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Case Study

Introduction

Effective project management requires knowledge, skills, competence and experience in constituent professional fields. Essentially, this forms the framework upon which credible decision making is anchored. It is fundamental for project sustainability and prevention of relative shortcomings. Poor performance with respect to effective application of skills, knowledge and experience usually has adverse effects on the quality of the performance. This is well exemplified in Woody 2000 project. Indeed, the inability to effectively apply the intricate and augmenting aspects of competence, knowledge and experience undermined the respective project management. This study evaluates the problems in this case study in order to underscore the various shortcomings that compromised the performance of different stakeholders.

During the planning stage, the project manager failed to factor in the opinions and ideas of other members. In this respect, it is worth acknowledging that project managers do not have specialized skills in the constituent field of the given project. During decision making, they rely on the knowledge of other professionals who are specialized in different fields. This is vital as it ensures that the decisions made are based on credible background information. The failure to consult these professionals during this critical stage of the project led to significant gaps in the entire project. In particular, decisions made at this point were subjective and based on limited knowledge.

The manager also employed personnel that had limited knowledge in specialized fields such as programming. The resultant inefficiency culminated in delays that cost the company innumerable resources. Further, it led to withdrawal of important clients and put the reputation of the company at stake. Another problem that is inherent in this case study pertains to financial accountability. Notably, the management did not have a credible system of accountability and as a result, significant resources were employed in covering up the resultant costs. The mode of expenditure was not clearly defined and was liable to frequent changes. With time, it became increasingly difficult to account for the resources employed during the entire process.

Lack of frequent reviews and approvals also affected the quality of the project. In particular, it made it difficult for problems to be identified in a timely manner and viable measures undertaken to counter the same. This led to frequent delays as shortcomings were identified during later stages. Perhaps the problem that had the most profound effects on the wellbeing of the project was the internal conflicts. This had adverse effects on the organizational cohesion that was essential for effective functioning. It is indicated that it undermined the ability of the management to control the project and ensure that it meets the required quality. At this juncture, it is worth noting that this led to more problems as it affected information flow and communication.

Conclusion

Effective project management is anchored on different intricate and mutually reinforcing factors. Besides having sufficient resources, successful completion of a project also requires collaboration between stakeholders. Free flow of information ensures that problems are identified and addressed in a timely manner. Cooperation also ensures that decisions are founded on credible knowledge and information about the issue under review. Notably, the management of Woody 2000 project did not have expertise to incorporate all these concerns in project management. As it has come out from the study, the problems of this case study are numerous.