Problem Definition and Specification
The need for the development of the coal loading system and rail facility is accompanied by the pre-installment of information on the geographical, economic and demographic states of benefit to the area of development such that the assertions made by the client are met and are all environment and human friendly in a problem-solving bid (Larry Drbal, 2012).
Transport system existing in the area of development should be a key factor in smoothness of operation and meeting the demands of the established system beneficial to the client and target of operation. A geographical setting for underlay construction of a rail system to the port facility is neither a consideration to neglect. It will help define the type of materials to be used on rail construction leading to the port for efficiency and durability (Bolton, 2014).
In a bid to help execute all the above stated objectives and to help solve the problem on this development, a series of tasks need to be handled step by step for a perfect solution as expressed in the procedure section below. But first we need to refer to the main objective of this project.
The main objective of this project is to provide a step by step problem solving procedure by defining a problem definition and specification to help guide the development of a coal loading and rail system facility and also to coordinate the impact of the system with the area of establishment to create a better ecosystem that is both environment and human friendly (Bonem, 2008).
An added objective consideration may be focused on the impact of the project on the future and how it is flexible to the changing technological regime that is taking different shapes from time to time throughout the years.
In developing the whole project several assumptions that are bound to constraints are made by the contracting client that are sometimes biased on the execution of the actual initial plan. These assumptions might to some extent affect the budget of the project planning and time of functionality throughout the entire project establishment.
Given the fact that they might not be managed just like any other project plan program, they must to some extent be given a raise of concern by both the project initiators, funders and the project managers, hence considering the clients brief, assumptions must be drawn out clearly.
Some of the assumptions that can be withdrawn from the clients’ brief are;
- Ease of construction since the client just expects the job to be handled smoothly.
- Client expects high performance of the system to be developed.
- Smooth acceptance of the system by demands of the people that would be linked to the system
- Favorable conducive construction environments including geographical conditions.
- Hundred percent efficiency in the work procedure output during development.
Assumptions and Constraints
However, all these assumptions by the client are met by certain several constraints that might be technical and might be a downfall to the efficient development of the whole project, these include;
- Hostility by the neighboring existing people that might oppose the whole rail system passing through their vicinity and premises(Control, 2015).
- Poor planning of contracted building company that might lead to bogus system built that is not efficient as per the demands.
- The geographical gradients and curves of the area that might hinder the straightness of the rail system and this might cause some parts of the rail to be finished off poorly hence a threat to the wagons that will be passing on it (Lewis, 2014).
- Improper funding of the whole project might be another major constraint that might harbor several consequences prior to the initial expectations on demand and operations.
A lot of information needs to be collected to help determine the demand forecast and the major favorable port operating working days. These revolve around the rail network capacity and shipping capacity that will determine and specify amount of load on wagons of coal to ports. the coal pile details should be a worry as it triggers the stipulated time of operation to be well fixed such that the amount to be ferried at a given time is well taken care of to meet the demand target of the company. Both complex and simple data gathering procedures need to be applied predetermining on the site and theoretically to help the project initiators develop a larger scope of view on the whole project which might help them subdivide the project into sub sectors that are easy to handle and execute leaving out little or no unfinished work.
A pre-feasibility study before the major feasibility study is a key benefit to data collection and analysis. It might involve sending a team of experts to the field and setting up thesis that enables them to gain zero tolerance from the theoretical information that they already have in their hand notes and some sourced out from the internet.
Rail and gauge size measurements will help predetermine the coal wagon dimensions to be built depending on coal pile to and from the port.
Application of the technology of material science is duly needed here on forecasting strengths and material properties of materials needed for the construction of the rail system. Steel is the major material to focus on at this moment as it got a lot of beneficial properties for durability and strength and thus the better choice for this project.
Length of the rail system is also a major dimension to be put to consideration based on the major constraints that would be taken care of to avoid under meeting the demands (Buie, 2017).
The demand of the coal company over the next 15 years will amount to about 500,000 tonnes of coal in exports. This amount surpasses the projected value because of certain assumptions that can be made. After the construction of the new coal port the efficiency of exporting would increase significantly. This is because the machinery used have proved to be reliable over the last 25 years of operation, and an additional port increases the number of ships that can be loaded per day during the days of operation.
Data Collection and Analysis
Port operating days
The port can operate for 100 days per year this is because some un-controlled factors which include;
The licensing between the export company and government that restricts operation of port between 18th May to 15th September.
