1

Project and Stakeholder Management Failures Lessons Learned from the LAMP-H

Project

University of the People

MBA

BUS 5611-01 Managing Projects and Programs

Dr. Shivani Mahajan

01/07/2024
 2

Project and Stakeholder Management Failures Lessons Learned from the LAMP-H

Project

Project success hinges on effectively managing stakeholders, those individuals or groups

with a vested interest in the project's outcome (Mittal, 2024). The LAMP-H project, a U.S. Army

initiative to develop a new Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) for transporting troops and

equipment, is a cautionary tale of stakeholder mismanagement. The project's early stages were

plagued by conflicting priorities, unclear decision-making, and a lack of unified direction,

stemming from failing to identify and manage stakeholder expectations properly.

This paper dissects the LAMP-H case study in stakeholder mismanagement. The analysis

identifies key stakeholders before implementing the Program Executive Officer (PEO) and

assesses their potential for influence, cooperation, and threats. It then explores the changes in the

stakeholder landscape and influence dynamics after the PEO's arrival. The paper concludes by

drawing critical lessons on effective stakeholder management for project success.

Stakeholder Identification Before the Implementation of the Program Executive Officer

Several vital stakeholders, including the Project Manager, Senior Financial Executives,

Functional Managers, Transportation School (T-School), and Watercraft R&D Center, played

crucial roles in the LAMP-H project before the PEO's arrival (Scott et al., 2006):

Project Manager: Responsible for day-to-day operations, resource allocation, and

project team leadership.

Senior Financial Executives: Their influence is significant with their authority over

project budgets and the potential to reallocate funds to other initiatives. This underscores their

importance and influence in the project.

 3

Functional Managers: Represented specific departments or functions within the Army

that would utilize the new watercraft. Their input on requirements and functionality is crucial for

project success. However, conflicting needs from different departments could lead to disjointed

project goals.

Transportation School (T-School): As the entity responsible for training personnel on

operating and maintaining the new watercraft, their buy-in and expertise are crucial. However, if

their needs are not adequately addressed, they could become a source of resistance, underscoring

the urgency of addressing their needs.

Watercraft R&D Center: Provided technical expertise and knowledge on watercraft

design and development. Their collaboration is critical to ensuring the new craft meets

performance specifications. However, potential disagreements between the R&D and project

teams, such as conflicting design choices, could create delays or technical problems, like a

watercraft that does not meet the required performance standards.

Stakeholder Influence Analysis

Potential for threat. Each stakeholder group has the potential to pose threats to the

project's success:

• Project Sponsor: High threat potential due to control over funding and strategic decisions.

• Project Manager: Medium threat potential, given their control over operational decisions

but limited by higher authority.

• Senior Financial Executives: Their control over funds could lead to budget cuts impacting

project scope or quality.

 4

• Functional Managers: Disagreements between departments regarding desired

functionalities could derail project direction.

• T-School: Unmet training needs or resistance to change could delay implementation or

hinder user adoption.

• Watercraft R&D Center: Technical disagreements could lead to delays, design flaws, or

performance issues in the final product.

• Contractors: High threat potential as they can influence project timelines, costs, and

quality.

Potential for cooperation. Stakeholders also offer valuable opportunities for

cooperation:

• Project Sponsor: High potential for cooperation by ensuring alignment with strategic

objectives and providing necessary resources.

• Project Manager: Effective leadership fosters stakeholder collaboration and ensures

everyone works towards a common goal.

• Functional Managers: Valuable user input can guide the development of a system that

meets operational needs.

• T-School: Collaboration with T-School can streamline training program development and

ensure a smooth rollout.

• Watercraft R&D Center: Their expertise can contribute to a technologically advanced and

reliable watercraft design.

• Contractors: High potential for cooperation by delivering quality work on time.

 5

Optimal management strategy. To maximize cooperation and minimize threats, the

following stakeholder management strategies are recommended:

• Project Sponsor: Engage regularly to ensure alignment and secure continuous support.

