CASE 4

1. What phase of the project do you think causes it to fail?

Failing is always been part, in creating in any kind of project, whether it is a big project or a small project. Overcoming a failure or adjusting from a failure will be not that easy. The best thing to do is that to avoid such project in the next future project that a team will be making, and to properly plan from the start. A lot of things you should consider before starting a project, first is knowing the capability of a team to create a certain project, it is not just accepting a project given and believing that it will be done in the duration that have been given to you, second is the knowledge about the project, the scope of the project, the history and everything. The third one is the resources, resources will be the most important thing to have in a project, and it will influence the project outcome whether it will be a good project or a bad project. next is the cost, cost is also part of the important things that a project have, the cost will determine if the project will be a good project outcome or a bad project outcome, because it will be a good project if it will be budgeted good and proper.  Planning is the very most important thing to start a project, it is where you will create the schedule of the team, the project creation, this where you plan all your time schedule, discuss on how to avoid risk from creating a project, discuss on how to avoid miscommunication within the members and the clients. Discuss on how to have a quality of the project, and discuss on how to sort things out. Failing is already a part of creating a project as I mentioned above, expect it already if you did not consider things that need to be consider and follow the procedures that need to be followed. Considering things that need to be considered and following procedures that need to be followed is not a fact that the failure of the project will be one, but instead it will only lessen the percentage of the of failure, or small cases of problem will appear but it can be handled by some methods that will be created in the planning phase.

In the situation given, what phase of the project do you think causes it to fail? It is the phase where the procedures of the project management should be followed. Then phase where the project manager should plan very carefully from the start and providing methods to avoid risks that will appear in the near future. The lack of software developer in the team was not a disadvantage for they were able to hire a group of software developers, and was able to present a beta version to the Local Government Unit, which means that the project is running and the people who is liable to this are still on the process of working.  After the beta version was presented to the Local Government Office, installed and test it, they continue the project afterwards. But the project manager was not there for installation and testing of the project, and only the developers and the liaison personnel from EMCA‘s local outlet were present. And that is a big deal for the project manager was the main person of the project, because he or she was the one managing the project, what if the beta version did not work? You can’ blame the developers for their just following orders from their project manager even the liaison personnel. The project manager should be there for if possible some bugs were detected then he or she will know about this, and he or she will able to fix this by applying the methods that he or created in the first place. Then during the UTA, the project manager resigns and went abroad, which very disturbing, he or she is left the project while it is not yet done, and leaving the project team without a project manager. But the local outlet manager assumed to be the project manager until the project is finished so there is no other problem with that for it has an acting project manager and it has a person who will manage the project for a while. They were bugs found in the project but it was fixed attentive by the subcontracted group of developers. Then along the process the team members except with the system analyst was leaving the team one by one, even the project manager with no reason stated. They were never seen again and leaving the project started incomplete, and the system analyst without the knowledge of the field that has been vacant because of his or her team left, he or she was the only one who fixes the bugs that the project has. And that is very wrong, he or she was just a system analyst, he or she was not a project manager by him or herself, he is no good just him or herself, the project need to be accomplished by a team and not only a one person. And because of that happening, one year was not enough, and the project been delayed for how many months, and been considered by the upper people as a failure project.

This kind of failure is a failure that should be avoided from the first place, the EMCA team. The EMCA, after hiring the subcontracted group of developers and after they started the project, the EMCA should get some updates and progress from the subcontracted group, for updates and progress are very important, because it is where you will know the project status of where they were now? How much they already been progress?  Is there any progress in the project? this kind of question should asked to they subcontracted group, so that they will keep on working, and if anything changes the EMCA will know, and if the team members will leave then the EMCA will know and will able to cope up with that kind of problem.

      2. As a project manager how would you proceed with the recommendation of the LGU?

Every problem has its own solution, and every solution has its own problem. Failing is not good word to hear neither not a good practice to do. But failing helps you to improve something in the near future, helps you by learning from your mistakes and gain some lessons to it. There are two things failure will do to you, first gaining lesson and applying it to your next project, it is like tasting a certain food for the first time and if you do not like it then the next time you will see it you will not eat or try to taste it again. Second, is that failure reminds us that even how great, smart or good you are on the field that you chose is that failure will not be lost, it will always be there, even great people experience failure, let’s just face it accept it and respect it that it revolves everyday in our life. Project manager have a very big responsibility in the team project, for he or she is the one manages everything that evolves in the project making. Every decision, every act, every command is what a project should follow by their project manager. Project manager is the main thing in a project team, because without him or her everything will be useless and no direction. But the position as a project manager has also consequence, it may suffer or it may live happy. Suffer as I say because if the project manager was not able to plan everything from the start or manage everything then the team will suffer the consequence like, getting a lot of problems that will happen in the project like having a lot of bugs, or short of budget, and worst, a failed project. But in the other side, it will be different if the project manager carefully follows all the procedures needed to start a project, and then if it is done nevertheless it will be a success. If the project failed, the blame will always be thrown to the project manager, and if it will be a success then the compliment is not just for the project manager but also for the team, so in the entire project manager job is really hard to do.