Maintenance days that cover for almost 20 days in total per year. Including planned and un-planned maintenance of machinery.
Trains have a capacity of 2,400 tonnes and the rail network has 2 trains. But with the construction of the new rail system the maximum capacity would be limited to one train at a time which leaves it at 2,400 tonnes. Even though they are being loaded at different coal mines.
Shipping capacity
percentage of ships that take more than 30 hours to load;
= = 10%
so, if 10 % takes more than 30 hours so 90 % would take;
= = 270 hours.
The total time would be 300 hours and with each ship taking 3 days to be onloaded and offloaded, this puts the shipping capacity at;
The total number of operating days is 100 days. Two trains can operate in day making it 4,800 tonnes. A ships capacity would take 12,000 tonnes, which means the trains would have to operate for 2.5 days to fill the first ship for export. The first ship would be packed on the third day and leave for the second ship to arrive. With a delay of a day in between due to the movement of the ships, the stockpile would be 6,000 tonnes.
In conclusion, we can see that the exports can be delayed a bit because of the two trains that operate one at a time. Meaning that the first export would be done on the second day of operation and with the ship capacity exceeding the trains capacity, there will always be a delay which is why it is vital to create a second port and rail system that would increase the train capacity whilst increasing the stock pile which over time can increase the efficiency of the ships going through the ports during days of operation.
The information collected above is then used accordingly to help summarize the problem in details without leaving behind trails of emptiness to meet client demands.
For the benefit of the summary a lot of concentration is to be given majorly to the assumptions and constraints as seen on the clients brief. The whole problem can then be seen as one that is quite solvable once the relevant problem-solving procedure and specification is followed from the first to the last without skipping a step.
Goals and Objectives
Knowledge on geography should also be one of the major concerns in solving the problems on the clients brief because it is quite obvious that the whole project is to be built on land and this must be an eye opener during problem solving as it is the one holding ninety percent of the project as drawn in the plan.
The data collected in each category deserves different type of handling procedure starting from the first to the last accordingly to help overcome stated constraints not the full matching percentage but just above the accuracy level (Messler, 2012).
End user demands should also be quite another problem to be briefed out. Once the coal is transported it will finally get to the end user who needs to give a feedback on delivery and every other service offered as long as the rail system is used to ferry the goods from port to destination.
Maintaining good human relation is a factor learnt from the problems that if taken care of well will also help uplift the project significantly (Edwards, 2011). A further proper assigning of relevant experts to work on and analyze data collection and take care of assumptions and constraints in a bid to provide a doubt free environment that will allow for execution of efficient plans to help solve the problems that lie in the way of the project.
The project certainly has several goals majorly the achievements it desires to meet by the end of it all. These goals in most cases can be termed as the key reasons for building and launching the whole project. It is from the goals that we clearly draw our reference of work from. It is from here that the contractor will know what to remove on the project plan or what to add onto I to make it stand out as a full image. The goals are certainly the backbone of a fully planned and drawn project.
Major goals of this project might be;
- High supply demand target to its destined destinations in time thus a time saving move.
- Large output of service in the loading sector and movement to destination.
- Large profit margins that are based on proper input efforts.
- Efficient service provision than other competitive firms similar to it.
- High reputation from clients during operation based on time to time service delivery to the clients and even to the community(Energy Information Administration (U.S.), Government Publications Office, 2016).
- Little input and higher output to help minimize on costs used and injected into the transporting and loading sector.
- High accuracy level from its workers and deliverance to its clients starting from good payments and affordable service and transportation prices.
- Durability of system developed that would make the system last long enough to continue providing what it is designated for.
- Authenticity in execution of its orders to meet deadlines of supply.
- Higher acknowledgement rates from bordering communities and other reputable companies for good and efficient service offered by the built system across the entire region far and beyond.
- High product and service conversion ratio.
- Self-proclaimed prowess from the company.
- Best integration system that will ensure it coordinates with major high-end systems including complex electrical and mechanical systems for a smooth operation thus contracting the best companies around it to provide the system service.
Just like any other project, this project has several other objectives apart from the main one outlined in the beginning of the paper. Drawing from the clients brief, an objective generally can be defined as a want outside the goals or a want(need) coordinated with the goals of a project or a plan. Objectives need a proper restudy before being concluded on and drafted in paper. Objectives are a to do list of tasks to be handled. Objectives are not measurable.
