Custom Load Trucking

The hardware will be a Computer System for the company:

Polaris ST9 – recommended system specifications

• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 
• Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Dual Core Processor
• 4096MB Corsair DDR II 667 Memory
• 1000GB SATA II Seagate Data Storage
• NEC 7170 Multi Format DVD/CD ReWriter 
• ATI Radeon HD 2600 512MB PCI Express Graphics Card
• 7.1 HD Surround Sound 
• Intel Core 2 Duo Deluxe Motherboard 
• Sony Floppy Disk Drive
• DVD/CD ROM Drive 
• 19” TFT  Flat Panel Screen
• Logitech Multimedia Keyboard
• Logitech Optical Mouse 
• Creative Inspire 6100 5.1 Speaker System
• 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN 
• 12 x USB2 Ports
• Firewire

The estimated price of the computer is about £749. Extra components such as a printer may be needed for print outs. So a further £100 may be needed for that.

Also tracking hardware will be needed and installed into the lorries these vary price so I have estimated that they cost £200 each plus installation costs.

                

2.4.2 Use of Product

Tracking System:

The tracking system it self will be developed by a programmer who will be hired. He will have to create a program which will allow the company to search and send responses to the trucks to find out where they are and what there doing.

2.4.3 Resources

For this project we will have a total of 5 weeks. Within this time line we will have 10hours a day to complete the project. I will have access to all the required programs I need to complete the project.

2.4.4 Costs

The cost for the project has a fixed amount of £50,000 and nothing more.

Estimated Costs:

2.4.5 Implementation

The implementation will have to be a gradual process which will have weekly targets which will have to be met. While the programmer develops the program the lorries can have their GPS tracking devices fitted inside. The proposed computer system will have to be bought and installed and fully operational for the program to run on. Once the machine is up and running and the program is developed the staff that uses the computer tracking system will get a manual as well as a live tutoring session from the programmer of how it works and how to use it and also the lorry drivers will need a live demonstration of how their GPS tracking system works and how they can communicate with the company base. I would suggest a trial period of a week will be enough to make sure everything is up and running and everyone knows how to run the software successfully.

2.4.6 Deliverables

For this project I will deliver a fault free and easy to use tracking system which will allow the staff at CLT to check where there trucks are at all times as well as allowing them to communicate via messages so that they can update the drivers on any changes of the delivery. Their will be tutoring for the tracking system for the staff so they know what their doing.

2.4.7 Timeline

The deadline for this project is 25th January, 2008.

Below is a breakdown of the project which I created in Microsoft Project.

2.4.8 Conclusions

I propose that the GPS tracking system will help Custom Load Trucking to handle their business a lot easier and also cope with the increasing demands of their clients. It will save them time, money and extra expenses that occurred before. The project is due for 25th January 2008.

Chapter 3 Definition of Scope

Custom Load Trucking

Proposed New System

Definition of Scope

3.0.1 Purpose of the Project

        The purpose of this project to help Custom Load Trucking to manage its work force and its current demand for work. To accomplish this there will be a system designed which will allow Custom Load Trucking to track and communicate with their trucks to update them on changes that may occur with delivery, this will help get deliveries their faster and more efficiently.  

3.0.2 Benefits to CLT

        The new system will give Custom Load Trucking a huge amount of benefits. The main benefit will be the ability to easily communicate with trucks to update them of any changes to the delivery so this will speed up delivery times and will help bring in more revenue. The computer systems will also be able to show you exactly where the trucks are at all times so you can see exactly where there travelling. This allows Custom Load Trucking to keep an eye on its staff to make sure there working. The new system will allow a quicker service so more companies will get there deliveries a lot quicker so they will get more business and more income.

3.0.3 Project Objectives

At a meeting between Josh Gardner (Project Manager), Billy Fence (Programmer), Dave Dodge (GPS Truck Installer), John Smith (Software Tutor) and Arthur Guinness (system installation) we agreed the following objectives:

• A way of tracking trucks on their deliveries
• A way of communicating with the trucks from the head office
• A way of installing a new system
• A way of installing GPS tracking in every lorry

The New system will do the following:

• Will be able to communicate with the lorry drivers easily to update them on their delivery locations.
• Will be able to track the location of each lorry to make sure they are doing there jobs properly
• The new system will fit its purpose and will be easy to use.

