Planning For Crises in Project Management

Crises in projects are inevitable. Yet, the destructive consequences of many crises can be
reduced through the effective use of planning tools from emergency management. Risk
analyses, contingency plans, logic charts, and tabletop exercises help in planning for
crises and managing them when they occur. he primary strategy for managing crises in
projects is to think through the project before the project is begun and to practice using
these tools and their outputs. !xamples of crises in projects such as the "##$ %tlanta
&lympic 'ames highlight the use and effectiveness of crisis planning tools. (e offer
recommendations for project managers to better plan for the inevitable crises that will
disrupt their projects.
)eywords* contingency planning+ planning tools* risk analysis
,roject managers can-t always foresee every contingency when planning and managing
their projects. .any spurious events affecting project milestones and resource allocations
can surface once the project is under way. !xperienced project managers find crises,
miscommunications, mistakes, oversights, and disasters must be managed as part of
successful project management. ,roject managers need effective tools to plan for and
anticipate these crises. hese are tools project managers may not use everyday, yet they
need these tools to serve them in time of emergency. he ideas and information in this
paper will help project managers identify the appropriate crisis planning tools and how to
use them. he project manager-s experience, training, and skills should allow the
understanding and use of these emergency management tools to support quicker and
better decisionmaking. /n a crisis the worst decision is no decision and the second worst
decision is a late one 01awle, "##"2. .anaging crises better means mitigating and
preparing for crises so we can reduce their occurrence and manage the consequences
better if crises do occur. 3ased on the authors- experience in emergency management for
the public and private sectors and several experiences shared in the literature, we
recommend ways of planning for crises in projects.
(e offer a brief list of emergency management planning tools and skills for project
managers* risk analyses, contingency plans, logic charts, and tabletop exercises. hese
tools have different uses in different types of crises, whether they are natural,
chemical4technological, or security types of crises. hey also require different kinds of
support55police, fire, medical, rescue, etc.
Crises are analy6ed from the project management perspective, identifying the similarities
and differences between crises in project management and crises in general. (e discuss
crisis planning strategies and tools by looking at the tools used for emergency
management and investigating how we can modify them or design new tools for crisis
management in projects.
7raming the Crisis
.any crises become projects once the deleterious effects are gone. % commercial airline
crash, such as (% 899 in summer "##$, where all passengers and crew died, is
managed as a project once the threat of explosion and other immediate dangers diminish.
:owever, we-re concerned with crises occurring within an existing project, rather than a
crisis or emergency that becomes a project.
/n many of emergency management-s phases and types, the primary skills required are
project management skills we-re already familiar with. (hen we-re in an emergency
situation and we-re in the mitigation, preparedness, or recovery phase in a chronic, long5
term emergency, we can readily apply our project management skills. he focus of this
paper is the use of emergency management tools to aid in anticipating and planning for
crises in projects. ,roject managers need additional tools to respond to acute
emergencies55here is where emergency management tools become paramount.
he scope of application for emergency management tools will vary based on the si6e of
the project. he tools can be quite elaborate, such as volumes for a risk analysis or
reserved space for an emergency operations center 0!&C2 with many dedicated phone
lines. he tools can also be quite simple, such as a one5 to two5page list of risks in
priority order or a designated office or conference room 0to function as a mini5!&C2 with
the ability to bring in portable phones. %ll the tools should be used, even if just in simple
form. /n a small project, using one hour of a staff meeting to assign roles in the event of a
crisis may suffice for more elaborate means in a larger project. he elaborateness of tools
should be balanced with the cost and time required for preparation.
ypical project management requires attention to issues of cost, schedule, and quality. %s
the customer demands for quality increase, either the cost or the schedule must yield to
balance these new demands. 3ut at what point do increased demands reach a crisis point;
/ncreased demands may lead to a perplexity. % perplexity is <an event with an unknown
start and an unknown end.< %n example of a perplexity is an earthquake centered around
the =ew .adrid 0.o.2 fault line55we don-t know when the earthquake will occur, for how
long, nor what the extent of damage will be. /n fact, the earthquake may not occur in our
lifetime. he opposite of a perplexity is a process, an event with a known start and a
known end and the cycle is constantly repeated 0as in a manufacturing process2. he
concept of perplexity helps in understanding the amount and level of uncertainty faced in
emergency planning for projects.