As a question asked, as a project manager, how would you proceed with the recommendation of the Local Government Unit? As a project manager, I will do what the Local Government Unit recommends for as the same as me, the project really fail. I will accept the fact that the project we are working was a big failure; it is just a waste of time, money, effort. The project was already a failure from the start, and that is the reason why it failed until the end. I will not argue with the Local Government Unit about their decision, because besides that the project was already overdue for how many months, it was not user friendly, it is because it is just a beta version and an incomplete project, as I was saying only the beta version was presented, and a lot of bugs should be fixed. These things are the reason why I can’t argue to the Local Government Unit about their decision, even me, because even me I will declare it as failure. In the problem the action of the team that belongs to the subcontracted group was not able to finish the project at the right time but instead they leave the subcontracted group one by one and never been seen again. The root of the failure starts with the EMCA corporation, for they get the project with consciously knowing that they are not capable of doing or developing the software, they should just stick with what they are capable of, which is the hardware and installation. Hiring a subcontracted group is a good way to solve the problem they are facing after accepting the project, but subcontracted group does not mean that you will accomplish and be a success for the end. It will depend on how the members among the subcontracted group act. Now after this happens, the subcontracted group started the planning and developing, but the fact that the EMCA Corporation was not able to hear the subcontracted group about the progress of the project for five months, it is a bad step to do, because getting updates from the team is very important, even if you will refer to the PMBok. And that was also the wrong of the EMCA corporation, because if they do updates to the project, then maybe the beta version was been done more earlier than the problem was stated, and the project was able to continue to work on the project earlier.  But no, the EMCA Corporation did not do this things, instead they let the subcontracted group do they want to do.

                There is a lot of lacks on both sides, on the side of EMCA Corporation, and on the side of the subcontracted group. The EMCA Corporation who accepts the project without knowing their limitations, they just accept and do what need to do. The subcontracted group, who was hired by the EMCA Corporation to do the failed software project, has a lot of lacks too. The incomplete attendance of the team on the installation and presenting the beta version to the Local Government Unit, the sudden resignation of the project manager who went abroad, and never accomplish the task as a project manager, then the members of the subcontracted group who walk away one by one without finishing their own task and not finishing the project. The system analyst, who was left behind the team, fixes the bugs alone but never made it in to the finish line or the deadline or never completes the project. The Local Government Unit, who declares the project as a failure, was a wise and good decision, because if I will be a project manager, me, too will declare it as failure. Based on the happenings, failed will definitely fit the remarks of the project.

 3. If you're a project manager, will you declare it as a failure? Why?

 Project manager have a very big responsibility in the team project, for he or she is the one manages everything that evolves in the project making. Every decision, every act, every command is what a project should follow by their project manager. Project manager is the main thing in a project team, because without him or her everything will be useless and no direction. But the position as a project manager has also consequence, it may suffer or it may live happy. Suffer as I say because if the project manager was not able to plan everything from the start or manage everything then the team will suffer the consequence like, getting a lot of problems that will happen in the project like having a lot of bugs, or short of budget, and worst, a failed project. But in the other side, it will be different if the project manager carefully follows all the procedures needed to start a project, and then if it is done nevertheless it will be a success. If the project failed, the blame will always be thrown to the project manager, and if it will be a success then the compliment is not just for the project manager but also for the team, so in the entire project manager job is really hard to do.

As asked, if I am the project manager would I declare it as failure? Why? If I will stand as a project manager, yes will be my answer, I will declare it as a failure because from the start the project already failed. The project before it was given to the EMCA Corp. team, the EMCA Corporation already conscious that they do not have any experts to do the software or to develop the software but instead without hesitation the EMCA Corporation accepted to develop the hardware and software of the project. This act that the team of EMCA Corporation done is wrong, although they were conscious of this, they were also able to hire a team that will develop the software, it is a good thing and a good step. But what is wrong as my observation, is getting the update from the team from time to time. Getting updates and progress is very important for creating a project, and this step was not able to apply by the EMCA Corporation to the subcontracted team that they hired. Another reason why I as a project manager declared this project a failure because of it is already overdue, because the time given to the project was only a year but then the project was already almost two years. The fact that the team members are slowly out after the project manager resigned and gone abroad, the system analyst, who is the only person in the team left at the end who fixes the bugs alone did not able to finish it, because the project is a big project and can’t be done individually. Another reason is the project manager who was very wrong, because first, he or she was not able to be there at the installation and the testing of the beta project to the Local Government Unit. Secondly, is the resignation of him or her and went gone abroad, because of this no one will able to manage the project, no one will create strategy. Although the EMCA outlet manager assume to be the project manager, but I guess having an assumed project manager did not help the project success. And then after the resignation and abroad thing, the other members of the team, well except for the system analyst was one by one left, which makes the situation more in trouble. Because of this happening the project making got even worst, no one will help the system analyst to finish the project, no one will finish the project, no one will manages the project, and are you still not to declare it as failure? As I see it declaring it as failure is not wrong and it is not a mistake to declare that. All that happen, all the wrong that happen was started from the start, for not following any procedure the project management has.  This happenings make the project failed and be declared as failed project, because the team has a lot of lacks especially to the project manager itself.

