Quality

Contents Page Section Page Number 1. Introduction 3 2. Section 1 – Transformation process 4 3. Section 2 – Planning and Control Techniques 8 4. Section 3 – Layout of festival 10 5. Section 4 – Performance metrics 12 6. Bibliography 14 7. Appendix A – The Transformation Process 15 8. Appendix B - The Project Environment 16 9. Appendix C - The 7-S of Project Management 17 10. Appendix D - Work Breakdown Structure 18 11. Appendix E - Monitoring and Control System 19 12. Appendix F - The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). 20 Introduction This report looks to cover aspects of The Glastonbury Festival in relation to the processes used, external influences, planning and control techniques and measurement improvements. It is based on different techniques that could be implemented to improve the already successful Festival. 1) Transformation process The diagram in Appendix A shows what external influences there are on the Glastonbury Festival via a Transformation model. The input transformed resources and the outputs services are shown along with the external factors that influence the Festival. Processes are needed to change inputs; there are 3 categories that affect all inputs into the transformation model. a) Customer processing. Customers attending the festival are looking to be entertained by a number of musical groups. Glastonbury needs to provide an attractive mix; well know groups to attract attendees and new groups to provide interest. The festivals’ reputation will be assessed on the bands that are booked to play. The headliners of the festival will dictate the number of people who would wish to attend the festival. Other areas of festival, such as the market stalls/theatres have also proved to be popular. Therefore a wide range of different stalls/shows are required keep peoples’ interest. Adequate accommodation, transportation and sanitary provisions are needed to satisfy the local authorities and health and safety laws. Although it is well accepted and documented that these areas are not first class, it would have to be of a reasonable standard. In order to transform people’s psychological state the above external influences must be catered for. b) Information processing. In this model the informational properties are not changing hands or providing a concept to sell, although it is essential to share information with all customers, staff and contractors involved with the running of the festival. Communicating updated information to external providers and staff will enable all areas of the festival to run smoothly. The annual review undertaken at the completion of each festival needs to be logged under information processing and a plan showing what areas worked well in the past and the reasons for this must be documented. The areas that have not worked well should be investigated and suggestions for improvements be presented in line for the January meeting when the plans are discussed for the next festival. Information on how the contractors work i.e. working hours, ability to undertake the roles required and helpfulness should be part of this strategy along with a hierarchy and a list of areas of responsibility pertaining to the position. Information will be required to market the festival and must be as accurate as possible within the set timescales. The information needs to be published to the marketplace and this can be achieved in a variety of ways. • Posters • Web-site • Radio and television campaigns • Word of mouth A consistent approach to a marketing campaign needs to be in place to ensure that information released is accurate and not confusing. Customers need to know where they can book accommodation or pitch their tents. This external factor will have an important effect on the number of people that will attend. Public information on not bring valuables must be clearly stated to reduce crime and other external influences that will diminish peoples enjoyment of the festival. Other information sharing needs to be considered, such as safety notices, first aid posters directions to medical assistance, colour coded camp sites and clear signs for transport / car park areas. c) Materials Processing. The materials used for the festival will be changing their location rather than ownership. For example, the sanitary requirements only need the physical component to change location for a set amount of time. The staging areas will also have to be constructed and maintained throughout the festival as well as dismantled after use. The marques that house the craft fairs, food and drink area, medical centre and the ticket/security office will also require the same treatment. The festival cannot purchase or store this expensive equipment. Therefore the external factors on these areas will be the organizing of the contractors to ensure that all is delivered on time, kept within health and safety boundaries and removed on schedule and the areas reassembled as before. It would be better to have the minimum number of people dealing with outside contractors to reduce confusion or conflicts of interest. Slack (2004, p.13) suggests that one of the above is dominant; in this model it is the customer process as they are the main feature of the festival. Close management has to be a prime consideration when choosing the contractor to ensure a good working relationship for when items need to be re-arranged at the last minute. A professional company will also need to be employed to ensure that all relevant insurance certificates are current, as specified in the council’s license. A professional team should oversee the planning and implementation of the festival, with either keeping the original planners on the committee or at least consulting them on actions that may be forthcoming to keep intelligential property available. This intangible service has a short life span, but is a repeatable business, normally on an annual event. The other side of input resources, transforming resources, will rely on facilities and staff and dovetails into the above. Although in this scenario there are no buildings as such, construction and equipment will be required in the shape of the stage, sound and lighting equipment, marquees and security fencing. The main transforming resources are the staff and they will have to ensure that the festival is managed properly. Other external factors will play a part in staffing this festival i.e. Sickness of staff, clashes with holidays and unforeseen problems may occur. This event can be described as an intangible service, i.e. giving a service by supplying the arena and groups for a performance. To ensure that the winning formula is kept, then details of how it is planned and services required should be amassed. This will ensure that the event can still be seen as an amateur production rather than a group of companies that have come together to produce a money spinning concert, which will diminish the atmosphere of the festival. Too many unnecessary external factors will have this effect. 