...The Orion Shield Project Robert E. King University of Maryland, University College DMBA 620 - Effective Financial and Operational Decision Making Professor Daniel Sersland 29 March, 2015 Orion Shield Project Robert King 2 Executive Summary Inside the Orion Shield project case study, varying degrees of issues are seen during every aspect of its existence. These include technical, ethical, contractual, as well as legal issues which ultimately limited the success of this project from the beginning. Gary Allison was the incorrect choice as a project manager for this project. His inexperience in this type of management jeopardized the contract, and has placed SEC under possible litigation by his actions throughout the project. Gary wasted valuable time and resources during his tenure as a project manager, and failed to provide himself with enough time to properly manage the technical design and development of the components for STI. As such, Gary was even blindsided when it was discovered that Henry Larson was testing new materials with Paula Arnold without Gary having approved or even known about the changes. This led to more scheduling, resting, and development issues down the road, and ultimately was the catalyst for going over budget on this product. Ethical issues persisted throughout this project, from Gary’s selection as an engineer which Henry could manipulate in order to allow Henry to run the project as his “Baby”, while leaving all liability...
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...Assignment The Orion Shield Project Case Study Executive Summary: A good project management plan takes some preparation. In the case study of The Orion Shield Project that preparation never seemed to occur. From the beginning, the project was plagued with the subcontractor, Scientific Engineering Corporation (SEC), bidding for a project that they knew their current product would not be able to do. The case study shows the actions of an inexperienced professional, his poor planning methods, unethical decision skills and inability to manage a project to completion. While the project was looked at as a success, ultimately it was doomed from the start. There was specification issues that initially concerned Gary Allison, SEC’s project manager, but he was told by the Director of Engineering, Henry Larsen, that this wasn’t a big issue. By the project manager lying to the primary contractor, Space Technology Institute (STI), this created an unethical work environment from the start. There are various issues throughout the project such as contractual, legal, technical and ethical issues. A project manager should be concerned with time and cost, however, Gary was concerned mainly about his new career and promotion. With the stakeholders waiting for a complete project and funding on the line, the project team continuously upset STI until the primary contractor made a decision to work more closely with SEC to ensure accuracy. With good project management skills, a project manager uses...
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...Orion Shield Project Analysis Executive Summary The employing of Gary Allison for the Orion Shield Project as Project Manager was an immense error. Individuals have to question both the decision and morals of Henry Larson in appointing an unproven individual to pilot such a widespread venture. Gary made many incorrect judgments as he mistakenly regarded the horrible and dishonorable guidance of Henry Larson. Among the numerous bad choices and errors made by Gary was his lack of integrity and communication with the stakeholders occupied with the task. If Gary would have been more informative with all parties engaged many conflicts would have either been evaded or correctly resolved in a timely manner. A reprimand was warranted and should have been a must for the role that Henry Larson had due to the participation and involvement to the project over-run and negligence of finances. This would have been the situation if Gary would have maintained his honesty and basically communicated to the SEC about Henry’s participation from the start of the project. However, amid the numerous other incorrect choices that Gary made, he chose to be secret about Henry’s association, which definitively led to Gary assuming the total accountability and liability of all the troubles and collapses that happened during the project. His poor decision making, unprofessional conduct, and negligence of finances not only harmfully affected the stakeholders of the project; it also negatively affected...
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...The Orion Shield Project Analysis Shruti Patel University of Maryland University College AMBA640 Executive Summary Any and every project or program requires a plan to be implemented and documented to ensure its success. The Orion Shield Project is an example of a project without such a plan in place, and an inexperience manager as lead. Gary Allison was impulsively appointed to the position of Project Manager for the Orion Shield Project by Henry Larsen, the Director of Operations. This paper will analyze the the technical, ethical, contractual/legal, and program management related issues that Gary Allison encountered while managing the Orion Shield project. The paper will outline the history and specifics of the project but it will mainly focus on the actions and reactions of Mr. Allison, and what steps he could have taken to result in a different outcome for the project. Gary’s lack of management experience and lack of ethical judgement led to a failed project mission, which could have been easily avoided. Introduction The Orion Shield Project has the mission to improve the structural capabilities of NASA’s Shuttle Launch booster by 3 years. Research found that the Booster showed signs of fatigue failure after six years in the field, where as the desired and originally specified time was nine years. This project was by NASA to find/create new materials that can support a longer life in the field for the Shuttle Launch Booster. Since the DoD/NASA contracting criteria...
