1.0 Introduction
A project is a design of activities for achieving a set task and objectives within a defined time frame ranging from day to years (Knutson & Bitz 2013). On the other hand, project plan constitutes of a laid down strategy on how to complete a project within the set timeframe. As elucidated by Schmidt & Strickland (2012), project objectives and scope guide the project implementation process. This assignment is ingrained on the aspect that the writer is a senior executive with Airbus. Airbus is seeking to design and build a passenger aircraft which can travel at supersonic speed that is codenamed Falcon 24 as its top speed is expected to be 2,400 km/h.
Against this background; Airbus has just finalized construction of a state of the art and a dedicated assembly plant in Toulouse, France. Notably, the first aircraft is projected to be ready for commercial use in five years. In order to realize the objectives, several factories across Europe will have to be incorporated to facilitate the manufacturing of the components of Falcon 24 aircraft. Additionally, the assignment is premised on the aspect that the writer has been appointed to be Sponsor of the Falcon 24 project by Airbus right from commencement of the assembly of the aircraft at the new assembly plant until completion of the first commercial flight. Particularly, the researcher will prepare a professional report covering project scope, risk assessment and key milestones. Further, giving an elaborate conclusion and recommendations regarding Falcon 24 project constitutes the scope of this study.
2.0 Project Planning
2.1 Project Scope
Designing and building a passenger aircraft which can travel at supersonic speed of 2,400 km/h that is codenamed Falcon 24 constitutes the project scope. In order to execute the Falcon 24 aircraft project successfully, several factories across Europe will be incorporated to facilitate the manufacturing of the components of the Falcon aircraft.
Ingrained in key milestones, the Falcon project manager will plan and implement the construction of a state of the art to enhance implementation of the Falcon 24 aircraft. Key issues that will govern the implementation of the Falcon 24 aircraft will include project control and transition to facilitate completion of the Falcon 24 aircraft project in five years.
Project Objectives
- Launching of the Falcon 24 aircraft will enable Airbus achieve the highest service delivery for the clients and delivery of client experience that is second to none in the aircraft industry.
- Launching of the Falcon 24 aircraft will help promote high standards of professional conduct with regard to WHS in addition to ant-discrimination legislation.
2.2 Stakeholder List
The project stakeholders include the project client, project sponsor, project manager, and operations general manager works as a team to ensure that project objectives are achieved.
| Name | Work area | Impact on/by project, requirements, success criteria |
| Project client | Working with the board of directors to oversee a successful running of the project. | Setting strategic directions |
| Project sponsor | Working with the board of directors to oversee a successful running of the project. | Funding the project |
| Project manager | In-charge of daily operations of the project | Responsible for collecting suggestions and feedback for the efficient running of the project |
| Operations general manager | In-charge of daily operations of the project alongside the project manager. | Co-ordinates workers and management systems of the project. |
3.0 Project Implementation
Before Falcon 24 aircraft project kick-off, a meeting with project stakeholders to ensure project buy-in will be conducted. Falcon 24 aircraft project manager will embrace communication approaches that include lateral and downward in addition and to upward communication strategies.
3.1 Key Milestones
In order to ensure a successful Falcon 24 aircraft project implementation, the key milestones that will be elaborately addressed by the project manager that includes:
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
| Task 1 | ||
| Preparation of startup meeting for all stakeholders | Sub-task 1.1 | |
| Preparation of documentation about detail of meeting all stakeholders | Distribute the right information to the right stakeholders | |
| Invite IT and assembling experts and inform about the overall information | As a reference, discuss and receive feedback from stakeholders | |
| Conclusion meeting | Review the feedback from the stakeholders | |
| Preparation of project overview document | Sending the document to all team members | |
| Informing all suppliers and assigning the responsibilities | Supplier details and duties and work responsibilities | |
| Timelines | Brief determination of the timeline of each guideline process for all stakeholders | |
| Task 2 | ||
| Project kick off | Sub-task 2.1 | |
| Setting up of monitoring Falcon 24 aircraft project plan | Seeking suggestions from team members | Submission of report to the management team weekly |
| Continuous evaluation of each activity | Evaluating each activity of the project | |
| Team meeting | Exchange of ideas and feedback between internal and IT Experts team | |
| Sub-task 2.2 | ||
| Final meeting | Giving conclusions about the project to the management team | Preparation of document to the management team |
| Implementing plan | Timeline given |
3.2 Risk Assessment
