1. The biggest initial problem with the project was the lack of definition. Responsibilities, expectations, and lines of communication were all poorly defined. Lack of structure leads to exactly those results: a poorly executed project that fails to achieve the goals it was intended to meet.
2. I like to stick with the cliche of the W's from news article writing. Who, What, Why, When, and Where are all things that need to be nailed down for this type of project before actual design should begin.
3. An advisory committee can be both a valuable asset and an insurmountable problem if you let it. In the course of a single project, it can even be both! Projects are ruled by deadlines, and the specification of what the deliverable will be needs to be set before work begins. After an initial meeting or two to iron out differences and get set on most common goals, you need to lock your specification. Any suggestions or requests after that date can be addressed through a change control process, or implemented with versioning if appropriate.
4. The essence of project management is control. While the project manager answers to the stakeholders, the project needs to be under your thumb at all times. Cole needed to define scope, schedules and deadlines, ask for needed resources, set work assignments, and constantly communicate in more effective ways. When it comes to implementation, especially of a software resource, extensive testing and triple-checking are rules to live by.
5. There are a few options when it comes to a project that is this much of a morass. First, the project could be abandoned. If the stakeholders can not agree on a course of action, or if the business need has shifted, this is a common choice. Secondly, the project can be relaunched from scratch using sound project management techniques. This will often yield a superior deliverable, but can be prohibitive in terms of cost and time. Lastly, the project can be modified (often radically) to better meet the business need. This can be cost-effective, particularly if any issues with the deliverable are minor, and political issues are not too extreme.
I agree with you on the lack of communication. I think this whole project would have gone a lot smoother if people learned to communicate with one another. I also agree that a project manager should be in control or at least have an idea as to where the project is going at all times. I found this to be a major problem throughout reading the entire case study.
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