/n this paper, a crisis could be externally generated, as in an earthquake, deregulation,
loss of key executives through accidental death 0airplane or automobile crash2, or
internally generated, as in a plant explosion or a strike. (e use >agadec-s 0"##?2
definition of a crisis as being an incident that upsets normal conditions, creating a
disturbance that cannot be brought back to normal using existing or speciali6ed
emergency functions. % crisis, according to >agadec, can occur when the incident passes
a certain level or when the system is unstable or close to the breaking point before the
incident took place. Consequently, crises considered in this paper disrupt project
activities to the point where new 0and typically unanticipated2 decisions must be made to
continue the project.
,rojects have characteristics that make the design and preparation of elaborate tools
difficult. 7irst, many projects lack the permanence of a large plant, mine, or government
installation. 1econd, emergencies in smaller projects tend to be more constrained to the
site, while larger projects must deal with emergencies of greater scope and impact, such
as chemical and radiological releases. hird, in a plant, a large number of people are
affected by an emergency55especially the public as opposed to the workers. (hen the
public or a large number of workers are involved, the organi6ation-s confidence in safe
operations has a heavy influence, and this begets elaborateness. % simple tool can afford
us most of the protection we need 0for example, @9A of maximum2, while a more
elaborate tool will buy us more confidence and protection 0perhaps up to ##A of
maximum2. he more elaborate tool is worth the investment when confidence is at stake.
ools to :elp ,roject .anagers ,lan for Crises
(e-ve chosen four types of tools used primarily in emergency management to help
project managers plan for crises better. (e-ll describe and show how to apply risk
analyses, contingency plans, logic charts, and tabletop exercises.
Risk Analysis. %n essential crisis planning tool is risk analysis. Risk analysis helps us
find out what can go wrong, what-s most probable, and what has the greatest impact. he
combination of an event-s probability of occurrence and severity of consequences 0e.g.,
catastrophic failure2 determines priorities. /ncident analysis can also help us understand
the lessons learned in an actual crisis and develop plans to mitigate the effects of similar
incidents in the future.
he "##$ &lympic 'ames in %tlanta presented many potential disruptions to area
businesses 03radford, "##$2. Comprehensive contingency plans were needed to increase
the potential for business continuity. %tlanta5based 3ell1outh 3usiness 1ystems Birector
of 3usiness Continuity 1ervices Cohn Copenhaver stated, </f you plan for a medium5case
scenario and a worst5case scenario happens, it-s like having no plans at all.< 3ell1outh-s
plan attempted to minimi6e disruptions during the &lympics through special
arrangements for deliveries, telecommuting, and increased modem pools so employees
could work from home. 3ell1outh conducted a vulnerability assessment and then put
systems into place to avoid interruptions to service or minimi6e the impact of
interruptions.
%nother 3ell company, 3ell1outh %dvertising and ,ublishing Co. 03%,C&2, saw the
need to develop a plan to deal with the human side of crises 0traumatic stress2, because
those could disable a firm just as well as interruption of normal business operations 0e.g.,
phone, equipment, facilities2 0)ruse, "##?2. 3%,C& brought in a consultant team to
deliver a one5day crisis management training session. he training was given to members
of a human resources crisis team and other members of management who wanted to
participate. hrough counseling, housing, <3ell.art,< rental cars, and other support
mechanisms, 3%,C& weathered :urricane %ndrew much better than most 1outh 7lorida
organi6ations. 3ell.art was a stocked warehouse of essentials that 3%,C& employees
0and even their non3%,C& neighbors2 were invited to visit to take whatever they needed.
!ighty5five percent of 3%,C& employees were affected by the hurricane, although none
were killed by the hurricane. he company pointed to several initiatives that were taken
to reduce traumatic stress so that people could return to work sooner and with fewer
worries. hese initiatives included a rapid deployment system to immediately attend to
their employees- needs, determining those needs in advance, heading off traumatic stress
with constant information 0daily, bulletin, people sought out on phone, foot, car, etc.2,
bringing in 3%,C& volunteers from other areas, making cash available immediately, and
giving employees time off from work to get their personal lives together.