Conclusion
These objectives might vary depending on different fields but in most cases, they are all the same as most objectives are for the positive, for the better future of any company that is set to develop a genuine long-lasting project like this one.
The qualitative objectives of this project based from its initial based goals are;
- To be the best coal loading facility across the region.
- To provide better services on rail transport of coal across the region.
- To improve on profit margins based on financial allocations to different sectors of the system.
- To be the best of the best project developed ever in the designated region.
- To meet requirements of the legal team for practitioners.
- To meet customer demands without major disappointments of transport and supply.
- To promote employment opportunities to several skilled and unskilled people around the region (International Transport Forum, 2010).
- To create a competitive environment for innovations and inventions that might help uplift the economic situation.
- To help regulate fraudulent cases in compliance with government-based regulations.
- To encourage more investors to the project to help build more opportunities from it and create an ecosystem that helps both suppliers and consumers.
- To provide the best conducive working environments for its current and future workers that might help create a permanent bond relation.
- To be a sole prospect of high end quality service
- To help install another new system that is more or less related to the existing one.
- To restore a native habitat as initial from the surrounding that Is business friendly.
With all the assumptions made in the client brief, a lot can be deduced from them basing our argument on the fact that they might and are the major shortcomings of an upcoming project and should be avoided at all costs by providing and working in line with good terms and conditions that might favor proper development.
The assumptions can be given an identification and documented throughout the projects life cycle because they are an important aspect of the project especially during risk and disaster management. If they are failed to analyze then it might affect the project outcome at large.
For example, the assumption that all people might accept the project as briefed by the client is one of the worst nightmares a company can have. Because for one before launching any project, a proper feasibility study must be undertaken and this might include conducting proper research on human environments by providing questionnaires to them.
The feedback that the people will give will have a major impact on installation of the project because it’s the people that will need most of the services and its them who will be providing finances that constitute to the project’s profits in exchange of services.
Therefore, the assumptions made need to be approached with much care as long as the people are a factor in them. That’s only if the company developing the project wants to gain and benefit from it wholly.
Major constraints as stated in the evaluation of the client’s brief are a major calamity to any upcoming project. A proper background information and understanding of constraints is a key role that will determine the success of a well-planned project supervised by a qualified project manager.
Constraints identification and documentation involves, some of them including those that were mentioned and those that weren’t mentioned are;
- Geographical constraints that involve land gradient and curviness that might hinder the path of the rail system(T.G., 2012).
- Natural calamities like landslides that hinder construction of rail path.
- Human hostility across project development region.
- Human dissatisfaction on the project if not done according to initial plans.
- Insufficient funding of project as the project needs major complex and expensive building materials.
- Approval by the legal team on giving a go ahead to developing the project.
- Non-cooperation with the relevant authorities during the plan and building of the project might hinder its up rise.
- Insufficient feasibility study before launch and proceeding with project might lead to its downfall.
Conclusion
From the steps and tasks discussed above starting from statement of the problems and providing summary on solving them, we can conclude that once all the problem-solving procedure is followed keenly and wisely, then the project would be so successful to the extent of an accuracy closer to the maximum.
References
Bolton, S. (2014). Scratch-Building Model Railway Locomotives. UK: Crowood.
Bonem, J. M. (2008). Process Engineering Problem Solving: Avoiding “The Problem Went Away, but it Came Back” Syndrome. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Buie, M. (2017). Problem Solving for New Engineers: What Every Engineering Manager Wants You to Know. UK: Taylor & Francis.
Control, U. S. (2015). Transportation noise (rail and other). Urban noise problems and social behavior. Washington DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Edwards, B. (2011). Sustainability and the Design of Transport Interchanges. UK: Routledge.
Energy Information Administration (U.S.), Government Publications Office. (2016). International Energy Outlook: 2016 with Projections to 2040. US: Government Printing Office.
International Transport Forum. (2010). ITF Round Tables Integration and Competition between Transport and Logistics Businesses. Paris, France: OECD Publishing.
Larry Drbal, K. W. (2012). Power Plant Engineering. Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media.
Lewis, A. (2014). Rails Crash Course: A No-Nonsense Guide to Rails Development. US: No Starch Press.
Messler, R. W. (2012). Engineering Problem-Solving 101: Time-Tested and Timeless Techniques: Time-Tested and Timeless Techniques. US: McGraw Hill Professional.
T.G., C. (2012). Construction in the Landscape: A Handbook for Civil Engineering to Conserve Global Land Resources. UK: Routledge.
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