The purpose of risk assessment will for the identification of all Falcon 24 aircraft project risks and giving action suggestions for minimizing the risk occurrence. The Falcon 24 aircraft manager will find the risk assessment illustrated critical;
| Risk Identification |
| Tracking/ Control |
| Risk Analysis |
| Planning |
| Implementation |
During risk identification that will be ingrained in categorizing risks on the basis of high or low will be embraced. The identified risks entail:
Falcon 24 aircraft project risks:
| Risk | Likelihood H/M/L | Impact H/M/L | Risk response (Contingency strategies) | Responsible |
| Financial | M | H | Weekly evaluation of activities and releasing of funds | Project sponsor |
| Project lagging behind schedule | M | H | Regular evaluation of the project progress Funding of the suppliers in time | Project manager |
| Over-budget | H | M | Reducing unnecessary activities Sticking to the budget of each activity | Project sponsor |
| Ineffective communication to all stakeholders | L | H | Weekly project evaluation and having open discussion sessions for feedback giving | Project manager |
| Procurement flaws | L | H | Ensure procurement procedure is followed. | Project manager |
Falcon 24 aircraft risk analysis will involve transforming risk items to information that will be used in decision-making process and validation of the Falcon 24 aircraft risk information to ensure project success. The analysis will entail classification and prioritizing Falcon 24 aircraft risk items, provision of mitigation recommendations, measuring Falcon 24 aircraft risk items, and reviewing them. Falcon 24 aircraft risk probability will be determined: High, Medium or Low. Determination of Falcon 24 aircraft risk severity will be based on potential impact, probability occurrence, and risk timeframe.
Falcon 24 aircraft risk planning will entail the assigning of risk ownership, mitigation development, and risk measurement. Reviewing and approval of the Falcon 24 aircraft risk mitigations will aid in risk planning. Besides, translation of mitigations into action plan will be done to establish the path for addressing the Falcon 24 aircraft risks. Risk tracking and control will seek to ensure that all the steps of Falcon 24 aircraft risk management, risk mitigation, and the contingency execution action plan are followed.
4.0 Project Control
4.1 Communication
Before commencing the Falcon 24 aircraft project, a meeting with all the stakeholders will be fundamental as it will help gather necessary information significant for the initiation of the Falcon 24 aircraft project.
| What | Who | Purpose | When /Frequency | Type/ Method |
| Initiation meeting | All stakeholders | Gathering information necessary for initiation of plan | Before project start date | Meeting |
| Inform about project scope | All stakeholders | Furnish the stakeholders about project scope to gain buy-in | Before kick-off meeting Before project start date | Meeting, project website |
| Project kick-off | All stakeholders | Inform stakeholder responsibilities | A week to project start date | Meeting, project website |
| Progress reports | All stakeholders | Updating all the stakeholders regarding the progress of the project | Weekly update | Project website, mail, meeting |
| Team meetings | Whole project team Individual meetings for sub-teams. | Review of responsibilities and action items | Weekly meetings and review | Meetings, mail, project website |
| Sponsor meetings | Project manager and project sponsor | Update sponsor on the progress of project Discussing any challenges facing the effective implementation of project | Monthly meetings | Meeting |
Weekly team meetings that will constitute of the entire project team and individual meetings for sub-teams will be executed in order to review Falcon 24 aircraft project progress.
4.2 Responsibilities and Reporting Requirements
The Falcon 24 aircraft project sponsor will have a responsibility of working with the board of directors to oversee the project planning and financing. It will be crucial to have weekly consultations with the board of directors and give suggestions to better the Falcon 24 aircraft project implementation process. In addition, the project sponsor should ensure that funds are availed on time in order for the Falcon 24 aircraft project manager to timely pay suppliers.
The Falcon 24 aircraft project manager who will be in-charge of project implementation and coordination of project activities will be required to collect suggestions and feedback on any impediment facing the effective administration of the Falcon 24 aircraft project. After collecting suggestions and feedback, he will be required to share that outcome with other project shareholders for effective project administration. Additionally, he will be required to coordinate project activities to facilitate the project success.
4.3 Access to Resources
The Falcon 24 aircraft project manager will be required to assign responsibility relevant to staff skills. IT infrastructure that includes software, hardware, and high-speed internet connection for aircraft will be outsourced. Further, a financial budgeting for the project, manageable, and controllable will be critical.
4.4 Frequency of information exchange
As concluded in Lee (2014) study, regular suggestion and feedback to stakeholders will have an immense contribution towards a successful implementation of the project. Notably, weekly collection of suggestions and feedback on Falcon 24 aircraft project progress will be done to oversee the progress status.
