Project Example of manned powered (sustained and controlled) flight

lgo

Project Example 3 - First to the South Pole, circa 1911-12

1912: On January 18, Robert F. Scott, Edward Wilson, Edgar Evans and Lawrence Oates reach the South Pole. But Amundsen had already been there and left a flag marking the spot. Terribly discouraged after a tortuous journey, all members perish on the return trip. Scott, Wilson and Bowers die in their tent after using up all fuel and food. The three are not discovered until November.

1911: On December 14, Norwegian Roald Amundsen and four team members reach the South Pole. Amundsen discovered a new route which took only 57 days. Letters are left for Scott, a Norwegian flag planted and then they return to the Bay of Whales.

Robert Scott

This could be considered a project disaster resulting in the tragic death of 4 of the team. On 1 November 1911, Scott left base camp with support parties, innovative motor sledges, dogs and ponies. Motor sledges soon abandoned. Ponies unsuitable. As Scott's men laid depots, individual teams and dogs returned. Scott chose the team for the final push, 150 ml from the goal. An extra fifth man impacted rations and fuel. His men pulled sledges with harnesses. On 17 January 1912, Scott arrived at the Pole 33 days after Amundsen. Suffering from starvation, scurvy and hypothermia the first man died on 17 February, he stumbled behind group. The second on 17 March, crippled with frostbite, walked out of his tent. The remaining men awaited death confined by a swirling blizzard, “One Ton Depot” lay only 11 miles away.

The main reasons for the project failure were:

He risked untested transportation technology in motor sledges, and ponies unsuited to extreme cold (although they did provide meat).
He failed to integrate the transportation approaches.
He ordered dog teams back to base camp losing the one advantage.
Wrong project team members with paying guests to look after ponies.
He chose his team too late and miscalculated the resources for the number of team members.
Beaten to the Pole demoralized the team and affected their morale for the return.
Pulling the heavy sledges with man-harnesses sapped his team of strength.

Roald Amundsen

This could be considered a project success, as he won the race by reaching the South Pole 1 month ahead of Scott. Amundsen told his men his plans in Madeira. He was confident that skis and dogs used in the Arctic experience were suitable for the Antarctic. He landed further along the Ross Ice Shelf and risked setting up base camp on the ice. He laid supply depots Southwards using expertly trained dog teams, much further South than Scott's. He anticipated there were alternative routes to the Polar Plateau. He handpicked 4 men (skiing champion and two expert dog-drivers) and left with 50 dogs on 20 October 1911. Progressed was swift as he moved with the dogs up the newly discovered Axel Heiberg Glacier and across the Polar Plateau. On 14 December 1911 he reached the Pole.

The main reasons for the project failure were:

He planned brilliant, avoided unnecessary leaks, and managed public expectations by not disclosing plans.
He stayed with proven and tested transportation technology in skis and dogs, and refined these.
He took calculated risks setting up base camp on the ice based on experience and cut the journey down.
He anticipated alternatives and made the best use of these.
He handpicked a well balanced team of individual skills to support the technology.
He relied on his experience to carry the project through.

He carefully managed all the critical paths of project and completed testing.
He was a great project manager carefully managing the project to ensure ultimate success.

This page last updated on July 26, 2006.