1ometimes nature surprises us and sometimes nature just tests us. he Dirginia
Bepartment of ransportation 0DB&2 had an opportunity to test its emergency
preparedness in a potential disaster that never materiali6ed 01lack, "##$2. :urricane
3ertha threatened to slam into Dirginia as a full5force hurricane, but then weakened into a
tropical gale with heavy winds and rain55not the widespread destruction of a hurricane.
3ertha served as a drill for DB&-s !mergency &perations Center 0!&C2, which used a
new computer system designed to keep various safety agencies up to date with the latest
information during a crisis. &ne of the problems DB& faced during many natural
disasters was conflicting information among DB&, state police, local police, and other
state agencies involved in emergency response. %ll parties now have the same
information via a real5time connection, rather than each agency gathering its own
information.
he availability of accurate, real5time information is not enough to mitigate crises in
project management. 'ood implementation of risk analysis helps to plan and properly
prepare for crises in projects and take steps to reduce the occurrences of crises.
!ngineering analyses support this process of risk analysis and make up the quantitative
portion of mitigation. Cause5and5effect analyses make up the qualitative portion of
mitigation and help us assess the systematic effects both forward and backward.
/n emergency management, we use risk analysis to find out the risks beforehand. he use
of risk analysis in this paper should be differentiated from a probabilistic risk analysis.
!stablishing the consequences of accidents or incidents by deterministic or risk analysis
provides effective tools in emergency management. /n project management, we
concentrate on planning and sequencing activities to maximi6e our efficiencies and
effectively schedule resources.
/llinois ,ower 0/,2 has a risk analysis process, called the Risk Register, that was
developed and implemented in "#88 and serves as a comprehensive risk assessment
system. <he Risk Register is a formal process that identifies, quantifies, and categori6es
the risks facing /llinois ,ower, develops cost5effective methods to control them, and
positions the company to achieve its stated goals< 0>eonard, "##E2. he system
continually assesses new risks, generates information for decision5making and supports
employees at all levels.
/,-s Risk Register process has five phases* risk analysis, mitigation development,
mitigation selection, implementation, and monitoring. /n conjunction with the Risk
Register, /, has a Corporate Bisaster Recovery ,lan. his plan is designed to <obtain
information on levels of damage, resource availability, and the status of restoration
activities+ provide timely and accurate information to the media, government officials,
regulatory authorities, employees, and the general public+ give guidance on restoration
activities+ coordinate acquisition and allocation of resources and coordinate operations
with city, county, state and federal emergency5service operations< 0>eonard, "##E2.
7or each identified risk, /, decides on a post5loss goal55in other words, the minimum
acceptable capabilities following an event. he post5loss goal sets the target for what the
crisis management tool should help /, achieve and helps reduce uncertainty during and
after an event.
Contingency Plans. &nce the risk analysis is performed, project managers must translate
those risks into contingency plans. ,roject managers need to sit down and ask, <(hat can
go wrong with my project;< &nce identified, the project manager has a list of risks
associated with a particular project55the output of a risk analysis. hen they should ask,
<(hich of these risks is most likely to happen;< and <(hich of these will have the
greatest impact;< <&n what or whom;< his last question implies the vulnerability of the
organi6ation to the identified risks. ,roject managers should develop plans that use the
data from a risk analysis to prepare them and their organi6ations for the broadest range of
emergencies.
%ppointing a person to be in charge of crisis planning puts responsibility and resources
together, thereby reducing the need to overload already busy executives with planning for
a low5probability event. =estle F.1.%., /nc.-s headquarters are in 'lendale, California, a
suburb of >os %ngeles. o support its contingency planning efforts, =estle has appointed
a director of business interruption planning 0Ceniceros, "##E2. %s part of its contingency
plan, =estle has a contract with the 1touffer Renaissance !smeralda, a resort hotel in the
desert near ,alm 1prings, stipulating that the hotel has three days to empty out its
ballroom if =estle needs the space to resume business. he hotel was selected because it
is already set up to provide comfort, food, and beverages55and that relieves the demands
on =estle managers and counselors, so they can get hack into serving their customers
more rapidly and effectively. <Concern for personnel in planning for business resumption
is just as important as facilities or data recovery< 0Ceniceros, "##E2. =estle has contracts
with work5area5recovery vendors that have @G hours to deliver office materials to the
hotel. he hotel is accessible from an airport in ,alm 1prings, which expands access from
,hoenix, should supplies need to come from elsewhere.
