analyze the attached historical data (XLSX) Download attached historical data (

analyze the attached historical data (XLSX) Download attached historical data (XLSX)in order to create a high-level budget and schedule estimate. This estimate is only a “ballpark” figure. Early estimates are likely to be inaccurate; however, they are very informative about the scale of the project. For example, is this a $100k, $1M, or $10M project? Will it be expected to last 1 month, 1 year, or 2 or more years?
Activity 1: Initial project estimates. Analyze the historical data given in the spreadsheet and whiteboard discussion and use it to create a rough estimate of the project for a report to the director of projects (David) and the company CEO (Wendy).
Activity 2: Project charter. Using the high-level scope, schedule, and budget information create a draft charter for signature by the director of projects and the company CEO.
Airport Wireless Project Case
Introduction
Welcome to the Airport Wireless Project Case. Your project management courses follow the Problem Based Learning approach. View the video, Problem-Based Learning (PBL) (YouTube/03:32), (Links to an external site.) for more information.
Working in project teams of 3-4 students, you will experience how a real-world airport project unfolds. The goal of the case is not to make you an expert on airport management but to give context to your learning as it would play out in an organization. The case scenario leads your project team to create a full project plan through the story of Airport Communications Inc. (ACI) which has been hired by the Collin County Regional Airport.
Here are the key characters in this project:
Company CEO Wendy O’ Williams
Director of Projects David St. Hubbins
Most experienced project team member Nigel Tufnel
Accounting Manager Reginald Dwight
Hardware Specialist Richard Marin
System Integration Yvette Stevens
Estimator 1 Brian Warner
Estimator 2 Jeanine Deckers
Team Secretary Grace Wing
Software Integration Terry Kath
Installer 1-Grade 1 James Pankow
Installer 2-Grade 1 Robert Lamm
Installer 3-Grade 2 Sheena Orr
Installer 4-Grade 3 Ellen Cohen
Access the Airport Communications Running Case to continue.
Airport Communications Running Case
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that all airports create an Airport Layout Plan (ALP). The ALP must be kept up to date. Any changes, new facilities, or improvements to an existing airport require that a new ALP be filed with the FAA. The Collin County Regional Airport has filed an ALP (fairviewtexas) (Links to an external site.) that includes a number of improvements. A map of the airport (PDF) Download map of the airport (PDF), including square footage, is available for your reference.
As a result of this ALP, a number of Request For Proposals (RFPs) have been issued. One RFP has been received by the CEO of ACI (“Airport Communications Inc.”). ACI is a small company begun by the founder, Wendy O‘Williams. Wendy started the company three years ago for the purpose of supplying communication systems for small regional airports. The company has steadily grown in revenues over the last three years. Since most of the company’s products are delivered as installed systems, the company has had to implement project management practices over time and seeks to follow acceptable project management processes.
Access the Communication System for a Small Regional Airport section to continue.
Communication System for a Small Regional Airport
Upon reception of the RFP, CEO O’ Williams promptly reviewed the RFP requirements with David St. Hubbins—the Director of Projects for the company. Over a cup of coffee, the two colleagues extracted the major requirements for the airport communication system and put them up on the whiteboard:
Minimum overall radio coverage area: 5 to 7 square miles
Wireless communication needs:
WiFi- internal secure
WiFi-public access within the terminal
Mobile radio communication and dispatching system including:
Mobile radios for security personnel
Mobile radios for gate personnel
Mobile radios for maintenance personnel
Mobile data terminals for maintenance personnel
Tower ground control radio system
Design and implementation of a system which requires:
Coverage survey
Antenna placement analysis for multiple systems
Frequency study
Frequency application
FCC approval
Update to Airport ALP
FAA approval
Wendy also noted that the client is considering an RFID-based luggage system. ACI has been asked to conduct a feasibility study on its implementation. The deliverable will be a report and quotation rather than a system since the decision to implement the system has not yet been made. Also, Nigel suggested that instead of proposing some type of mobile data system for the portable terminals in maintenance, it would make more sense to just boost the WiFi in all maintenance areas, use ruggedized laptops, and a VPN connection. David and Reginald agree.
Access the Reviewing Historical Costs and Schedule Data section to continue.
