Project Management
Management of the integration required to ensure the successful execution of this project is of crucial importance. This ambitious and goal-oriented STREP requires a Top-Down leadership and management structure with the ability to act immediately and responsively to actual and potential risks of failure. Potential risks of failure will be identified immediately by the WP leader through regular monitoring of Critical Junctures (discussed in the following section). This horizontal and vertical progress monitoring structure will inform the Coordinator of progress and any potential difficulties arising at the first opportunity. If such problems arise and changes in the work plan are required the coordinator and Steering Group will act at the earliest opportunity. Changes not affecting a participants contract with the Commission will be approved by a 75% consortium majority and voted on through e-communication. In the event that it is necessary to adjust the course and action of parts of the Project, WPs or tasks, and in particular, any part of such changes which may impact on the Contractors Contract with the Commission the following procedure will be followed: (1) the Steering Group and Coordinator will decide on a recommendation for a line-of-action to ensure the success of the Project remains on course; (2) through e-communication, the line-of-action will be proposed to the Consortium with a cut-off response date of 15 days (after which, if no response is received it is taken as a supporting vote for the line-of-action); (3) based on the line-of-action to be taken, and particularly if this involves and changes to the contractual basis of a Contractors or the Project Contract, the Commission will be requested to implement the change voted for by the Consortium. A cut-off data response time will be agreed with the Commission prior to signing the Contract.
Project Management and Decision-Making Mechanisms:
Project
Management & Achieving Goals (Objectives)
Although MAP has many Tasks within the main Work Packages, it has four clear
Objectives that will deliver the success of the STREP. Each Task in each
Work Package is assigned a Level 1 and Level 2 Critical Juncture (i.e.
where the Activities/Work Packages intersect with the Objectives and is
critically necessary for meeting a specific objective) in terms of contributing
to the project Objectives. These Critical Junctures will be monitored by
both the individual WP Coordinator and the Steering Group. This will ensure
that the priorities within each Task and Work Package are kept tightly
focused towards achieving the goals and Objectives of the Project. This
will be achieved through very frequent progress reporting from the Task
Leaders to the WP Coordinators. In ensuring that the Objectives are achieved,
Critical Junctures of the project are clearly identified. Such an approach
ensures not only a vertical Management Structure as listed in the Decision
Making description above, but also ensures a horizontal Project Management
approach to achieve the project goals. A schematic diagram illustrating
the Critical Junctures between intersecting Work Packages/Tasks and Objectives
is shown in Figure 2. Within this framework, Level 1 (most critical) and
Level 2 (second most critical) Critical Junctures are identified.
