Whitbread Sailboat

Running head: PROJECT PLAN FOR WHITBREAD WORLD SAILBOAT RACE

Project Plan for Whitbread World Sailboat Race

Lillie M. McNeill

University of Phoenix

February 3, 2008

Project Plan for Whitbread World Sailboat Race

The Whitbread World Sailboat Race is an annual event. Countries from all over participate in the race, it allows them to show off their latest technological finds and it showcases the human skills required in crafting sailboats. The race is such a momentous event; it is important that each sailboat is capable of supporting a 12 man crew for nine months and it must be able to withstand the rigid battering of the rough seas. Designing the winning boat and training the winning crew requires highly skilled individuals. Completing a task of this size requires proper planning, implementing and executing.

Project management is defined as the discipline of organizing and managing resources in a way that the project is completed within defined scope, quality, time and cost constraints. A project is a temporary and one-time endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service, which brings about beneficial change or added value. Bjorn Ericksen the Project Manager must be able to use project management processes that will allow for the success of this project.

Throughout this paper you will find that Bjorn and his team’s strategy is to design, build, test and train the crew that will represent his country in next years race. You will also find a plan that will allow Bjorn and team to reduce project duration while producing the required deliverables, unfortunately it will increase the overall project cost. Once the deliverables have been met, it is important to properly close out the project. The project closure approach used in this paper by Bjorn is simply basic but it covers every area required to properly close out a project. Prior to any of the aforementioned stages Bjorn must have a strategy in place to meet his objectives. Bjorn and his team leaders must also agree upon the strategy.

Bjorn Ericksen Project Strategy Analysis

Bjorn Ericksen is a master helmsman whose recent accolade has earned him the title, “best designer of racing sailboats in the world.” Because of Bjorn’s notoriety and skills he has been chosen as the Project Manager for his country. Bjorn’s strategy is to design, build, test and train the winning crew and sailboat that will represent his country in next’s years Whitbread World Sailboat Race. The plan to achieve this strategy will require much help for