In our current global economy consumer products are dropping in price due to the maturity of organization’s that are schooled in the ability to leverage the best and cheapest resources around the world every point in the manufacturing process. In recent years we have seen remarkably low priced items seen with the launch of Tata’s Nano car retailed at $1900 and now Adidas’ recent announcement of launching a $1 running shoe aimed at India’s growing population.
Up until the early 20th century the world viewed the automobile as a luxury item built for the elite of society. Cars were complicated in their use and required a significant investment that the average person could not afford. Then in 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T Ford that did not only revolutionize the world’s perspective on personal transportation for the masses but also re-invented the manufacturing process still applied over 100 years later. Although we have seen improvements to his original process, with the development of lean manufacturing, JIT, Six Sigma, Kanban, and others, the core philosophy of Read More
Probably considered by some as one of the most famous hotels in the world, the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel has its roots steeped in catering to the social elite of New York City. The history of the Waldorf=Astoria is interesting in that its first incarnation on 5th avenue and 33rd street was a two tower structure, with the first 13-story building built by William Waldorf Astor in 1893 and later connected via a tunnel to a 17-story tower constructed by his cousin John Jacob Astor IV in 1897. As the largest hotel in the world at the time, the Waldorf=Astoria would be Read More
It’s amazing what a small group of people, a web site and access to sensitive information can accomplish in a very short period. As we are nearing the end of 2010, the information age has reached new heights placing the media into the hands of savvy internet rebels that have the ability to potentially turn even governments on their heads. A great example can be seen with the Wikileaks projects headed by the controversial Julian Assange and his small band of internet mavericks exposing government activities with the help of international sources that hand over confidential documents shedding light on Read More
Most notable projects typically have an interesting story and have achieved remarkable recognition for some major contribution to society. This remains true of the Empire State Building – known as one of those incredible landmarks that symbolized hope during a time of despair in American history. The Empire State Building project is one of those projects that demonstrate that motivation plays a large role in a project’s success.
Like any great project, the Empire State Building has evolved over the years from its original intent as a global symbol of economic power to redefining itself recently as a global symbol for Read More
Traditionally project success tends to focus on the successful delivery of a planned project by meeting deadlines/timelines, adhering to specifications/requirements and working within allocated budgets. Although from the project manager’s and team member’s perspective this is true, there are many high quality projects that have met all these requirements and ultimately failed. In fact, the technology sector has been infamous in delivering mediocre solutions that have quickly dominated their product categories.
You just have to dial back to the late 70s and when the Sony Betamax and the Apple computer dominated their product categories only for a short time. Both of Read More
As I mentioned in my first blog entry – the value of project management is often neglected. I believe part of the reason for this is that the common perception of project management tends to be narrowly defined. Project management is seen as a way to effectively plan and deliver a set of defined activities within a set time period, budget and according to specifications. The problem with this view of project management is that it does not allow for other more valuable factors that are part of the project to be included in its definition. Read More
Many of today’s famous landmarks are equally enjoyed for their appearances as they are appreciated for their original intended practical use. However, there are projects that were purely conceived to function as artistic landmarks. The justification and success of those projects require a visionary group of project leaders that understand that the true value behind their project’s success relies on a combination of creative genius and effective project management to ensure the project is fully realized.
The Mount Rushmore project is a classic example demonstrating the value a project can bring to a region thirsting to make Read More
It is hard to believe! Who would have thought that a nine man project team and $100,000 over the course of one year led by Tōru Iwatani would revolutionize the world of gaming with Pac-Man? It’s been 30 years since the launching of Pac-Man and as a project is still recognizable and enjoyed by all. In fact, when Google recently honored our little yellow friend on March 21st by providing a live working version on its home page it is estimated that on that day alone there was a loss of 4.8 million hours (at an estimate cost of $120 Read More
As mentioned in my introductory post, we will be regularly covering famous projects in history. To start our dialogue, I selected the Golden Gate Bridge project, which in my opinion epitomizes the value of project management from its initial vision to its final impact on society. In order to provide structure to this reoccurring theme of looking at famous projects, our discussions will cover the three following elements:
Vision – here we’ll be exploring the concept of the project and the project management team’s success in delivering the initial vision and its success long after the project was completed.
Execution – here Read More
