The BDI project was an enormous success. However, there are several lessons learned from this project that could be essential for the future projects.

Traps and Pitfalls to Avoid in Future Projects

Poor relationship with the clients

Most of the malpractices in the project arises from claims of clients dissatisfactions. Poor clients’ relationship can transpire conflict in the projects. The distinctive failures that could sour the relationship with the clients include; scarce communication, lack of the client’s consent and instruction in the matters surrounding the evolution of the project. These conflicts could be avoided by maintain good communication behaviors such as responding to their request, making formal communications through appointments, orally or in writings.

Inadequate investigations and research work for the project

Reportedly, BDI has a substantive error account for 28% of malpractice claims. These errors involve failure to ascertain the deadline, failure to apply the laws based on the projects, planning, and procedural errors. Inadequate investigation translates the insufficient knowledge, hence contributing to the conflict of matters or interest (Wysocki, 2007). These errors can be prevented through careful evaluation of the methodologies that pertains the development of this project.

Inadequate work certification

A good manager avoids conflicts with the staffs and the other stakeholders by documenting different activities involved in the advancement of the project. Documenting work allows the manager or project supervisor to have accurate information about the role of each stakeholder, cross-checking on the advancement of the project to the time allocated and avoiding delays from missed deadlines. Good file management is essential in updating all the matters that could influence the accomplishment of the project.

Ambiguity

It is a common challenge that impend the progress of a project. Missing crucial information generates confusions between the team steering committee, developers, and the clients. For instance, BDI involved rework of some processes as a result of unclear need. It presents a big problem to the project plan and cost. Accurate and clear delivery of the information on the requirement processes and practices is critical to the accomplishment of a project (Wysocki, 2007).

Building Trust Environment, Full Participation by Members and Cohesiveness

The full involvement of the team players of the project is attained by engaging stakeholders in friendly communication. The project manager should communicate with the clients and the stakeholders regularly to avoid confusions and encourage teamwork. Employees feel the desire to participate in seen the maturity of the project if they are given the opportunity to share their views with the project management.  

Friendly communication develops mutual trust thus sustaining the workers’ value to remain with a given organization. In instances full of uncertainties, team members should be supported through passing powerful message to energize and improve their credibility to a particular responsibility. Member’s confidence is also increased when the project manager is honest and motivation-oriented. Honesty is reciprocated through trust between the team players. Similarly, employees feel the pride and zeal to continue working for the success of a given project when they are motivated. “Motivation can take the form of good wages, training, professional development, and counseling” (Swanepoel & De, (2006). Advising the employees on the sophisticated matters and systems drive them to collaborate closely. This aspect increases cohesiveness in the team, thus the positive development of the project.

However, the BDI experience will be essential in the preparation of the future projects. Inadequate documentation of the work cost this project time and money. For instance, when the last phase of BDI project was perceived to end over eight months, instead, it ran twice the expected time. As more time was spent to complete this project, the financial impacts were also higher. Extra members were deployed to prevent excessive delay. It means that if the adequate documentation of this project applied, hindrances could be avoided, ensuring the completion of the project over the time planned (Williams, 2002). Moreover, the remodeling of the BDI project also reduced the pace in the project. It could be a consequence of poor communication and lack of teamwork between the project developers. Some of these risks could be reduced by practicing objective communication, hence oneness in the working environment. 

References

Swanepoel, H., & De, B. F. (2006). Community development: Breaking the cycle of poverty.

                               Lansdowne, South Africa: Juta.

Williams, J. (2002). Team development for high-tech project managers. Boston: Artech House.

Wysocki, R. K. (2007). Effective project management: Traditional, adaptive, extreme.

                                Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Pub.