Case Study: Wigan University Stadium Construction

Assignment Two:

Construction

After six months of study, much political arm wrestling, and some serious financial analysis,

Professor Sean Steel, Vice Chancellor of Wigan University, had reached a decision. To the

delight of its students, and to the disappointment of its athletic boosters, Wigan University

would not be relocating to a new football site but would expand the capacity of its on-campus

stadium.

Adding 21,000 seats, including dozens of luxury skyboxes, would not please everyone.

The influential football coach, Mr Tony Timber, had long argued the need for a first–class

stadium, one with built–in dormitory rooms for his players and a palatial office appropriate for

a coach of a future premia league football champion team. But the decision was made, and

everyone, including the coach, would learn to live with it.

The job now was to get construction going immediately after the 2014 season ends. This

would allow exactly 270 days until the 2015 season opening game. The Contractor, Concrete

Construction Ltd (Mr Christopher Concrete being an alumnus, of course), signed the

contract. Mr Concrete looked at the tasks his engineers had outlined and looked the Vice

Chancellor in the eye. “I guarantee the team will be able to take the field on schedule next

year”, he said with a sense of confidence. “I surely hope so,” replied Professor Steel. “The

contract penalty of £10,000 per day for running late is nothing compared to what the Coach

Mr Timber will do to you if our opening game with Omskirk International University is delayed

or cancelled. Mr Concrete, sweating slightly, did not respond. In football–crazy Britain,

Concrete Construction Ltd would be mud if the 270–day target were missed.

Back in his office, Mr Concrete again reviewed the data. See table 1 below and note that

optimistic time estimates can be used crash times. He then gathered his foremen. “People, if

we’re not 75% sure we’ll finish this stadium in less than 270 days, I want this project crashed!

Give me the cost figures for a target date of 250 days —also 240 days. I want to be early, not

just on time!”

Table 1: Activities for Constructing the Wigan University Stadium Project

Activity Activity Description Predecessors Optimistic

A Bonding, Insurance,

B Foundation, concrete

C Upgrading sky boxes,

D Upgrading walkways,

E Interior wiring, lathes B 25 30 35 28

F Inspection approvals E 1 1 1 650

G Plumbing D, E 25 30 35 63

H Painting G 10 20 30 820

I Hardware/air

tax structuring.

footings for boxes

stadium seating

stairwells, elevators

START 20 30 40 17

A 20 65 80 16

A 50 60 100 557

C 30 50 100 47

H 20 25 60

conditioning/metal

workings

windows

J Tile/carpeting/

K Inspection J 1 1 1 720

L Final detail work/

H 8 10 12 975

I, K 20 25 60 13

cleanup

REQUIRED

A: Using the Programme Evaluation and Review technique, determine the expected

completion time for each activity. Use this information to draw an activity on node

diagram and an early start Gantt chart for the project. Analyse the activity on

node network and determine the expected project completion time and the critical

activities. For each activity in the project, determine the total float, free float, and the

independent float available if any.

B: Discuss the key features, strengths and limitations of the Programme Evaluation

and Review Technique (PERT) and determine the probability of completing the project

in 270 days.

C: If it were necessary to crash to 250 or 240 days, Evaluate how Concrete

Construction Ltd could do so and the costs involved. As noted in the case, assume

that optimistic time estimates can be used as crash times.

D: Discuss, with examples, in the context of the above case study how Information

Technology could be deployed to assist in project planning and control.

Assessment Criteria Marks

Accurate calculation of the expected completion time for each

activity using the PERT. 5

Accurate drawing of the activity-on-node network and critical path

analysis showing EST, LST, EFT and LFT for each activity 15

Accurate calculation of the total float, free float and independent

float for each of the activities in the network. 15

Accurate drawing of the early start Gantt Chart for the project. 10

Creative discussion of key features of the PERT, strengths

and limitations and accurate calculation of the probability of

completing the project in 270 days.

Creative discussion of the implications of project crashing

on projects risks and accurate calculation of the costs and

procedure to reduce the project duration to 250 days and 240

days respectively.

7. Relevant assessment of the role of IT in project planning and

control 15

Post-graduate style and correct use of Harvard referencing 5

NOTES

1. Your report should not exceed 3000 words.

2. All textbooks, journal papers, articles, websites accessed etc, should be included in

your Bibliography, and any subject matter which is used in your submission should be

included in your reference section using the Harvard system.

3. Marks will be allocated for Content, Structure, Coherence, References, and

Bibliography (depth of research and currency) and overall presentation.

4. Reference to the student’s experiences in the industry (if any) and professional

perspectives is encouraged, where it serves to support or illustrate the arguments and

discussions within the text.

Bibliography

(please submit in Harvard referencing format)

Essential reading:

(teams should note that essential reading would not normally exceed 3 or 4 texts/journals)

Burke, R (2008) Project Management, Planning and Control Techniques, 5th

Wiley.

Nicholas J M and Steyn H (2012) Project Management for Business, Engineering and

Technology, 4rd

Gardiner, P (2005) Project Management: A strategic Planning Approach,

Palgrave-MacMillan.