• Project Manager: Utilize clear communication channels to keep stakeholders informed

and address concerns proactively.

• Senior Financial Executives: Establish a transparent budgeting process, allowing

stakeholder input and justification for funding decisions.

• Functional Managers: Conduct workshops and meetings to gather their requirements and

integrate them into project planning.

• T-School: Include T-School representatives in project planning stages to ensure training

needs are incorporated.

• Watercraft R&D Center: Establish a collaborative environment where the project team

and R&D team can exchange ideas and address technical challenges (Gratton &

Erickson, 2007).

• Contractors: Maintain rigorous oversight and establish clear contracts with performance

metrics.

Changes in Stakeholder Map and Influence Analysis Post-Implementation of the Program

Executive Officer

Post-Implementation Stakeholder Map

• Program Executive Officer (PEO): Introduced as a new key stakeholder with overarching

responsibility for project success.

 6

• Revised Project Manager: The role slightly diminished due to the PEO’s presence but is

still crucial for daily operations.

• Enhanced Development Team: Now includes additional resources and expertise.

• Contractors: More closely managed under the PEO’s supervision.

Influence Analysis Post-Implementation

Program Executive Officer (PEO):

• Threat Potential: Extremely high, as the PEO now holds significant decision-making

power and control over resources.

• Cooperation Potential: High due to their strategic oversight and ability to coordinate

among various stakeholders.

• Strategy: Engage closely with all stakeholders, establish clear communication channels,

and provide robust oversight.

Influence Analysis Post-Implementation

Program Executive Officer (PEO):

• Threat Potential: Extremely high, as the PEO now holds significant decision-making

power and control over resources.

• Cooperation Potential: High due to their strategic oversight and ability to coordinate

among various stakeholders.

• Strategy: Engage closely with all stakeholders, establish clear communication channels,

and provide robust oversight.

Revised Project Manager:

 7

• Threat Potential: Medium, reduced slightly due to the PEO’s overarching authority.

• Cooperation Potential: High, focusing on operational efficiency and alignment with the

PEO’s directives.

• Strategy: Maintain strong leadership at the operational level to ensure effective execution

of PEO’s strategic plans.

Enhanced Development Team:

• Threat Potential: Medium, as their role becomes more critical with increased resources.

• Cooperation Potential: High, with additional support and clearer objectives.

• Strategy: Foster a collaborative environment, provide necessary tools and support, and

ensure clear communication of goals.

Contractors:

• Threat Potential: Medium, with increased oversight reducing some risks.

• Cooperation Potential: High, as clearer contracts and performance metrics align with

project goals.

• Strategy: Implement strict performance monitoring, establish clear expectations, and

maintain open communication channels.

Conclusion

The LAMP-H project underscores the critical importance of effective stakeholder

management in project success. The introduction of the Program Executive Officer significantly

altered the stakeholder landscape, enhancing oversight and coordination among various parties.

By carefully analyzing each stakeholder's influence and potential for cooperation or threat,
 8

project managers can devise strategic approaches to ensure project objectives are met efficiently

and effectively (Smith, 2000).

 9

References

Gratton, L., & Erickson, T. J. (2007, November). Eight ways to build collaborative teams.
Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2007/11/eight-ways-to-build-collaborative-
teams

Mittal, P. (2024, February 23). Key challenges, strategies and steps for effective stakeholder
management. Medium. https://medium.com/@mittal.pratyush/key-challenges-strategies-
and-steps-for-effective-stakeholder-management-2be14ba5dda9

Scott, S. J., FRIDAY - STROUD, S. S., & SHIVERS-BLACKWELL, S. L. (2006). A case study
of Project and Stakeholder Management Failures: Lessons Learned. Project Management
Journal.
https://www.academia.edu/9250717/A_CASE_STUDY_OF_PROJECT_AND_STAKEH
OLDER_MANAGEMENT_FAILURES_LESSONS_LEARNED

Smith, L. W. (2000, September 7). Stakeholder analysis. Project Management Institute.

https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/stakeholder-analysis-pivotal-practice-projects-8905