Introduction
Technology is advancing and many organizations have realized that it is important to adopt emerging technologies as a way of remaining relevant in various fields. The Marine Corps has been faced with a lot of challenges, especially in managing logistics when the officers are in operation. According to Dombrowski and Gholz (2006), the warfare in the modern world has been rapidly changing. The approach that was used during the nineteenth century cannot be relevant today.
Firms must find new ways of managing their logistics in a manner that would not only be efficient, but also effective and consistent. Marine Corps is operating in an environment where efficiency in logistics is vital in its successful operations.
GCSS-MC offers organization opportunity to have an integrated approach when managing information during the logistical process. This approach allows this organization to have a system that would provide it with real-time information about all logistical activities. This allows the firm to plan its activities effectively.
Project Vision
The Marine Corp Logistics plays an important role in ensuring that the military has all the equipment it needs to carry out various activities. In order to achieve its objectives, this department should have an effective communication system that would enable it to monitor and coordinate all logistical activities, especially when delivering war equipment to military officers who are in the field.
The vision of this project is to provide an integrated information system that would ensure that activities of this department are closely coordinated. The Marine Corps Logistics Modernization strategy will help ensure that all logistics information required by the Marine Air Ground Task Force is readily available as a way of enhancing the speed with which these products are transported from one location to the other.
Objectives
When defining the objectives of this new project, it would be important to understand the current status of this organization. Currently, the Marine Corps is using a logistics system that is not supported by an integrated communication system.
It means that one department may not be aware of the activities taking place in the other department. This is very dangerous in the current society where information itself is considered to be a powerful tool, especially when it involves military operations. The following are some of the objectives that this project seeks to achieve.
- To introduce an integrated information system that will merge Global Combat Support System (GSCC) and Defense Property Accountability System (DPAS).
- To ensure that the military units in various regions can track cargo while it is in transit from one location to the other.
- To improve decision making process of the military officers by offering them real-time information about various issues on the ground. This will help maintain a force that is lethal and agile while on the battlefield.
- To improve financial planning and management by making it easy for the accounts department to access all the relevant accounting records.
Scope of the project
According to Haugan (2002), project scope should be clearly defined before the project kicks off. This makes it easy to understand specific areas where the project intends to create transformation within the firm.
In this project, the focus is on developing an integrated information system in the logistics department that would improve logistical operations within the organization. This new system will make it possible for the department to coordinate logistical information to the departments that need them. It will also improve the security of the equipment while they are in transit.
Target Group
Meredith and Mantel (2012) say that it is important to define the target group when coming up with a new project in an organization. In this organization, the targeted group that will benefit when the project is completed can be categorized into different groups. The policy makers will need this new system to guide their decisions when planning to go to war.
The accounts department will benefit from this new system by enabling it access all the relevant information it needs when compiling accounting books. The logistics department will benefit from this new system because it will enable it trace the movement of equipment. This department will be able to estimate the time within which a given consignment will reach the intended destination. The military officers on the ground will also need this information when they are in the field to know when the war equipment will reach them.
Key Stakeholders for this Project
There are key stakeholders who are directly responsible in undertaking this new project. The top leadership in the Department of Defense is the first stakeholder. The top commanders, through the Logistics Department, and the senior officers are the owners of this project. They are represented by senior officers in the Logistics department.
The military officers in the field who expect to benefit from this project form another stakeholder group. This new service is meant to improve their service delivery. The last category of the stakeholders is the project management team, headed by the project manager, who will be directly involved in developing this project.
Role and Responsibilities of Each Project Team Resource
According to the research by Meredith and Mantel (2012), it is important to define roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders within the project in order to achieve success. The stakeholders who are directly involved in the project have been identified in the project organization structure.
The top military officers, through the Logistics Department, are the financiers of this project. Besides offering financial help, they are also expected to inspect the progress of the project and evaluate the value that the new system offers when it is finally completed.
The contractor that will be awarded this task of installing the new system will act as a supervisor over the employees who will be responsible for various activities. The project members will undertake various roles in this project in its implementation stage. When this new system is fully installed, the logistics department will be responsible for its normal operations and maintenance services.
Scheduling Duration
In the process of implementing this project, it is important to have a clear schedule of the specific activities that will be undertaken in order to ensure that the project is completed successfully. The following table shows a planned schedule of activities that will be carried out in this project and the time they are allocated.
As shown in the above table, it is expected that the project will run from March to December 2014. Based on the advanced technology that the contractor is expected to use, it is estimated that ten months will be enough to carry out all the activities in the project.
