EFFECTIVE PLANNING & CONTROL OF MULTIPLE PROJECTS

A CASE STUDY OF GR60 - NOKIA STORES CHAIN IN VIETNAM

By

Nguyen Thai Son

Abstract

             

The report expresses the key issues in Effective Planning & Control of Multiple Projects that known as the popular trends for many projects of those companies who want to develop marketing strategy in Vietnam.

This study, which refers to the theories and the standards system, has expressed the concept of Project Planning and Controlling. The study has briefed the factors that most effect to multiple projects planning and controlling studied from case study reports and the key points to control multiple projects effectively from the design to construction stage. The report has introduced a Planning and controlling process for the purpose of amendment to the existing Multiple projects Planning and Controlling in order to obtain a complete process for better managing multiple projects.

The next part of this report is the case study on the NOKIA GR60 Project that have been implementing by DHC contractor in Vietnam in 2011. Through this case study, the findings on the existing Project Planning and Controlling and the application from the previous part to this existing Project Planning and Controlling for improvement will be the foundation for next coming multiple projects. This is also the objective of this study.

Executive summary

Rationale of research

This research has been conducted to identify multiple project management strategies.

Objectives of study

To investigate multiple project management in terms of planning, organizing, communicating and controlling. And propose strategies to manage multiple projects.

Methodology  

The exploratory research method is used to review the literature and case of GR60 project and applying those theories to the existing project planning and controlling, in order to amend and improve it.

Findings and conclusion

Project goals were set very clear to project employees at all levels. Project scope of work was well defined but not detailed enough, Project manager used Work Breakdown Structure to develop the level of work as well as work relationship. Company organization is defined as a matrix organization structure, so the GR60 project is applied project financing to implement from beginning to ending. It is very easy to control the financing statement of the project.

After a month, Project manager use Object Charts and cost variance to review the schedule, cost of the projects that finished in a month. Then he created an evaluation to see if the project schedule is delayed or cost overrun. He also investigated the problems and proposed solutions to avoid problems that effect on schedule happen again.

For external communication, there were many communication problems happened during projects implementation process such as delay in transfer information, delay in change order approval, contractor could not work directly with Distributors as well as store owners. These problems affected too much on projects schedule. Board of directors and Project manager found some solutions to solve the problem effectively such as organize meeting more often, issue new communication procedure to be suitable with the project style.

Recommendation

·          Multiple projects plan must be defined before starting projects. In terms of scheduling, evaluating, coordinating and controlling.

·         The multiple projects plan must be developed with input from people who will be performing the work, and must be communicated to all participants. The tasks, costs, and schedules of the multiple projects plan establish the benchmarks and check points that are necessary for comparing actual accomplishments to planned accomplishment, so the progress of the multiple projects can be measured, evaluated, and controlled.

·         Identification of Project Goals which are specific, measurable and realistic. There must be agreement about Projects goals.  Multiple projects need time frames for the goals.

·         Identification of suitable organization structure to apply to multiple projects. Matrix structure and Functional structure are recommended to control multiple projects

·         Construction companies should select a simple scheduling technique to plan multiples projects schedule because multiples projects including many small projects that have limited task and short interval time.

·          Internal and external communication procedure also must be considered by construction companies during multiple project planning process. Clear and well-identified communication procedure throughout communication channels will contribute a lot to the successful of multiple projects management.

·         To be effective, construction companies should develop a multiple projects control system which must be simple to administer and easily understood by all participants in a project.

·         Line of Balance (L.O.B), a precursor of the network analysis technique, which relates program to forecast targets to determine how well a project is processing, is recommended to maintain control over multiple projects implementation period.

·         Construction companies should use Objective Chart to review and evaluate work schedule of multiple projects

·         Construction companies also can use Cost variance to review and evaluate the costs of multiple project