Further, monthly reports about project progress will be an effective strategy of monitoring the Falcon 24 aircraft project progress. In addition, regular communication via phone, Falcon 24 aircraft project website, and mail to all shareholders will enhance effective project administration.
It is worth noting that the sponsor and Falcon 24 aircraft project manager meetings will be done monthly. This will be conducted so as to update the sponsor on the progress of the project and further discuss critical issues that may entail challenges facing the progress of the Falcon 24 aircraft project. The meetings will also be aimed at seeking approval for changes to the initial project plan when there is need.
4.5 Project Budget
The success of the Falcon 24 aircraft project will ingrained in a budget that will cover all the costs that will be incurred.
| Project Deliverables | Resource | Projected Cost | ||
| Outsourcing IT and assembling experts | IT Experts | $60000 | ||
| Outsourcing assembling materials | Construction firm | $35000 | ||
| Total | $95000 | |||
4.6 Project Monitoring
Premised on Schmidt & Strickland (2012), commencing a project without a structured project management methodology can be compared to starting a building construction without a map. Strategies for effective planning, communication to stakeholders, risk management, evaluation and Falcon 24 aircraft project monitoring will be significant in ensuring a successful aircraft project.
Further, Falcon 24 aircraft project monitoring will enable the project manager to oversee and evaluate the project progress in terms of time frame, money, risks, and quality. Embracing a structured methodology of Falcon 24 aircraft project management will be crucial in risk management. Effective Falcon 24 aircraft monitoring will enable the project manager to identify risks that may hinder effective project progress and completion.
4.7 Ongoing Improvements
Rather than radical changes, Falcon 24 aircraft project management will be premised on continuous improvement. This strategy embodies an on-going practice of addressing organizational changes that entail addressing changes and trends stepwise (Lee 2014). It will further embrace continual small improvements rather than making big and drastic changes at irregular intervals of the Falcon 24 aircraft project. The project’s continuous improvement will involve changes to the uses of manpower, machinery, methods, materials and funds to improve efficiency and maximize output of the Falcon 24 aircraft in a gradual approach.
4.8 Project Timeline
4.9 Location of Information
Platforms of sharing information Falcon 24 aircraft will include weekly at the MH3 meeting hall, phone calls, electronically via emails and through the Falcon 24 aircraft project website.
4.10 Charter Sign off
Charter sign off will indicate an agreement between Falcon 24 aircraft project sponsor and the project manager. It will detail how the Falcon 24 aircraft project will be funded and implemented.
| ………………………………., Project Manager | ……………………………………, Project Sponsor |
5.0 Conclusion
Effective implementation of Falcon 24 aircraft project will require integration all stakeholders’ efforts. Timely budget preparation and release of funds will be critical for effective Falcon 24 aircraft project implementation. In addition, collection of suggestion and feedback giving will be central to the Falcon 24 aircraft project progress monitoring. It is worth concluding that making continual small improvements rather than making big and drastic changes at irregular intervals will facilitate Falcon 24 aircraft project success.
Further, it is concluded that Falcon 24 aircraft project evaluation and monitoring will help answer the questions whether the Falcon 24 aircraft project activities are proceeding as planned. In addition, this report concludes that Falcon 24 aircraft project manager should ensure that the stakeholders understand that everybody is responsible and has a role to play in ensuring the Falcon 24 aircraft project success.
6.0 Recommendation
It is recommended that to ensure Falcon 24 aircraft project success, regular project progress status reports should be given to stakeholders. Once the implementation process of the Falcon 24 aircraft project kicks-off, identification, and documentation of the Falcon 24 aircraft project should be executed. Falcon 24 aircraft status report should give an overview of the project scope and detail how the Falcon 24 aircraft project scope will be realized in addition to regularly updating all stakeholders.
It is recommended that Falcon 24 aircraft projects risks should be brought to the attention of the stakeholders on a weekly basis. This will aid effective Falcon 24 aircraft project administration and monitoring. In addition, it is recommended that Falcon 24 aircraft status of the project finance and resources must be brought the attention of Falcon 24 aircraft project sponsor and additional funding or adjustments sought by the project manager where necessary.
Reference List
Knutson, J. & Bitz, I. 2013. Project management, planning and managing successful projects. New York, NY: AMACOM.
Lee, J. 2014. Project management bodies of knowledge. Newtown Square, Pa.: Project Management Institute.
Schmidt, F. & Strickland, T. 2012. Client satisfaction surveying: Common measurement tool. Ottawa: The Centre.