Project Organizational Structure
The project organizational structure helps in defining various levels of management within a given project. It specifies position of various stakeholders in the process of undertaking various activities in the project. According to Haugan (2002), this is necessary to make every member understand specific function that must be undertaken to accomplish various tasks. Every member will be able to understand what is expected of them.
Figure 1: Project Organizational Structure
This structure helps in defining responsibilities of the stakeholders. Meredith and Mantel (2012) say that some projects fail to meet their objectives because some of the stakeholders avoid their roles. For instance, it is clear that the Board of Directors, through the Logistics Department, has the responsibility of financing all the activities of this firm. If this board fails to provide this needed finance, then it may not be possible to proceed with the activities that are specified in the section below.
Work Breakdown Structure
When the financiers have done their role of providing the necessary finances needed for this project, it will be the responsibility of the project team members to undertake their duties in ensuring that the new system is successfully installed and is operational. The structure below identifies some of the specific tasks that must be accomplished by various stakeholders.
The above diagram shows a complete work breakdown structure from the proposal stage to its completion. At the proposal stage, the contractor will have the responsibility of making all the stakeholders in the Logistics department to learn about the new changes that this new system will bring.
It would state all the requirements that will be needed to make the project be successful. Some of the specific activities at this stage include product investigation, product survey, and assessing product suitability (Haugan, 2002). The second phase is the design. The project team members will need to define concept design and settle on one final design that would be used in this system. The third stage, which is the construction stage, is very important in defining the success of the project.
At this stage, the project team members will need to purchase the needed materials from the agreed suppliers. The team will then undertake the construction of this new system. Building of the system may take long, and the team members must ensure that they follow the specifications stipulated in the design.
Finally, the system will be subjected to the stage of testing. The new system will be tested for functionality and efficiency. When the system passes this stage, it will be finally handed over to the Logistics Department to commission its usage in this system.
Cost Estimates
The proponent deserves to know the exact cost of the project in order to be able to determine the level of investment needed to accomplish the project. The table below is an estimate of the various costs that will be met when undertaking the project.
The above table has a cluster of activities that will be undertaken in the project. Although it may be important to define specific areas where finance will be needed, the table above has clustered these costs into four major categories.
They include cost of labor, transportation costs, the cost of the materials, and the legal fees that would be needed by government agencies or other relevant bodies. The costs have been based on the market rates for each of the categories. The above stated amount would be able to implement the first phase of this project.
Determine major project milestones and the required delivery dates
The work breakdown structure given above has identified project milestones that should be accomplished within a specific period. The first milestone is the specification of the project requirements. This stage is important because it not only enables the project sponsor to know what is expected out of the project, but also enhances specific areas in the organization that this project seeks to improve. This should take one month.
The second milestone would be to develop the design that would be appropriate for this firm. The project members, especially the designers, would need to come up with a design that would meet the needs of this firm in the most appropriate way possible. This should also take one month.
The third milestone is expected to take the longest period, and it is the most important stage in project development. It is at this stage that the project team members will be implementing what was designed at the initial stages. The process must be conscious of the specific needs of the firm. This is expected to take a period of five months. The last milestone will be testing of the system for its workability. This would take one month or less.
Main Dependencies, Risks, Issues, and Assumptions of the Project
According to Meredith and Mantel (2012), projects face a number of risks that must always be mitigated in order to achieve the set goals. In this project, inflation may have an adverse effect, especially if it increases costs of materials or labor. This risk should be mitigated at the requirements stage. The sponsor should be informed that inflation may affect the overall cost of the project so that they can be ready to increase funds when necessary.
Another risk would be a failed compatibility of the old systems and the new system. This risk should be arrested at the design stage where designers are expected to make an effective change from the old system to the new one. Finally, the employees may be subject to physical harm. This can be addressed at the requirement stage where the project manager is expected to take a comprehensive insurance cover for all the people working on this project.
Summary of the project budget approved by the project sponsor
This project is expected to change the current approach that is used by the logistics department to carry out various activities. The integrated communication system will help the Logistics Department to ensure that its activities are closely coordinated in order to achieve better results.
This department will be able to track movements of military equipment in real-time. The military officers in the field will also be aware of the movement of weapons and other equipments that are being transported to them. This close coordination and improved communication system will improve the ability of this department to achieve good results on the battlefield.
References
Dombrowski, P. J., & Gholz, E. (2006). Buying military transformation: Technological innovation and the defense industry. New York: Columbia University Press.
Haugan, G. T. (2002). Effective work breakdown structures. Vienna: Management Concepts.
Meredith, J. R., & Mantel, S. J. (2012). Project management: A managerial approach. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.