The project will deliver the following:

• A fully working tracking system
• A system manual for the lorry drivers for their GPS
• A system manual for the staff in the office
• A User Guide
• Professional Tutoring to make sure the staff can work the software correctly.

3.4 Key Success Criteria

The project will be considered a success if the following is met:

• The system fully tracks the lorries
• The staff and lorry driver can communicate with each other while on deliveries
• All staff are trained and know how to use the tracking system
• The project is completed and ready for the deadline

3.0.5 Constraints

• The staff must be able to work the system so that Custom Load Trucking can process deliveries quicker.
• The GPS tracking system must be able to installed in all the lorries
• The system should be able to send and receive signals from the GPS tracking

3.0.6 Areas of Risks

The only major risk is making sure that the required system and GPS tracking hardware is delivered on time and fitted so that the staff training can commence on time.

3.0.7 Project Roadmap

A Gantt chart with the proposed dates of completion will be attached to this document. The Gantt chart provides details on the tasks required and the estimated date of completion.

3.0.8 Resources

The resources for this project are as followed:

Josh Gardner – Project Manager

I will be making sure that regular meetings occur to make sure the project is track and make sure things run smoothly.

Billy Fence - Programmer

Billy will develop a GPS tracking program which will be able to track and communicate with the lorries that are installed with a GPS system. Billy will have a major part to do in this project because if the program is not created on time it will cause delays though out the project. Although Billy has the required software to create the program at home and at work.

Dave Dodge – GPS Truck Installer

Dave will be installing the GPS systems in the lorries. For Dave to meet his deadlines the GPS systems have to delivered on time so that he can install and test the GPS

John Smith – Software Tutor

John will need the tracking program completed and the new system installed in the office so that he can train all the staff and give them the required skills to use the system.

Arthur Guinness – System Installation

Arthur will need the new computer system to be delivered on time so that he can fully install the system and make sure it runs properly.

3.0.9 Completion Date

The completion date for the project is 25th January 2008.

Chapter 4 Plan and Gantt chart

Below is the proposed Gantt chart for the project.

It shows the waterfall methodology.

Agenda’s and minutes

We had regular meetings on a regular basis this allowed us to keep the project on track as well as answering or guiding the employees into the correct direction.

Below are five meeting agendas followed by the minutes.

Chapter 5 Team Structure

Team Structure

Josh Gardner – Project Manager

I will be the project manager and overall leader of the project. I will have to arrange all the meetings to make sure that all updates and questions are answered. These will occur on a regular basis. I will also have to make sure that every thing runs smoothly and that everyone meets deadlines and the requirements needed to provide and excellent working system for custom load trucking.

Billy Fence - Programmer

Billy will develop a GPS tracking program which will be able to track and communicate with the lorries that are installed with a GPS system. Billy will have a major part to do in this project because if the program is not created on time it will cause delays though out the project. Although Billy has the required software to create the program at home and at work.

Dave Dodge – GPS Truck Installer

Dave will be installing the GPS systems in the lorries. For Dave to meet his deadlines the GPS systems have to delivered on time so that he can install and test the GPS

John Smith – Software Tutor

John will need the tracking program completed and the new system installed in the office so that he can train all the staff and give them the required skills to use the system.

Arthur Guinness – System Installation

Arthur will need the new computer system to be delivered on time so that he can fully install the system and make sure it runs properly. The system will also need a test day where he can test that it runs the software correctly and that it will interact with the GPS.

Chapter 6 Review Stages

Review Stages

Identification:

Problem

Custom Load Trucking is a nationwide trucking firm that specialises in rapid movement of high-technology equipment. With the rapid growth of the communications and computer industries they are feeling more and more pressure from its clients to make sure they move its loads quicker and more precisely. So because of this they have decided that they are going to install several new information systems to help over come this.

