Winning the Sydney to Hobart: A Case Study in Project Management

Winning the Sydney to Hobart:
A Case Study in Project Management
SYNOPSIS
This case discusses the application of project management to the project of preparing for an
ocean classic yacht race. The author makes specific reference to tasks, which make up the project
and relates them to specific work involved in project management. Campaigning for a yacht race
includes determining the concept of the project (determine scope, risk assessment, review
alternatives), developing the project (select the boat, establish the project team, pre- pare the
boat), execute the project (procure the boat, train the team, enter the races) and finish the project
(continually tune the boat, race the boat, and win). The case offers a novel look at project
management in that the application is interesting and atypical.
I.EARNING OBJECTIVES
Through the study of this case, students should gain a better understanding of:
‣ characteristics of a successful project.
‣ the importance of all of the phases of a project.
‣ the importance of a good project team.
‣ the planning of a successful project.
‣ the risk assessment of a project.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS
1. The project initiator believes that winning a yacht race depends 80 percent on the preparation
stage and only 20 percent on the effort in the actual race. Einstein was quoted as saying that a
creation is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration. Which of these statements do you
agree with? Why, given a project management context?
a. The amount of planning for a project is very project dependent. The planning of a project is
discussed in the PM Literature (especially the "Project Management Body of Knowledge" -
PMBOK®) that deals with Planning Processes. It states that the planning of a project is very
dependent on the previous experience in the area of the project, and should be commensurate

with the scope of the project and the usefulness of the information developed. Einstein’s 90
percent perspiration should include planning.
2. This project essentially describes a job-shop point of view. How might the creation of a fleet
of championship boats change the described project life cycle?
a. The project life-cycle, described in PM literature (especially the "Project Management Body of
Knowledge" - PMBOK®), made up of feasibility, planning and design, production, and turnover
and start- up in this case, would need to be refined to include more emphasis on the prototype
and validation stages of development. Again, the question of 80 percent of the effort spent in
planning would come into question as more work in production monitoring and performance
may be required.
3. Cost management was described as subsidiary to time and quality objectives for this project. If
this situation bad been different, i.e., a restrictive boat budget, how might the project results have
changed?
a. It is difficult to say that the results would have changed at all. The experienced crew may have
made the difference, and an inferior boat could have still been victorious. Likewise if the
objective bad truly been the enjoyment and pleasure of sailing as described in the case, the
project would have been a success.
4. Had this same project analysis been performed on another boat in the Sydney to Hobart, how
might it have pointed out any deficiencies in the project process?
a. By benchmarking versus the Assassin project process, possible deficiencies in the process could
be identified. For example, the funding differences or the lack of a "well-connected" project
leader could have been a disadvantage of the less successful boat. Likewise, the amount of time
spent on various aspects of the project could also be compared.
5. The case mentions the importance of meeting the requirements of five different certifications
along with careful lobbying in order to enable entry of the yacht into the races. All projects face
these kinds of challenges. Review the PM literature to develop your own model for dealing with
these issues.
a. These strategic issues need to be identified, assessed, and analyzed, and action should be taken
in order to successfully deal with them. This is discussed by David Cleland in Project Management:

Strategic Design and Implementation, in the section on managing strategic project management issues.
The use of such a cycle, assuring compliance to regulations and restrictions, for managing these
strategic issues allows for the success of a project in the face of project restrictions and
requirements
6. This case has shown some important Project Management principles/frameworks. List five
PM principles that you deem to be the most important in this particular case.
a. The case mentions particular Project Management principles very clearly: phases of the project
life-cycle-concept, development, execution, and finishing; the four basic project management
functions-management of scope, quality, time, and cost; and other essential project management
functions, such as human resource management, communications management,
contract/procurement management, and risk management.
ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION POINTS:
The case states: “Many project managers tackle their task without conscious reference to the
various project management frameworks developed by theorists. This project was carried out by
a project initiator with many years of experience and a reputation in leading projects in the
corporate and financial field. Application of a rigorous and systematic process to a project
outside his normal field of activity was both instinctive and a major reason for the initiation of
the project.” Given this, one could also discuss the balance between managing by intuition and a
project management framework.