Assignment 2: Project Schedule Changes You Have Kicke 978845

Assignment 2: Project Schedule Changes You have Kicked Off The District

Assignment 2: Project Schedule Changes You have kicked off the District 4 Production Warehouse Move project, your contractors are in place and working on receiving the proper building permits. You originally were told the permits would only take 2 weeks to obtain but the contractors are telling you it will now take 3 weeks. You need to build the additional week into your schedule for each permit that will be obtained. In addition, your framing and drywall contractors have just told you they are running late on their other jobs and can only release half their crew for your project. This will double their schedule. Build the extra time into your schedule by doubling the installation work timelines for both the framing and drywall. Your project plan should also be updated with the new 3-week timeline for obtaining permits. Use the project plan you created for this task. You are now looking at an extended project delivery date. Your project sponsor was very clear that you must be done in a 4-month timeframe so you will need to look at options for reducing your schedule to fit into the 4-month window. You have an option of hiring another contractor to help with the framing and drywall work but it will increase your budget by $200,000. Determine your best course of action for bringing this project in on schedule and update your project plan to reflect your recommendation. Develop a 5-6 slide presentation for senior management outlining your proposed solution. You are seeking approval to proceed with your new plan. Submit both your updated project plan in PDF format and your PowerPoint presentation. Submit your plan to M4: Assignment 2 Dropbox by Wednesday, December 2, 2015 .

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The successful management of project schedules hinges on the ability to accurately forecast potential risks, accommodate unforeseen delays, and adapt plans to meet overarching deadlines. In the context of the District 4 Production Warehouse Move, several unforeseen challenges have arisen, including extended permit acquisition times and delays from contractors. This paper critically evaluates these delays and proposes strategic solutions to ensure the project adheres to the stipulated four-month timeframe. The analysis includes updating the project schedule, assessing risk mitigation options, and presenting a comprehensive plan to senior management for approval.

Analyzing Schedule Delays and Their Impacts

Initially, the permit procurement process was anticipated to take two weeks; however, it has now extended to three weeks (project delay of one week). This adjustment requires recalibrating the project timeline to account for the additional week. Furthermore, the framing and drywall contractors have signaled a delay, reducing their crew availability by half, which will double the duration of their respective installation tasks.

These delays cumulatively threaten the project’s completion date, given that the original schedule aimed for a four-month (approximately 16-week) completion window. Extending the permit issuance by one week shifts the overall schedule, and halving the crew results in a doubling of work duration, which could extend the project further unless mitigated.

Strategies for Schedule Compression and Risk Mitigation

To align the project with the four-month deadline, several options are evaluated:

1. Hire Additional Contractors: Bringing in another contractor for framing and drywall at an additional cost of $200,000 could reduce the compression needed elsewhere. This approach can help regain lost time due to delays and crew limitations.

2. Schedule Re-sequencing: Prioritize activities and possibly fast-track certain tasks to overlap activities that were initially scheduled sequentially.

3. Extended Work Hours: Increase daily work hours on critical tasks to offset time lost.

4. Resource Allocation Adjustments: Reallocate resources from less critical tasks to critical path activities, ensuring minimal schedule slippage.

Each approach carries implications regarding costs, project quality, and stakeholder expectations. An analysis balancing these considerations suggests that hiring additional contractors offers the most reliable schedule recovery, provided budget adjustments are approved.

Proposed Solution and Schedule Update

The recommended course of action involves allocating the additional $200,000 to hire an extra framing and drywall contractor. This additional workforce would enable parallel processing of tasks, effectively reducing the doubled schedule caused by crew limitations. The update entails:

- Extending the permit acquisition to three weeks.

- Doubling the installation timelines for framing and drywall, while concurrently engaging extra contractors to perform these tasks in less time.

- Adjusting the overall project schedule to ensure completion within four months, factoring in the cost for additional labor.

The new schedule reconfigures work sequences, allowing critical tasks to overlap and maintain pace with the reduced timeline. The final project timeline should be compressed from an estimated 18-20 weeks to within 16 weeks, fitting into the four-month constraint.

Cost-Benefit Analysis and Risk Assessment

While the extra $200,000 expenditure increases the upfront project cost, it significantly reduces the risk of missing delivery deadlines, which can entail penalties and reputational damages. The approach mitigates schedule risks arising from permit delays and crew availability issues. However, it is also essential to evaluate operational risks, such as contractor reliability and quality control, which can be managed through contractual agreements and oversight.

Presentation to Senior Management

A 5-6 slide PowerPoint presentation is prepared to communicate these recommendations. The slides outline:

- The initial project schedule and identified delays.

- The proposed mitigation strategies.

- The rationale for hiring additional contractors.

- The updated project schedule.

- Cost implications and risk considerations.

- The ask for approval to proceed with the revised plan.

This presentation aims to secure approval, emphasizing the strategic balance between cost and schedule adherence.

Conclusion

Effective project management requires adapting to unforeseen delays while maintaining stakeholder expectations. In this scenario, extending permit timelines and accommodating crew delays necessitate strategic schedule compression. Hiring additional contractors offers an optimal solution, enabling the project to meet its four-month deadline despite initial setbacks. Proper update and communication of the revised plan are essential for successful project delivery.

References

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