Denver Airport Project Failure: A Case Study.
Denver International Airport project was an ambitious undertaking to build a new airport to replace Denver’s existing Stapleton Airport. The project was initiated in 1989, with a budget of $1.7 billion and a planned opening date of October 1993. The project was supposed to create a state-of-the-art airport that could handle the growing number of passengers and airlines using the airport.
However, the project faced a number of challenges that considered it as a failed project in terms of project management practices, including poor planning, design flaws, cost overruns, and schedule delays. The airport ended up costing $4.8 billion, almost three times the original budget, and didn’t open until February 28, 1995, more than a year and a half later than originally planned.
Reasons of failure
The Denver International Airport project failed due to several reasons, including:
- Poor planning and project management, which led to inaccurate cost and time estimates, and inadequate project controls.
- Ineffective project controls, as the project management team failed to implement adequate project controls, resulting in poor monitoring and control of project progress and cost.
- Scope creep and changes in design, which led to additional costs and delays.
- Ineffective communication and collaboration between stakeholders, which caused misunderstandings, conflicts, and delays.
- Inadequate risk management and contingency planning, which left the project vulnerable to unexpected events and circumstances.
- Technical difficulties and integration issues with the baggage handling system, which resulted in operational problems and flight delays.
- Lack of experience and expertise in managing large-scale construction projects, particularly with respect to the complexity of airport construction.
- Political pressure and influence on the project, which led to decisions that were not based on sound engineering or economic principles.
- Resistance to change and lack of accountability among project team members, which hindered the project’s progress and resolution of issues.
- External factors such as weather conditions and labor strikes, which compounded the project’s challenges and delays.
Lessons learned
The Denver International Airport project provided several valuable lessons for project managers and construction professionals, including:
- The importance of effective project planning: The project suffered from poor planning, leading to numerous changes in design and scope that caused significant delays and cost overruns. Future projects should emphasize the importance of thorough planning and risk management to avoid these issues.
- The need for effective project controls: The lack of effective project controls, including monitoring and communication, allowed problems to go unnoticed and led to significant issues that could have been prevented with better oversight.
- The dangers of scope creep: The airport project experienced significant scope creep, leading to cost and schedule overruns. Project managers should establish clear project objectives and scope, and avoid changes that may impact the project’s success.
- The importance of effective communication: The Denver airport project suffered from poor communication, leading to misunderstandings and delays. Future projects should prioritize communication and collaboration between project teams and stakeholders to ensure everyone is on the same page.
- The need for project managers to be proactive and responsive: The airport project experienced significant delays and issues that could have been mitigated or resolved more quickly with more proactive and responsive project management. Future projects should emphasize the importance of quick action and problem-solving to avoid project failure.
Conclusion
The Denver International Airport project is considered a notable case study for project management failures and has been studied extensively to identify the root causes of the project’s problems, it serves as a clear reminder of the importance of effective project management practices in ensuring that a project is completed on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of the client.
References:
- “Denver International Airport Case Study” by Lisa A. Burke and Kyle P. Chen. Project Management Journal, Vol. 26, No. 4, 1995.
- “Lessons Learned from the Denver International Airport Baggage System” by Richard de Neufville and Stefan Scholtes. Interfaces, Vol. 26, No. 3, 1996.
- “Case Study: Denver International Airport Baggage Handling System – An Illustration of Joint Application Design (JAD)” by Robin E. Davis and Barbara A. Haley. Journal of Systems Management, Vol. 47, No. 2, 1996.
- “Project Management Case Studies” by Harold Kerzner. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2017. (Contains a chapter on the Denver International Airport project).
- “Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide” by Project Management Institute. 6th Edition, 2017. (Discusses project monitoring and controlling processes).
- “Denver International Airport (DIA) Case Study.” Project Management Institute. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/denver-international-airport-dia-case-study-6285
- “Denver International Airport.” WSP. https://www.wsp.com/en-GL/projects/denver-international-airport
- “Denver International Airport: A Case Study in Project Management.” Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research, vol. 8, no. 2, 1998, pp. 21-31. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/openview/bd3a86a7a19e1b52d7c8f1a1e83a9425/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1816856
- “Denver International Airport Case Study.” Interserve Project Services. https://www.interserve.com/media/4480/denver-international-airport-case-study.pdf
- “Project Management Failure: The Case of Denver International Airport.” PM World Journal, vol. III, issue VII, July 2014. http://pmworldjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/pmwj23-jul2014-thomas-project-management-failure-at-denver-airport.pdf