=estle-s contingency plan was tested with good results* <(ith the help of two furniture
installation specialists and some hotel staff, the ballroom can quickly convert into ?99
workstations complete with copy machines, computers, telecommunication cables,
double5circuited power distribution panels, and everything else workers usually take for
granted, such as sound barriers so business can be conducted with minimal
distractions. ... %t our last exercise, we pulled together "99 workstations in G9 clock
hours< 0Ceniceros, "##E2.
Risk analyses support planning by helping project managers pick the most probable and
most severe events combined with a vulnerability assessment to see who or what is
vulnerable and what will be affected. herefore, when the crisis occurs, the project
manager has thought about the crisis and what can be affected. ,lans incorporating this
thinking help the project manager be ready when the crisis occurs and do what is
necessary to fix it. /f a manager is responsible for a project, he or she should require that
someone conduct a risk analysis. he risk analysis improves early recognition of warning
signs+ the vulnerability assessment helps identify whom to notify and how to start support
to them early.
Logic Charts. >ogic charts employ project flow logic to show the project flow with all
dependencies in an extremely flexible, time5scale5independent diagram. >ogic charts are
a form of expert system because they embody the decision5making knowledge of the
expert in a system that can be followed procedurally. ,roject flow logic is the basis for
any personal computer5assisted project management tool. ,roject managers are skilled at
charting. 3ut, in times of crisis, different types of charts are needed.
(hen a crisis occurs, people need procedures to follow. >ogic charts form the basis for
writing these procedures. /n project management, the most commonly used charts are
'antt charts for looking at activities against time and networks for looking at precedence.
!mergency logic charts depend heavily on logic because of branching due to chained
contingencies 0e.g., <if event % and event 3 happened, then event C is likely<2.
>ogic charts provide an overview of principal emergency, response events and recovery,
operations. he charts also depict decisions, notifications, support requests, and public
information actions. Fse of properly prepared charts take the affected site personnel
through event discovery, event assessment, identification of emergency classification
level, and to the activation of on5site response actions.
>ogic charts force project managers to think through the critical decisions necessary in a
crisis. ,roject managers won-t have time to go through the logic chart when the actual
emergency occurs55the project manager must learn from the preparation and thinking
required to construct a logic chart and feed this into or reinforce it through a tabletop
exercise. (hen the crisis occurs, the project manager isn-t thinking as clearly as usual,
and the more that has been done before the crisis occurs, the better action the project
manager can take.
he &ak Ridge &ffice 0&R&2 of the F.1. Bepartment of !nergy 0B&!2 used logic charts
in its emergency response and recovery operations. &R&-s logic charts offered specific
steps to take based on the type of event. he first step was event discovery, where
provisions for an initial response were depicted. his resulted in an event assessment
leading to an initial emergency, classification. 7our levels of emergency classification
followed, each evoking a particular response* a ha6ardous materials Fsual !vent 0non5
radiological2, a ha6ardous materials %lert, a 1ite !mergency, and a 'eneral !mergency. %
logic chart corresponding to the event discovery and initial response logic is shown in
7igure ".
Tabletop Exercises. abletops and other exercises use the information from the risk
analysis in the mitigation phase to simulate the decision5making and action5taking
occurring in an actual crisis. % tabletop exercise involves assembling the people who will
be responding to a crisis and acting out possible scenarios in advance, usually in a
conference room or similar space. here, without the pressure of time or the actual crisis,
people have the freedom to discuss alternatives and decide on the best courses of action
in a given situation. abletops also provide the opportunity to rehearse the steps to take in
a potential crisis. hese same techniques can help project managers prepare for possible
crises that may occur in their projects.
he events or crises occurring to project managers won-t be the things being tracked.
