Project Feedback - Week 5 Blog (3rd blog)

1. Your Final Project Feedback.

Our TA, Maggie, gave me some productive feedback for my project plan. The organization as a whole up to the corporate level is in the transformation phase, but perhaps the local facility is still in the pioneering phase, and I need to approach this local project as a pioneering organization.

My biggest struggle seems to be finding time and resources, and Maggie suggested getting someone’s time formally approved/committed to the project.  Upper management is on board with the project in the “yeah, get this done eventually” sense with the funding to spare, but we want to speed the project up.  If we can get a proper business case up to the higher rungs, the project will move faster.

The recent lecture on July 22 highlighted air quality improvements significantly increasing worker productivity.  We’re going to sell upper management primarily on big increases in productivity and employee morale, with sustainability and energy savings as a cherry on top.  This will definitely help move the air quality system upgrade, and our temperature control and energy saving system will be upgraded at the same time.  I’m taking the action to help put the numbers out there and move this project.

2. Elaborate on two organizational systems that are important to the success of your project. 

a) Decision Making Processes:

1. The key decision is how many energy management upgrades to implement and when to implement them.  If we started from a clean sheet of paper, we’d have designed the system correctly the first time. As is, we’ll have to upgrade different sections in phases.

2. The maintenance manager is one key decision maker as he’s in charge of the project.  There are layers above him that must make additional approvals.  I need to find those decision makers as well, but the maintenance manager does not expect problems getting approvals so finding those decision makers has not been a priority.

3. I need to find out who controls the manpower resources.  Who is going to do the actual work? I may need someone to say, “This project is important.  Get it done NOW.”

4. We’re going to build a business case to upper management, but I really need to identify who these people actually are.  My champion, the maintenance manager, is an important ally it’s his project and getting it done will make him look good.

b) Business and Finance: 

1. I don’t have an exact figure yet, but I am guessing $100,000 to $250,000 for the equipment, upgrades, and installation.  We’re going to walk the details of the facility this coming week with the local engineering firm so we’ll be able to narrow this number down.

Manpower resources will be an issue.  We may have to commit more money to contractors to make up for the lack of manpower.

2. I will try to convince upper management that this project will actually make them money instead of losing them money.  My plan is to dig deeper into the financial aspect this week after we meet with the engineering firm again.

3. Making sure upper management knows the benefits of installing our system.  We’re going to make them more money.

4. Improved employee morale and reduced sickness will improve overall productivity.  I will provide numbers on this data.  Additionally, the reduction in energy use for temperature control will also provide energy savings.  The energy savings can also be used as a success story and green branding as it aligns with our overall green marketing strategies.

5. This project depends on multiple units.  We have a single primary decision maker (maintenance manager), but someone above him needs to also say yes or no.  There are multiple decision makers, but we expect upper management to defer most decisions to the maintenance manager.