Failing is always a part, but failure on a big or major project like this is very another talk, for it is good for a year and a lot of time and effort are being given here, even the budget. All of this matters and gone wasted because of some irregular actions done by the project manager and other members of the team, even the corporation done a very wrong step for not monitoring the subcontracted team that they hired and they do not know what had been happening in the project, what had been the progress, and what had been their plans. Failure as I speak, sometimes you need to face the consequences you will get after any actions, whether it is a bad consequence or a good consequence, for it is your act and choice so be it. And as the EMCA corporation choose to do both, which is the hardware and software part of the project with them consciously knowing that they are lack of  team members that will able to develop the software part, but they accept the deal with no hesitation. Considering the resources that you have must be the thing the EMCA Corporation done, for accepting that your team is limited only to hardware is not a bad thing for the corporation but instead it is a courage thing to do, accepting the limits and accepting the limited resources you have. Failure might be a very disappointed word but when you going to create another project in the future, you will go to be aware on what the proper way to do things is and how to avoid threats and ifs. As a project manager I declared it as failure.

4. What steps would you do to make it succeed?

Succession of the project is a very overwhelming feeling for the team or any individual, for you will see the achievement that you get after the time and effort that you spend on creating a certain project. But as what is normally happens, after success of course problems along the way will appear, and if you are ready for this or you are already expecting for this from the start then you already prepared some methods on how to handle the problems that will appear. The methods you will be using here are of course already planned in the first place and in that phase is the planning. Before starting the project, planning is the very important part of the project, it is the first step to achieve a successful project, and if the procedure of planning was not followed then a big probability of failure in the project will happen. There are ways on achieving success in every project you will create, and if your are determine to achieve a success then you will follow the ways on how to get it, because sometimes there are people who want success but does not act, it means that they want to be successful in the project that their creating but they do not follow any procedures, they are not following the ways, or schedule, they are not taking orders form a higher person or let’s just say a project manager.

Success will always be in the tip of your hands as long as you are determined or your team is determining to accomplish it with flying colours. If I was given that project and create it in about a year, then steps will be created or scheduled everything first on the planning stage. Planning will be the first step that I will do in creating such project, creating my team and analyzing what team I should build in order to develop the project. scheduling will also be part of it, the knowledge of the project will be done here, the resources that needed to influence the outcome, the cost that will be needed to finish the project, the methods that should be needed in case of threats done by risks, cost, and communication, the time that will be needed in each task, process of documenting and the sequencing the things that needed to do in the project. Next will be developing, develop what was plan is the next step that I will do, creating my team, creating my schedules, creating the methods, getting all the resources I need to create the project, creating a time schedule for you or the team able to know their schedules. The next will be managing. Managing all of them will be the next step I will do, managing my team, discussing to them their tasks, and discussing to them about the scope of the project, on what project will be working. Managing the time, is also part of the managing step, it is where you properly sequence everything you or your team will do along the project making, it is where you will create an activity list. Managing the methods is also part of the managing step, managing the methods by knowing when to use it and how to use it. Then managing the resources, not all the resources will be used already at the start of the project, of course there are a resource that will be needed soon in the future, that is why managing the resources is needed to avoid unnecessary problems regarding to resources. And also the managing for the cost, money is the main foundations of the project without the proper manage of it, and then the project will be a disaster. Now the next step is the executing stage, it is where you will execute everything that you planned, developed, and managed, from creating everything then executing it. If those things I mentioned above will be executed by my team or me, the project will be a success. Proper execution of everything will give an assurance of a successful project. The time is the most fragile thing in creating a project for it is limited and if it is not properly used, everything will be wasted. But if managing time will be executed, especially creating a schedule of things to do, then it will be a success. The next step and the last step that I will follow will be the controlling the project schedule, when you say controlling the project schedule, it is where you ask for updates and progress for the project. Updating the progress of the project for me is the most needed to do thing in executing and before finishing a project, because in this stage you will know that the process has been followed and the desired output has been followed. The updating was the lack of the project manager stated in the problem, because they did not hear anything from the team while creating the project, and that updating I will follow for I will not do the same mistake as the team in the problem done.

As following those steps above, I assure that everything will work fine and everything will be a success in the end. The planning that I will do from the start, the developing that i will do after the planning, then the managing, then the executing and the controlling of the project schedule which is the needed part. Applying those step will be a big help in creating a project, if I was the one given that project, those step that I mentioned above, is the step that I will follow, for I believe that those step will lessen the percentage of failure in the project. It may not be the perfect steps to follow but I’ll assure that this step will get a higher percentage of achieving the project goal, and so that the time and effort that you gave to the project, not just you even your team members will not be wasted.