(hat we don-t track is what will go wrong. he need for tracking illustrates the use of a
structured management process to catch the small problems through a thorough,
systematic, and frequent review of relevant indicators 0)urstedt, .allak H ,acifici,
"##G2.
'ershanov 0"##E2 offers a five5stage process for holding tabletop exercises. 1tage " is to
identify significant policy issues surrounding disasters in the organi6ation. his
identification may be done using an assessment tool, reviewing documents on responses
to previous disasters, researching competitors- experiences, and reviewing debriefings of
past exercises. 1tage G examines these issues and isolates appropriate discussion
questions. hese discussion questions must be appropriate to the participants- level of
responsibility in the organi6ation. Biscussion questions should address policy5level rather
than operations5level concerns. 1tage ? is the tabletop exercise itself. %ccording to
'ershanov, one realistic scenario that encompasses the essential issues and problems
should drive the exercise. % written version of the scenario should be available for the
participants to refer to during the exercise. %n outside facilitator with experience in
emergency, preparedness planning should run the exercise. 1tage I is the debriefing of
the exercise, providing a basis for further action and bringing a sense of closure to the
exercise. 1tage E, follow5up planning, concerns how the outcomes of the debriefing will
be handled and getting commitment to developing plans based on the tabletop exercise.
abletop exercises were used in planning for security for the "##$ Bemocratic =ational
Convention 0B=C2 in Chicago 0&-Connor, "##$2. he 7ederal !mergency .anagement
%gency 07!.%2 facilitated tabletop exercises with members of the Chicago ,olice
Bepartment, the 73/, and the 1ecret 1ervice to examine various scenarios and work out
what would be done. Chicago ,olice also observed training and security practices for the
"##$ %tlanta &lympic 'ames for lessons they could bring back to the B=C in Chicago.
abletop exercises are generally used in the beginning of crisis planning and focus on
managerial information flows55who we talk to, what we do, who needs what information,
and so forth. /ssues surface in tabletops. abletops are a training device used to elicit
understanding by carefully guiding the participants through a simulated emergency
requiring a response. %lthough tabletop exercises are typically less expensive to conduct
than drills or field exercises, they cannot substitute for the simulation of actual
emergency events available through drills and field exercises.
abletop exercises should be conducted every quarter to keep emergency plans,
procedures, and necessary thinking fresh in project managers- minds. hinking through
the decisions beforehand in an evaluative session such as a tabletop pays off when a real
crisis occurs.
abletop exercises force managers to think through the decisions made during a crisis in
advance, thereby reducing the need for decision5making during the crisis and reducing
the time needed to make those decisions. <% tabletop is accomplished in controlled
phases to allow discrete, individual answers, which focuses group attention on each point
and thereby promotes a common understanding of roles and responsibilities and the entire
response sequence by all participants< 0(alker H .iddleman, "#882. he tabletop
exercise is a versatile tool that can be applied to all phases of project management. he
overarching benefit of tabletops is they require people and systems to pay attention both
during development and as the system evolves 0(alker H .iddleman2.
&ne essential element to have in place for effective crisis management is a notification
system. %n effective notification system not only provides for contacting emergency
response units, authorities, and key decisionmakers, but also provides for accounting for
personnel whereabouts and disposition.
%fter the "##$ %tlanta &lympics bombing, a plan to track the whereabouts of F.1.
athletes and officials was deployed within "E minutes of the blast 0>loyd, "##$2. Bick
1chult6, executive director of the F.1. &lympic Committee, stated* </n a two5hour time
span, we not only determined the location of everybody, we had them secured. (e had
put together a crisis management plan for as many situations as we needed to< 0>loyd,
"##$2. !ach F.1. athlete was issued a pager, the first time that this was ever done an
&lympics. he ability to account for all athletes and their whereabouts provides evidence
for the effectiveness of their crisis plan.
Risk analysis, contingency planning, logic charts, and tabletop exercises represent several
of the more common tools to help plan for crises in projects. able " summari6es these
tools by output. ,roject managers should think through their projects, in consultation with
other project personnel, to select and use the tools judged to be most effective for the
specific project. &nce selected, these tools should be developed and tested to ensure
people understand how to use them and what types of outcomes will result. .ost
certainly, any test of the tools results in refinement of the tools and learning on
participants- behalf.
