Question

Q.3  Apply each stage of the PLC towards an Extension of Metro to Sharjah project. A business case, and a project plan that includes a WBS must also be developed for the project.

Answer 1

Given project / case : Extension of metro to Sharjah project.

Any project / case consists long time procedures in order to complete it requires a specific technique / process to create a clarity for the people who are working in it and also to understand how far the project is completed.

The life cycle of any product / project consist of 5 specific stages. All these stages in collection are called as PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE.

These stages are :

? development stage

? Introduction stage

? growing stage

? maturity

? decline

where as WBS includes work breakdown structure which means breakdown of work into smaller components for manageable actions.

Thus ,

Stage 01 : development stage

Aspects like

* Amount of investment made ?

* types of investing instruments used ?

* bringing the project legally acceptable documents.

* initiation of project structure.

* preparing road map of metro expansion.

Are included. The aspects right from non existence of project to legally acceptable permissions along with initiation for projects existence are included in this stage.

Work break down groups at this stage may be like :

* material supply team

* material management and storage team

* labour maintenance team / group

* payroll dept / team / group

* audit group ( verifying regular work phase finances )

All those bifurcations / work dividing patterns for progressful work structure.

Stage 02 : introduction stage :

The aspects like

* the procedures after the product / project is ready.

* the trial run initiatives.

* the verification procedures.

* background works in order to creat demand like promotions , allowing public for sample exhibitions etc.

Working of expert planning teams may add up here to increase efficiency and to intriduce them to public.

Stage 03 : growth stage

* reduction in costs due to increase in demand.

* expansion of promotional activities regd working efficiency of metro. ( eg : tv news )

* activities to increase public awareness regarding product / project.

* letting public know the facilities being provided at metro stations.

Teams like public awareness and promotional teams may join the existing work structure in this phase.

Stage 04 : Maturity stage

* this arises after reaching complete growth stage / optimum stage of growth.

* once the public beyond maximum capacity are being travelled via metro then definitely to comfort themselves they would choose other options / alternatives.

It is observed in any kind of project but it may take few years for newly expanding metro to reach this level.

Stage 05 : Decline stage

* costs increase due to loss of economic scale.

* to understand in common sense point of view , once public beyong maximum reached in metro and tend to swift their options. That obviously result in decrease in demand and increase in price as well.

Thus this cycle is used in order to plan the life cycle of any project.