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...Individual Team Assignment Case Analysis of the Orion Shield Project Dennis J Paffrath April 18, 2013 AMBA 640 Professor Marsh 1 Table of Content Executive Summary…………………………………………………………….3 Technical Issues…………………………………………………………………5 Initiating Process Group…………………………………………………5 Planning Process Group…………………………………………………5 Executing Process Group………………………………………………..10 Monitoring and Controlling Process Group…………………………….11 Closing Process Group………………………………………………….14 Ethical Issues……………………………………………………………………15 Legal and Contractual…………………………………………………………..16 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………17 References………………………………………………………………………18 2 Executive Summary K. Schwalbe (2012) has provided a basic understanding of what project management is and explains that it requires planning and use and management of organizational resources in order to complete a project within the required time, scope and cost. Project managers must understand that one of the most important aspects of project management is to complete a project with a successful delivery of the product while ensuring that it is within the required timeline and within the resources allocated to the project. Therefore, it is imperative that the managing of a project makes efficient use of time, resources, cost, risk, quality and scope. By understanding these constraints, the project manager will be able to successfully complete the project. In reviewing the Orion Shield project case, it is very clear that the Scientific Engineering...
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...Project Management Orion Shield Project Case Study Helen Turner UMUC Executive Summary: The basic concepts of project management calls for proper planning, organization and the management of a variety of resources in order to successfully achieve a certain goal. The most important job of a project management is to deliver results within time constraints as well as according to a budget. Effective project managers strategically facilitate the entire project management process to ensure the project’s success. To do this the project manager must adequately meet the specific requirements (i.e., time, scope, quality, and cost) set forth by the project and its stakeholders. Project control is essential but if implemented incorrectly it can have devastating effects on the outcome of a project. Incorrect implementation of project control was the ultimate downfall for Gary Allison. The technical, ethical, legal, contractual and communication issues of project management will be discussed as they pertain to the Orion Shield Project. A thorough analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Gary Allison will also be discussed. Technical Issues . Gary recognized the presence of technical issues during the initiating stage of the project. According to the request for proposal (RFP) released by Space Technologies Industries (STI), the technical specification required that the design should be able to operate at temperatures ranging...
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...successful engineer. His boss, Henry Larsen promoted Gary as the project manager of the Orion Shield Project. Little did Gary know that this promotion that would significantly change his career at SEC and not for the better. Because of the Orion project Gary went from a star engineer at SEC, to almost losing his position with the company. This was all due to Gary’s lack of project management skills and Henry Larsen’s, lack of support and unethical guidance. Gary Allison did not have the tools or project manager experience to successfully meet the expectations of the company or the requirements of the project. Unfortunately project managers get picked based on availability and not necessarily because they possess project management skills. However, an inadequately trained and/or inexperienced project manager can doom a project as was the case with Gary and the Orion Shield Project. Gary encountered many technical, ethical, legal, contractual and project management issues. Gary’s lack of project management experience was obvious from the very beginning of the project. Many factors contributed to Gary’s failure as a project manager. Gary’s inexperience in project management, his bad communication with the customer and his not being honest with the customer contributed to the failure of the Orion Shield Project. Gary should have informed his counterparts of his missed deadlines and poor test results. Project Management, when effectively employed has produced many advantages...
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...The Orion Shield Project Analysis- Week 2 by: Shanicka Sudler University of Maryland University College AMBA 640 Due Date: Tuesday, July 21st, 2015 The Orion Shield Project: Executive Summary “On the basis of data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, part of the US Department of Commerce, they estimated in 2001 that the US public and private sectors combined spend some $2.3trn on projects every year, an amount equivalent to a quarter of America's GDP” (Wheatley, 2015). Now that we know that, we can fully understand how important project management is not just for small businesses but for the world. There are many variables that works together to make a project successful. Scientific Engineering Corporation (SEC) recently hired a new Project Manager, Gary Allison, for their organization. He was appointed to take on The Orion Shield Project. From the very beginning. Mr. Allison was set up to fail for many reasons. One of the projects assigned was the Orion Shield Project. The purpose of this paper is to identify and critically discuss the technical, ethical, legal, contractual and other project management related issues faced by the current Project Manager. As well as complete an evaluation on the job performance of the Project Manager. Introduction According to pmi.org as well as other scholarly readings, a project can be best defined as “temporary task or tasks that it has a defined beginning and end in time, and therefore defined scope and resources...
