Introduction
The modern business world is characterised by the increased diversity and the high speed of its development. The technological progress, along with the fast evolution of society, introduces new demands to companies and industries. These requirements should be met to guarantee the growth of firms and their ability to survive in the existing highly competitive environment. For this reason, management methods and tools acquire the top priority as an effective means to generate a competitive advantage and fill existing clients’ needs.
The diversity in demands and the sophistication of the working conditions also mean that companies have to be ready to adapt to new factors and possess a high level of flexibility. Under these conditions, project management approaches and methodologies are widely used by specialists to solve tasks and achieve outlined goals. For the McDelivery Project, the selection of an appropriate PM paradigm is also critical as it preconditions its outcomes and ability to evolve.
McDelivery Project
The discussed project has several features that should be considered when selecting an appropriate management approach. McDonald’s is a global brand famous for its chain of restaurants that provide clients with fast-food (“McDonald’s McDelivery Expands”). The corporation is one of the leaders in the market with stable revenues and significant resources that can be devoted to new vectors of the brand’s evolution. McDelivery now functions in about 47 countries and contributes to the generation of an additional income for the company. It meets people’s requirements to convenience, comfort, and saves time by offering an opportunity to engage in other activity while waiting for food.
Because of the high demand for this sort of services, new projects are launched regularly to affect multiple areas (Wright). For a manager, it is vital to realise the fact that the effective functioning of McDelivery presupposes the effective collaboration between various parties, cooperation with customers, and in-time delivery of ordered products. For this reason, the selection of the PM approach should be influenced by these factors as the key determinants of success.
Project Management Approach for McDelivery Project
Regarding the factors mentioned above, the PM approach should be able to consider the need for flexibility, adaptation, and continuous improvement. Under these conditions, Scrum, one of Agile’s derivatives, can be viewed as a sufficient methodology to accomplish the task and achieve outlined goals (Sliger). It focuses on the alignment of the effective functioning of project teams, specific sprints, that ensure achievement in short terms, and daily meetings to share updated data and provide positive outcomes (Sliger).
In accordance with this methodology, the collective should be self-organising and self-managing to function effectively and contribute to the evolution of the project. For McDelivery, with its traditional focus on group work, Scrum offers a set of advantages and benefits that can create the basis for the fast development in a new area and improved cooperation with clients, which is critical for the attainment of outlined goals.
Benefits of PM Methodology
The central advantage of Scrum PM methodology for McDelivery is its promotion of the enhanced teamwork. All members of the collective acquire clear visibility into the venture due to the detailed explanations and daily meetings (Sliger). Because of the involvement of third parties and the need to consider clients’ needs when organising the delivery, the enhanced cooperation between all employees is fundamental for the attainment of high satisfaction levels and establishment of strong relations with customers. Additionally, regular meetings contribute to better problem-solving and discussion of issues that should be altered to avoid the critical deterioration of outcomes.
Another important factor of Scrum that makes it an advantageous solution of McDelivery is its fast-paced character. The project is expected to be accomplished in two months, which means that time becomes a valuable resource. Specific springs peculiar to this PM methodology are focused on 30-day improvement periods that are organised in accordance with end-goals and essential tasks (Sliger). Every team member is explained his/her role and acts in accordance with the existing roadmap. The given paradigm helps to avoid misunderstandings and devote all available resources on the achievement of the current goal, which is one of the pivotal tasks of McDelivery project.
Finally, Scrum can be considered a useful tool to improve relations with clients and guarantee their high satisfaction levels. The fact is that daily meetings and enhanced teamwork contribute to the gradual increase in awareness of the clients’ needs and their expectations from the workers of the service. Sharing information about problems or successful practices, employees cultivate the environment that is flexible and adaptive, which is fundamental for the establishment of a useful customer management approach (Sliger). For this reason, the selected PM methodology can have a positive influence on relations with clients.
In such a way, the provided list of benefits justifies the selection of Scrum as the possible approach to organising the work of a new McDelivery unit and improving its outcomes. Additionally, it meets the corporation’s requirements for cooperation between employees and their constant improvement. The high level of flexibility and adaptability also guarantee that workers will be able to function in terms of constantly changing demand and fill clients’ needs for convenience and comfort.
Anticipated Issues
However, regardless of the multiple advantages associated with the use of Scrum to support the evolution of McDelivery, some issues should be considered to avoid failures. First, the result critically depends on teams and their ability to function and evolve. Because these units are considered the core of the firms’ functioning, the lack of discipline or motivation can deteriorate outcomes and precondition the achievement of unsatisfactory results (Sliger).
Additionally, the attempt to save time and engage in sprints described above might set a ground for the lack of the basic tasks’ understanding and limited knowledge about the scope and goals of the venture. For this reason, to avoid these flaws, it is vital to introduce an effective evaluation practice to analyse both clients and employees’ data and remain informed about the existing problematic issues and their impact on the firm.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Altogether, due to the nature of McDelivery and its focus on the provision of high-quality services to clients, Scrim can be considered a sufficient PM methodology promoting positive outcomes. The focus on teams and their improved functioning will contribute to their enhanced ability to cooperate with clients and discuss their needs. At the same time, all associated risks can be mitigated during the daily meetings by providing information about the current state of the project and issues that should be reconsidered to achieve beneficial results. Moreover, the fast pace and the practice of sprints justify the advantageous character of Scrum and its ability to help McDelivery to evolve.
References
“McDonald’s McDelivery Expands to 4,200 Restaurants in 13 Countries with UberEATS”. Intrado. 2017. Web.
Sliger, Michele. Agile Project Management with Scrum. Project Management Institute. 2011. Web.
“Wright, Joe. “Canterbury: McDonald’s Delivery Service Launches for Customers in Sturry”. Kent Online. 2018. Web.