Recommendations for ,roject .anagers
(hile we don-t have a closed set of comprehensive strategies to offer other project
managers to better plan for crises, we do have several recommendations to offer based on
experience in emergency management. Considering the uncertainty involved in crisis
management, we would be wary of any closed set of strategies. Crisis management, by
definition, is perplexing, constantly changing, full of uncertainties, and challenging to
any manager, especially the project manager. Crisis planning logically parallels the
uncertain nature of crisis management. %lthough there is no simple solution to the
complex problems posed by crises, here are our recommendations*
!ven for small projects, assign the job of developing at least a two5page risk
analysis and contingency plan before the project begins. his is similar to a
company appointing a manager of business interruption planning.
%ssign the job of producing a notification sequence.
Fse logic charts to design procedures that won-t go awry during a crisis.
Fse tabletop exercises, because few people will look at a logic chart or even a
procedure when a crisis occurs. ,roject managers will depend on what they-ve
practiced, and this underscores the need and value of tabletops.
Conduct these tabletop exercises quarterly to ensure readiness and to update
procedures and responsibilities.
!stablish authority for crisis management before the crisis. he project manager
isn-t always the best emergency manager, so choose the person who has greatest
knowledge of the operational issues associated with the crisis.
Fse emergency planning processes in projects, including risk analysis and
contingency planning.
Besign effective, accurate, and timely feedback systems to provide early warning
signs of failure and impending crises. % structured management process can help
in focusing attention on regular tracking of relevant and critical indicators to
surface the little problems before they become big ones. 3ecome sensitive to
indicators of impending project failure. ,ay special attention to untracked
indicators, because these are the most likely to cause trouble. Bevelop antennae
and know when the project is going wrong.
Choose a project manager indigenous to the country where the project is being
conducted. %n indigenous project manager will be sensitive to the social and
political aspects of the project and its peripheral issues and will catch more
problems while they-re small or otherwise undetectable to the outsider.
3e mindful of the social and political consequences of crises or events. Critics, or
stakeholders, bear significant influence on project success regardless of what the
indicators of cost, schedule, and quality show. >earn how to satisfy stakeholders
0.allak, ,at6ak H )urstedt, "##"2. /dentify one spokesperson as a liaison with
the public and prepare a procedure for quick dissemination of information to all
affected parties.
%dopt a systems view and separate the crisis from the origin of the crisis.
Consider the basic performance principles and problem analysis techniques
populari6ed in total quality management programs. >ook forward and backward
to assess the potential overall effects of the crisis.
hese tools, recommendations, and strategies should help project managers to manage
their crises better and perhaps to avoid some crises altogether. .aking time and resources
available to those in charge of crisis planning is essential+ otherwise these critical tasks
will be subordinated to the day5to5day activities, a vicious circle that can increase the
likelihood of a larger crisis going undetected until it-s too late. he regular and proper use
and testing of risk analyses, contingency plans, logic charts, and tabletop exercises should
surface the information, discussion of decisions and actions, and mitigation techniques
that may reduce the occurrence and impact of crises in projects.
%cknowledgments
he preparation of this paper was partially funded by F.1. Bepartment of !nergy 0B&!2
'rant =o. B!57'9E58$B,@99??.
able ". 1ummary of Crisis ,lanning ools
Tool Output
Risk Analysis Identification of risks
Contingency Plan Steps to take based on identified
risks
Logic Chart Specific steps to take in a crisis
Tabletop Exercise Rehearse discuss and solidify a
specific e!ergency response
B/%'R%.* 7igure ". !vent Biscovery and /nitial Response >ogic Chart
,:&& 03>%C) H (:/!2* >arry .allak
,:&& 03>%C) H (:/!2* :arold )urstedt
,:&& 03>%C) H (:/!2* 'erold ,at6ak
References
3radford, .. 0"##$,7eb. G2. 7irms may be caught in a five5ring circus* (ith games on,
planning will pay off. 3usiness /nsurance, p. ?.