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...Executive Summary Gary Allison had no idea what he was getting himself into when he accepted Mr. Larson’s offer to become Program Manager for the Orion Shield Project. Although Gary had a Ph. D. in mechanical engineering and 14 years’ experience as a project engineer, his education and engineering experience could not have properly prepared him for the large undertaking the Orion Shied Project turned out to be (Orion shield project, 2003, p.1). Managing a program is different and more difficult than managing one project, it is like managing multiple projects and people at once, there is much more involved. According to Schwalbe, “Many program managers worked as project managers earlier in their careers” (2012). Gary had no previous project management experience, which already put him at a disadvantage as a program manager. Had he possessed the knowledge, skills and tools required of program managers, he may have been more successful. Not only did Gary lack the knowledge, skills, and tools to properly manage the program, he also lacked the proper support from leadership. Red flags should have went off for Gary from the very beginning that Mr. Larson would not provide the guidance Gary needed to be a successful program manager. Throughout the course of the project, Orion Shield was plagued with technical, ethical, legal, contractual, and other miscellaneous program management issues. With the proper knowledge, skills, tools and support from management, these issues could...
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...Executive Summary Projects have many facets to them, each of which can lead to either the success or the failure of the project, and all facets are dependent on how each situation is handled. In the case of the Orion Shield Project, which is an R&D, 10 Month, Fixed Price Incentive Fee (FPIP), 2.2 Million contract most of those facets ended up resulting in failures completed not only by the sub-contractor, Scientific Engineering Corporation (SEC), but by the prime contractor, Space Technology Industries (STI), as well. Primarily the Orion Shield Project case follows that of Gary Allison, an inexperienced project manager with SEC who follows the corrupt advice of Henry Larson, an SEC executive. With an inexperienced project manager, and a corrupt advisor the Orion Shield Project has multiple problems to include those of technical, ethical, legal, contractual, and managerial. Introduction In order to be a well-rounded project manager one must not only have the technical, but administrative and organizational background. Another imperative characteristic a project manager, especially those in the research and development (R&D), is that they “work well under pressure and are comfortable with Change and complexity in dynamic environments (Who are Project Managers, pmi.org).” A good outline to follow in project management is known as the project management triangle, consisting of scope, cost, and time, and in the instance of the Orion Shield Project, all three areas were botched...
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...Executive Summary “Projects account for about one fourth of the U.S. and the world’s gross domestic product” (Schwalbe 2012). With that said, there are many challenges and issues that hinder the ultimate success or completion of a project. So is evident in the case of the Orion Shield Project, whose execution faced issues of technical, ethical, legal, contractual and interpersonal natures. Taking on a role that assumes responsibilities in stark contrast to newly appointed project manager Gary Allison’s professional background and experience doomed the project from the start. Not only did Gary not have the experience, he failed to research and prepare himself, prior to the project’s inception, with the proper project management tools and techniques that are pertinent to the success of a project. The ethical issue of false promise, regarding the maximum temperature at which the shield could operate successfully, was apparent before planning had begun and the role of project manager was officially accepted by Gary Allison. This dishonest proclamation was unsettling to Mr. Allison but he failed to voice his concerns, therefore perpetuating his anxiety and lack of confidence of the projects success. Technical issues, straying from strictly scientific measures which were Mr. Allison’s sole forte, existed in the execution (or lack thereof) of project milestones. Contractual issues arise when Gary and is team failed to follow contract protocol and policy, regarding problems with communication...