Summary

The proposed new information systems will enable Custom Load Trucking to track shipments and trucks almost to the minute. Although trucking a high interest industry for information systems experts with a shortage in the job marker Custom Load Trucking have decided not to try and hire project managers but to build strong project managers from within the organisation.

Feasibility Study

Old System

The old system currently consists of the lorry drivers being given a delivery sheet at the start of the shift and then left to go deliver the packages. The staff in the offices will only update them of the location of the delivery when there’s a problem. So this slows delivery times due to companies changing location often.

        

Technology

For the proposed new system, I intend to propose a system which uses a program which can track the lorries with GPS units installed. This should help improve delivery times and custom load trucking can also re-direct lorries if their going off course on their travels.

        

Cost Benefits

The new system is quite expensive although it is worth paying out for the future. This new system will help CLT to develop and further improve their business with companies which will bring in more revenue for them.

        

Methodology

For this project I will be using the waterfall method as I find this method will work the best for the project. Their is a Gantt chart enclosed in the project documents.

Analysis

Look at other systems

This is where we looked at all the available systems available which helped us to decide what we needed to complete the project.

        

Design - Specification

For the design of the system we looked at available systems to help us design our best choice for CLT.

Construction

The new system will be developed by employing a number of staff. Firstly the programmer will create a program which will allow the staff in the office to track and communicate with the lorry drivers. The GPS installer will be needed to install and test all the lorries that are installed with the tracking devices.

Prototype

Once we have the system up and running we intend to have a week of testing the system before confirming the project I finish this will allow us to see the system in action and if any amendments need to be done.

Feedback

To make sure clients and users are happy with the system will have a questionnaire and meeting to discuss any problems about the system so that we can discuss the new system and how it works.

We will then look at the questionnaire and meeting notes to see what amendments to be done and if these are necessary for users.

Conversion

For the conversion there will be a system installer who will completely fit the new system and test it to make sure it functions correctly

Once he has successfully fitted the new system the staff at CLT will then have a tutorial lesson of how to use the new system, in this the staff will be able to try the new system and ask any questions they have.

Review

For the review their will be a critical evaluation about the project as well as a guide to maintaining the system and looking after it. We will also look at if the project was a success and to see if we had to do the project again what would we do differently.

Chapter 7 CLT Own Project Skills

For the new system the staff will need to use the skills they have and also develop new skills, their will be a tutoring lesson which should help them with the following:

Computing Skills:

• How to use the system correctly
• Typing skills will be enhanced
• Learn how to use programs such as MS Office

Communication Skills

• They will need to be able to talk to lorry drivers correctly so they will need to be able to communicate over the headsets clearly so that the lorry driver can understand the staff

The lorry drivers will have to be able to use their inbuilt GPS systems so training will be provided as well as a manual for back up.

Chapter 8        Development Criteria for Monica

I believe that by developing your own project manager you can train him exactly how you like.  So therefore you will get the project manager that suits your needs. Although you may have to pay for further training, as well as taking risks as putting him into the job and hoping he will do the job well. Where as if you employee a new project manager you can then choose a suitable employee that meets your requirements and will also have work experience in the field of project management.

For the project management job I would look for the following skills:

Role of the project manager:

Should have responsibility and good planning skills to execute a good project. They should be able to able to work and communicate well with others and resolve conflicts within the groups.

Goals:

They should be able to plan several goals which can be achieved. The goals should be SMART – Specification, Measurable, Agreed upon, Realistic and Time-based.

Planning the project

They should be able to plan the project ahead of schedule so they can keep the project on time. They should be able to breakdown the project into separate projects to make it easier and more reliable.

They should also be able to plan a project Gantt chart with Microsoft project.

Estimating

They should be able to estimate the amount of man power needed for the project as well as project an estimated project cost so they can then adjust the budget to suit.

Structure of the project:

Waterfall Methodology

The waterfall model often considered the classic approach to project management, the waterfall model describes a development method that is rigid and linear. Waterfall development has distinct goals for each phase of development where each phase is completed for the next one is started and there is no turning back.
The perceived advantage of the waterfall process is that it allows for departmentalization and managerial control. A schedule is typically set with deadlines for each stage of development and a product can proceed through the development process. In theory, this process leads to the project being delivered on time because each phase has been planned in detail.