Ceniceros, R. 0"##E,&ct. G?2. =estle resorts to crisis. 3usiness /nsurance, p. 8?.
'ershanov, )... 0"##E2. !mergency preparedness in five easy steps. &ccupational
:ealth and 1afety, $I 0?2, E"5E?.
)ruse, C. 0"##?,Cune2. Bisaster plan stands test of hurricane. ,ersonnel Cournal, ?$5I?.
)urstedt, :.%., Cr., .allak, >.%., H ,acifici, >.C. 0"##G2. !xpand quality management
into the customer-s environment to establish effective measures and standards.
,roceedings of the l st /nternational 1ymposium on ,roductivity and Juality
/mprovement, 7ebruary "##G, I@85I8E.
>agadec, ,. 0"##?2. ,reventing chaos in a crisis. >ondon* .c'raw5:ill.
>eonard, C. 3. 0"##E2. %ssessing risk systematically* /llinois ,ower-s risk assessment
system. Risk .anagement, IG*", p. "G.
:oyd, C. 0"##$,Culy G82. F.1. official says athletes were safe55%nd feel safe. F1% oday,
p. ?C.
.allak, >.%., ,at6ak, '.R., H )urstedt, Cr., :.%. 0"##"2. 1atisfying stakeholders for
successful project management. Computers and /ndustrial !ngineering, G", IG#5I??.
&-Connor, ,.C. 0"##$,.ay G?2. 1ecurity practice for convention called a success. Chicago
1un5imes, p. G?.
1awle, (.1. 0"##"2. Concerns of project managers* Crisis project management. ,.
=etwork, E 0"2, GE5G#.
1lack, C. 0"##$,Culy "E2. 3ertha gives DB& center real5life situation to test computer
system. Richmond imes Bispatch, p. B5"?.
(alker, C.%., H .iddleman, >./. 0"#882. abletop exercise programs complement any
emergency management system. ,roceedings of the %=1 opical .eeting on !mergency
Response5,lanning, echnologies, and /mplementation. Charleston, 1C.
KKKKKKKK
3y >arry %. .allak, Bepartment of /ndustrial and .anufacturing !ngineering, (estern
.ichigan Fniversity, )alama6oo, .ichigan, I#9985E9$". :arold %. )urstedt, Cr,
Dirginia ,olytechnic /nstitute and 1tate Fniversity, 3lacksburg, Dirginia, GI9$". 'erold
%. ,at6ak, echnical Fniversity of Dienna, Dienna, %ustria
>arry .allak, ,h.B., is an assistant professor in the Bepartment of /ndustrial and
.anufacturing !ngineering at (estern .ichigan Fniversity. :e teaches and conducts
research in engineering management and is currently working with several organi6ations
to diagnose culture and improve team effectiveness. :e holds ,h.B. and ..1. degrees in
industrial and systems engineering from Dirginia ech and a 3.1. in industrial
engineering from the Fniversity of /llinois. :arold )urstedt, ,h.B., is the :al '.
,rillaman ,rofessor of /ndustrial and 1ystems !ngineering and is responsible for
university activities in continuing education. the Center for &rgani6ational and
echnological %dvancement, the Bonaldson 3rown :otel and Conference Center, and the
:otel Roanoke Conference Center at the Dirginia ,olytechnic /nstitute and 1tate
Fniversity. :e holds a 3.1. in civil engineering from the Dirginia .ilitary /nstitute+ a
..1. in nuclear engineering from the Fniversity of /llinois, and a ,h.B. in nuclear
engineering from the Fniversity of /llinois. 'erold ,at6ak, ,h.B., is a tenured professor
of systems engineering at the echnical Fniversity of Dienna, %ustria, and is head of the
Bivision of !ngineering .anagement and economics. :is areas of expertise are project
management, systems theory and design methodology, and reliability4risk management.
:e has been a visiting scholar at 'eorgia ech, a visiting professor at Dirginia ech, and a
visiting professor at ,urdue Fniversity. :e has published books on system engineering
and on project management, and a variety of papers in the field. :e is a professional
engineer of engineering management in %ustria and he runs a management consulting
company.