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...The Orion Shield Project Case Study An Analysis of What Went Wrong University of Maryland University College Author Note This paper was prepared for AMBA 640, Section 113, taught by Professor Executive Summary Project management is the application of knowledge, skills and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently as defined from the Project Management Institute (PMI, 2008). It is a calculated proficiency for organizations enabling them to tie project results to business goals and improve chances to compete in their respective markets. Project management processes fall into five competency groups which are initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling and closing that ensures a project’s success. The Project Manager must possess certain skills to manage a process. A Project manager must also be able to manage time, quality and scope resourcefully. This paper will analyze the performance of Gary Allison, an engineer whose first project as a Project manager was to head up the Orion Shield Project. There were many issues that made this project a near failure. I will address the technical, ethical, legal, and contractual issues that affect his performance and critique his reactions to these matters. I will conclude my analysis with a reasonable deduction of what competencies Gary lacks that would make him a more effective project manager. Introduction The Orion Shield Project is the creation of tiles that are part of...
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...engineer in which he got his Ph. D in working for Scientiic Engineering Corporation (SEC). He worked as a project engineer for the last 14 years but was given the opportunity to become a project manager from his boss Henry Larsen. The project name was Orion Shield which Gary’s boss was very excited about, as he believed the project would “take him to the top”. Gary soon would find out that even though he was a very good engineer, he was a horrible project manager almost costing the success of the project and the company as a whole. Gary could have avoided this by improving his communication and by following the five project management groups. I believe that he would have been more successful as a project manager and might have enjoyed it much more than he did. Technical In the Orion Shield Project Gary faced a lot of technical issues that was one of the causes of him not being a good project manager. He has a technical background, as he was a very successful project engineer doing mechanical work for Scientific Engineering Corporation (SEC). With a lot of effort and his excellent communication skills Gary was offered a promotion, which he accepted but later regretted his decision. I believe that one of the many mistakes he made was that he was relying too much on his previous knowledge of being an engineer. For example, the case states “Gary decided to let the other project office personnel handle the administrative work and run weekly team meetings. He asked Paula to work...
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...The Orion Shield Case Analysis: Introduction: The Orion Shield Project of NASA was awarded to Scientific Engineering Company (SEC) on a contract basis. The project duration was termed as ten months and the project was signed for 2.2 million US dollars. The Scientific Engineering Company was directed by Mr. Henry Larson and was overlooking the project himself. Henry appointed Allison Gary, who was a Project Engineer in SEC and has wide experience in handling many other projects of SEC before. Henry believed in Gary’s knowledge and expertise to work for the Orion Shield Project. Gary was promoted as a Project Manager to handle the Orion Shield project. A close look in to the Orion Shield Project: For every project to be successful, a few major startups have to be done and they are as below a. Project Planning b. Resources / Manpower Management c. Time Management d. Cost Management e. Integration Management f. Communication Management The project was already on and when Gary took over as the Project Manager, he came to know the product worked only up to 130F, but the customers were promised that it will work in conditions between 65F – 145F. Gary highlighted the issue to Larsen and Larsen asked Gary to lie and hype to the customers regarding the performance of the product that it will work at high temperatures up to 155F which was a lie. This is the beginning of the problems and this was ethically wrong as per the Project Management rules. A project Manager must have...
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...ORION SHIELD PROJECT AMBA640, Professor Steven Versace Executive Summary “A good project manager contributes to a project’s success. Project managers work with the project sponsors, the project team, and the other people involved in a project to define, communicate, and meet project goals.” So says Schwalbe (2012). In the Orion Shield Project, we saw how a total disregard for the core attributes that define a project, stood to be the catalyst behind the demise of rising star Mr. Gary Allison. Further, the triple constraints managed closely by program managers, never once was mentioned or managed effectively through-out the duration of the project. As a result of that oversight, monies deemed as corporate profit for the company, ended being a deficit to tune of $150.000. This Orion Shield Project scenario provides a vivid picture of “what not to do” which is bound to assist ambitious new program managers to utilize tools available within the project management environment to attain the success the customer envisions. According to Schwalbe (2012), Projects have a set of attributes that helps to define it as such. They tend to have a unique purpose which accompanies well defined objectives. It appears that Gary Allison made a fatal error by first not thoroughly defining the project he was about to assume, as well as identifying resources needed to include, raw materials, people, hardware or software: resources that would ensure the project was a success...
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