In practice, waterfall development often falls short of expectations as it does not embrace the inevitable changes and revisions that become necessary with most projects. Once an application is in the testing stage, it is very difficult to go back and change something that was not thought of in the concept stage.

Chapter 9 -Job Description:

Chapter 10

What it takes to become a project manager  - taken from

What it takes to become a project manager

Project management opportunities are there for the taking - if you've got the talent and skills. But just what are employers looking for in potential project managers?

Demand for project managers amongst traditional QS firms continues apace. Latest figures from recruitment group Hays show a 14% increase in the number of PM jobs filled between April 2004 and May 2005. James Marriott of Hays' property and surveying department claims demand is particularly high at present. This is creating a shortage in supply. "Applicants are becoming increasingly difficult to find as employers recognize the value of their present staff and are doing what they can to keep them," says Marriott.

Hays' figures also show that despite the firm receiving 14% more CVs in the last year from candidates, the firm is actually registering 12% less of them due to their clients being more demanding and the increase in the number of people calling themselves project managers when they may not fit the actual requirements of the job.

The practitioners themselves are rather blunt on the problem of finding good project managers. EC Harris is seeing high demand across the UK, as well as mainland Europe and the Middle East. Tim Risbridger, an EC Harris partner currently working on the Terminal 5 project, says there is no shortage of applicants, but a woeful lack of good ones.

"Of 20 applications I see every month only one or two are worth calling in for interview," he says.

So with such high demand, what does it take to be a good PM? Well it seems that knowledge of what a practising project manager is not is a good starter. Risbridger claims many site supervisors or site managers are describing themselves as project managers "when they do not have the capabilities, experience or proven track record that is necessary to be a project manager". And Andrew Adams, a sector director at AYH's corporate accommodation division, also says there is confusion over the role. "A PM's role is very wide and detailed. They need to be able to both think strategically and be able to deliver the projects. This is an absolute requirement", he says.

The general qualities required for the role - good communication, taking a strategic view on programmes and procurement - are leading to a trend for non-cognate graduates entering the trade. Sam Walsh, another EC Harris partner, supports this view: "We have seen exceptional candidates from the British and Australian armies, and from final client organisations, all of whom possess the drive and desire to contribute to the successful delivery of schemes," he says. So if you can show the required attitude and aptitude it seems a role as a PM is there for the taking.

Chapter 11        Conclusions and Recommendations

The project overall went well with the huge budget of £50,000 I didn’t spend the full amount, so this allowed spare money just incase there was any mistakes or amendments to be done.

The project ran with out any delays and everyone worked well together. Although the all of the budget wasn’t used CLT still got a perfect working system with a good amount of budget left over to spend elsewhere.

The employed staff work very well, they kept on top of what they had to do. As well as keeping communication with myself if they was unsure or had to make a decision they wasn’t sure about. If I was asked to improve the project I would probably employee a few more staff to help make the project run quicker and a lot easier.

Chapter 12        Critical Evaluation

The project itself was a success as I met all the objectives and aims that I specified in the project proposal at the start of the project. We had regular meetings to make sure that everything was ok and to see if we needed to make any amendments to the project or how we could make it better. We completed the project before the deadline which was one aim I had so that we could have a test week. Where we could test the system over a period of time.

By using the waterfall methodology I found that we easily managed to keep on track with our objectives. By breaking it each objective down into smaller tasks it made the waterfall method look long, but it was about nine objectives that was broken down into fifty tasks. By creating a Gantt chart we could easily look at what stages we had to complete before our target completion date. By having our meetings we could gather the information for us to look at so we could be ready for our next task and objective.

For the project I believe that performed well by guiding myself on a basic outline of the project. I made sure that we had regular meetings where we could discuss the project and how it was going. I made sure that every employee was ok with the situation they were in and made sure they understood all the tasks I have given them to do. Overall I made a good job of the project. If I could improve the project I would try to look at more high end equipment as well as more employees for the project so that it will not put as much pressure on the employees as they will have smaller more manageable tasks to deal with.