Reviewing Historical Costs and Schedule Data
After listing the high-level requirements discussion, David sent for his most experienced project team member Nigel Tufnel and his accounting manager Reginald Dwight to collect historical information on vendors, typical costs, resources, and schedules experienced in previous projects. The cost information was prepared for use by the project team and captured in a spreadsheet. David reviewed the historical data. “We can certainly use this data as a guide—particularly as a high-level budget figure estimate we will need for the contract.” Nigel agreed and suggested that David share the information with the project team and charge them with putting together a preliminary schedule and budget estimate. Reginald then mentions that “to make a budget estimate, we will need to make it clear to the team the assumptions regarding general order of project events.”
Access the Discussing the General Order of Events section to continue.
Discussing the General Order of Events
David, Nigel, and Reginald again proceed to the whiteboard to brainstorm the sequence of events typical for this type of project. Reginald suggests for all personnel assigned to use the initial figure of $100 per hour for cost unless specified otherwise by an external vendor.
Printout of Activities and Estimates
Activity No.
Activity
Activity Duration
3 point estimates
Optimistic
Most Likely
Pessimistic
Estimate Historical +/- Range (days)
Predecessors
Resources
1
Airport Frequency Study
14
9, 14, 20
7
2
2
Antenna placement analysis
21
16, 21, 28
6
1
4
3
Frequency selection
14
9, 14, 21
8
2
1
4
FCC Application preparation
30
22, 30, 41
10
3
2
5
FCC Application Submission and Approval
30
25, 30, 35
8
4
5
6
FAA Application preparation
30
21, 30, 33
12
3
2
7
FAA Application submission and approval
30
10, 30, 37
14
2
5
8
WiFi requirements analysis
21
15, 21, 26
7
1
3
9
WiFi vendor selection
14
12, 14, 19
5
8
2
10
WiFi system design
21
12, 21, 33
9
9
7
11
WiFi equipment order
14
8, 14, 22
6
10
3
12
WiFi supplies and materials
5
3, 5, 6
2
10,11
1
13
WiFi installation
21
21
6
12
9
14
WiFi pilot testing
5
3, 5, 6
2
13
5
15
WiFi Acceptance Testing
5
3, 5, 8
3
14
8
16
Mobile Radio requirements analysis
21
15, 21, 27
5
3
3
17
Mobile Radio vendor selection
14
11, 14, 20
6
16
4
18
Mobile Radio system design
21
16, 21, 30
8
17
8
19
Mobile Radio equipment order
14
12, 14, 19
4
18
3
20
Mobile Radio supplies and materials
5
5, 5, 6
1
17,18
1
21
Mobile Radio installation
28
22, 28, 22
9
20
10
22
Mobile Radio pilot testing
14
10, 14, 21
6
21
5
23
Mobile Radio Acceptance Testing
5
3, 5, 8
3
22
8
24
Ground Control requirements analysis
28
20, 28, 32
10
3
3
25
Ground Control vendor selection
21
17, 21, 28
6
24
4
26
Ground Control system design
28
22, 28, 37
8
25
8
27
Ground Control equipment order
14
11, 14, 20
5
26
3
28
Ground Control supplies and materials
5
4, 5, 7
2
27
1
29
Ground Control installation
30
20, 30, 44
12
28
9
30
Ground Control pilot testing
21
14, 21, 22
9
29
5
31
Ground Control Acceptance Testing
14
10, 14, 22
6
30
8
32
RFID Luggage System requirements analysis
30
30, 30, 31
1
—
3
33
RFID Luggage feasibility study
21
16, 21, 30
7
32
5
Printout of Activities and Estimates (DOCX) Download Printout of Activities and Estimates (DOCX)
After reviewing what the team produced at the whiteboard, Nigel mentions that many of the activities could be carried out in parallel. For example, there are frequency/coverage analyses required for all three systems. These could be managed as three components of a single study. Wendy agrees but notes that there are also differences in each radio system including frequency used and regulatory requirements. For this reason, it may not be possible to do them all completely in parallel. Nigel agrees and then suggests that the basic order of events should be WiFi first, then business radio in terms of planning to installation. The ground control system could start at the same time—but due to the length of time for the study and the FCC/FAA approval, this component would likely finish last. Further, Nigel suggests that it is time for Wendy to work with David to assign a project team.
Note: You will be assigned to a project team to carry out the Airport Communications Inc. project. Your project team’s major deliverables include weekly installments capturing the progress of the project plan and a final project plan deliverable. Your personal deliverables include a mid-term presentation and a final presentation to the sponsor as checkpoints that the project plan is meeting requirements.