AMERICAN CONSTRUCTORS INC

WORLD OUTREACH EXPANSION PROJECT

NAME – RAMINDER SINGH
ROLL NO. 10319825

ANSWER 1
Project Deadline - Unexpected circumstances forced a change in the project's
deadline, which was set for December 14, 2009. Budgetary constraints: The project
manager has an extra $3 million to hasten the work if needed, on top of the $31
million initial budget.
Budget Constraints: Initially budgeted at $31 million, the project manager has an
additional $3 million to expedite the project if necessary.
Resource Management: The additional budget could be used as incentives for
subcontractors to work additional time to finish the project on schedule.
Construction Challenges: As of September 24, 2009, three main sections of the
property were still unfinished, and these sections can be processed in parallel.
Critical Path and Scheduling: The project involves complex scheduling,
including the use of PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) and
critical path method to manage timelines and tasks.
Strategic Options Evaluation: The challenges involve evaluating strategic
options, the key role of technology and operations, leadership qualities, and the
dynamics of the external environment.
Risk of Delayed Completion: Given the size of the World Outreach Church
(WOC) project, there was a significant risk of not completing it by the revised
deadline.

ANSWER 2
Tom Grott: As the senior project manager for ACI, Tom Grott is responsible for
overseeing the entire project at the World Outreach Church (WOC) in
Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His role includes managing resources, timelines, and
ensuring successful project completion.
Dan Brodbeck: Dan Brodbeck, the WOC president, is a key stakeholder. He is
responsible for the church building and was convinced to join forces with ACI for
the expansion project.

ANSWER 3 (a)
We can utilize the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) to create a
project timeline based on the most likely times provided in the case. This approach
facilitates the estimation of the time needed to do each work and the identification
of the critical route, or the order of tasks that establishes the lowest possible project
duration.
An abridged illustration of how to use PERT to determine the estimated time for
tasks is provided here:
List the tasks and the order in which they should be completed.
Find the most optimistic time (a), most likely time (m), and most pessimistic time
(b) for each assignment.
Use the following formula to determine the expected time (te) for each task:
Te is equal to a + 4m + B
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Let’s assume we have the following tasks with their most likely times:

Task 1 (Framing, hanging & finish drywall): 22 days

Task 2 (Hard tile installation): 10 days
Task 3 (Complete stone columns): 5 days
Task 4 (Millwork): 18 days
Task 5 (Casework): 4 days
Task 6 (Flooring installation SCK): 8 days
Task 7 (Glass installation SCK): 3 days
Task 8 (Painting SCK): 10 days
Task 9 (Doors installation & matching hardware SCK): 6 days
Task 10 (M.E.P. SCK): 10 days

Assuming these tasks are on the critical path and can be processed sequentially, the
total project duration would be the sum of the most likely times:
Total Duration=22+10+5+18+4+8+3+10+6+10=96 days
Given that the project deadline was pushed to December 14, 2009, and the team sat
down to evaluate progress on September 24, 2009, they had 81 days to complete
the project1. Based on the most likely times, the project would take 96 days, which
exceeds the available time. Therefore, without adjustments such as task crashing or
rescheduling, the building would not be completed on time.
In practice, the project manager would need to analyze all tasks, their
dependencies, and the possibility of overlapping or parallel processing to optimize
the schedule and meet the deadline. Tools like MS Project or other project
management software could be used to create a detailed Gantt chart and timeline
for better visualization and management of the project schedule.

ANSWER 3 (b)
Grott’s largest challenges and potential problems in the World Outreach Expansion
Project are likely to include:
Meeting the Project Deadline: With the deadline pushed to December 14, 2009,
and significant work remaining, ensuring the project is completed on time is a
major challenge.
Budget Management: While there is an additional $3 million available, managing
this budget effectively to expedite the project without compromising quality is
crucial.
Resource Allocation: Efficiently utilizing labor and subcontractors, especially if
incentivizing them to work additional hours, is essential for timely completion.
Construction Challenges: Completing the unfinished sections of the property,
which can be processed in parallel, requires careful coordination and management.
Scheduling: Using PERT and critical path methods to manage complex scheduling
and ensure all tasks are completed within the tight time frame.

To overcome these challenges, Grott can consider the

following strategies:

Rescheduling: Adjust the project schedule to optimize the sequence of activities

and potentially overlap tasks that are not on the critical path.
Crashing: Apply project crashing techniques, which involve allocating additional
resources to critical path activities to shorten their duration.
Risk Management: Develop a contingency plan to address potential risks and
have mitigation strategies ready for unforeseen events.
Stakeholder Communication: Maintain clear and frequent communication with
all stakeholders to manage expectations and ensure alignment on project goals.
Technology Utilization: Leverage project management software and other
technological tools to enhance planning, tracking, and coordination efforts.