliers who are partners have the motivation to provide quality work. (para 9)5. Getting permission to build an additional runaway is a much more important ‘consideration. (para 10) \Vocabulary 2 Find the words and phrases in paragraphs 6 and 9 that are used to refer to problems and match them with their meanings (1-8). Para 6 1 minor errors 2 situations where something is late 3 disagreement over minor details 4 stop S late, overdue 6 expires is not sufficient Para9 7 doesn't happen as planned 8 failure to ensure that work is done correctly Vocabulary 3 The verb take is used several times in the text. Which collocations with take have the following meanings? +L assume control or responsibilty (para 3) 2 make something fail (para 3) 3 occur (para 4) 4 employ, hire (para 6) Vocabulary 4 Match definitions 1-4 with roles a-d. businesses working under contract on the TS project the company overseeing the project the company initiating the project organizations directly affected by the project project sponsor (BAA) contractor (BAA) Outside stakeholders (eg. London Transport) project partners (e.g. Bombardier) angeGRAMMAR articles the indefinite article, definite article, the, zero article Language check 1 Complete rules 1-4 with definitive or indefinite to show whether they refer to the definite article the or the indefinite articles a/an. 1. The 2. The 3, The. 4, The. articles used with nouns that refer to one unique thing. article is used before supertative adjectives. article is used before non-specific singular countable nouns. article is used when a noun has already been mentioned. Language check 2 Study the examples taken from the text. Which of the rules 1-4 above are illustrated in each? 2. twill include not just a terminal .. (para 3) . twill include .. connections to the London Transport network... (para 1) ©.» BAA is unusual in running the project itself. (para 4) . But the biggest novelty isthe T5 Agreement... (ara 5) . twill include not just a terminat .. (para 2) Language check 3 Study the text and find two examples to illustrate each of the following rules about using no article. ‘most proper nouns and names Uncountable nouns used in a general sense ‘general plural countable nouns abstract nouns used in a general sense D. CAREER SKILLS Stren ‘One of the keys to managing a project successfully is to set clear goals for everyone who is involved so that they know exactly what they have to achieve and by what time. Look at some of the phrases that can be useful when setting goals. What's the schedule for this? How much are you budgeting for. ? What will you need in the way of resources? b, I think we should aim to... aWhen do Ihave to get this in by? 9. Isthat feasible? hh_ Does that sound reasonable/doable? E. CULTURE AT WORK In some cultures, attitudes to time are different and itis not always considered essenti to respect a deadline. What is the case in your culture? Do people try to complete work ‘on time o do they consider it normal for deadlines to be extended?