2) Planning and Control Techniques Once the license has been received from the Local Authorities, the macro processes (the overall festival) needs to be reviewed to ensure the end process is consistent i.e. to present a professional event and keep within the laws, including health and safety. Then micro organizations can be designed per process for feeding into the macro process. The Project Environment Process (Appendix B) can be initiated, ensuring the project scope and definition are understood as well as allowing for control and corrective action. The 7-s of Project Management (Appendix C) should also be considered to ensure strategic areas of the project have been considered. A Work Breakdown Structure (Appendix D) should first be implemented to show what is required of the macro organization and this can be filtered to work on each micro structure, highlighting each stage/task. The outcomes can be established using the following techniques:- i. A Gantt chart can show the project plan and its progress against a time line (working on the Lean philosophy of doing things simply). ii. By identifying the tasks via the Work Breakdown Structure, the project plan would show:- a) Start dates b) When items need to be ordered /completed c) What areas rely on other areas before work can commence. d) End dates of activities e) Responsibility for each task. iii. This gives an overall view of progress as the schedule draws on. It also allows for parallel steps to be carried out at the same time. ‘To add to the usefulness of a Gantt chart you can also draw a line in another colour below the original line. This allows you quickly to assess whether or not the project is on schedule’. (Haynes, 1989, p.32). Therefore giving a clear picture of what is required. iv. The Program Evaluation and Review Techniques (PERT) chart can be taken into consideration although the Gantt chart can offer better control processes. v. This could be complimented by scheduling work patterns. As the majority of the work is labour intensive, this tool lends itself directly to the organization of each micro operation. An experienced project manager should be in charge of each operation, reporting into the overall macro project manager. This shares the responsibility between each operation but dovetails each Gantt chart into the macro operation. This allows for clear focus of all parts of the operation. A compilation of these tools would ensure that all the information is accessible to each group of workers via the Gantt chart and that all workers know what is require of them. Obviously as the operation gets underway, a monitoring and control system would have to be brought into place. (Appendix E). The demand for tickets can be based on the previous years’ figures (150,000 people in 2004) but must fall within the limits set by the council. Therefore the number of customers that will be descending on the festival is quantifiable and the facilities required can reflect this, although not in this equation are people who manage to get into the site unauthorized. The PRINCE2 gives a method that covers all areas of the above and this could be adapted to this scenario as it also ‘provides bureaucratic controls on the planning and execution of projects’. (Maylor, 1999, p. 67). This breaks down sections and can ensure that all planning and control techniques are correct for this implementation and would make the festival a success. Overall, this allows the project to be understood, defined, planned and controlled at each stage with the use of micro organizations. Reviewing these stages could then be undertaken. 3) Layout of festival To look at the design layout of an operation it is best to interpret the processes that the operation uses. Glastonbury has a highly visible side seen by the customer when they move through the ‘mini state under canvas’. Glastonbury Festival 2004. (2004) So What is Glastonbury' [Internet] Somerset, Web-Labs. URL available from: http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/+info/+whatisit [Accessed 31 December 2004] Although this ‘Service Shop’ process hides the back office side where the majority of the work has already taken place and is still ongoing. Then there is the ‘mass service’ process of the event where the priority is getting the customer from A to B quickly and efficiently without too many deviations. This would be a standard format where there is high volume but with relatively narrow variety. Of the 4 V’s (volume, variety, variation, visibility), the volume is the main concern. The macro organization of Glastonbury utilizes many different processes throughout all the micro organizations. The majority of these differ depending on what the arena is supplying. Many processes are used to feed into the main process of the festival. Within each micro process there are many varieties of layouts. The overall layout is a fixed one as it is assumed that Glastonbury will stay in the same geographical location, limiting any expansion. When the customers arrive, they will follow a pre-arranged path through security and confirmation of their ticket. This product layout design will be the same routine for all customers (transformed resource). Other micro areas, such as the market place and arenas can be seen as a process layout. These areas are located together as this is convenient. The customer then flows through the area depending on what their needs are and will take different routes. The police and medical units can be described as a cell layout. This is where the transformed resources present themselves to a main zone and are moved onto an area that better meets their needs. The fixed layout will effect the customer if there are long hold ups between or within arenas or if security searches are lengthy, or if there are considerable queues at the following areas:- a) toilets b) catering c) car parking d) entrances/exits e) supplier dropping off areas Hold ups in these processes will not be tolerated by the customer and it could be dangerous to try to stem the flow of movement which could cause unrest. Safety of staff/customers must be considered along with clear signs to all aspects of the event which will provide clarity of flow. Managing customers’ expectations of how long they have to queue for by using the ‘queuing theory’ (Slack, 2004, p.388) crowd control should be looked into. The length of waiting time can be looked into using ‘Little’s Law’. Fixed layout can move people quickly. The process layout is not as regimented, so they are free to go in whichever direction they choose, when they choose. This may mean a large number of people gather in one area at the same time. The cell layout affects the customer as they decide which area they need to go to and then are processed from there depending on their needs. All the layouts above mean that the customer, the transformed resource, moves between each area. It is the restriction of flow that is affected. 4) Performance measurement/improvements. Glastonbury has built its reputation on providing good modern music as well as inviting up and coming bands to show case their talents. Along with the other features available has provided Glastonbury with an excellent reputation and its creator with an honorary doctorate for ‘his services to arts’. Glastonbury Festival 2004. (2004) Glastonbury Festival organiser gets honorary doctorate. [Internet] ‘No location given’, URL available from@ http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/news/+glastonburyfesti-11/ [Accessed 31 December 2004]. In order to improve the festivals’ performance, measurements need to be put in place. This would give accurate historical information and would highlight problems/mistakes which could be used for future reference. Measurements such as ISO quality standards could be used to assess performance of processes and ensure outside investors that there is a standard approach. It would also improve procedures if implemented correctly and can reduce procedures not required. A critical incident analysis would give a measure of what could be improved in the future based on any complaints or recommendations received. Total Quality Management processes could be used to ensure quality in each aspect of the micro processes. The internal customer/supplier aspect should improve co-operation. As this festival is usually an annual event, then good working relationships with suppliers is essential. Perhaps a standard Service Level Agreement needs to be put in place to ensure that all parties are aware of what is require of them and therefore improve performance. Continued co-operation with the police and council ensure that security, sanitary provision and other important areas are looked into and coordinated by an ‘expert’ in these areas. Mendip District Council. (2004) Glastonbury Festival 2004 De-brief Report. [Internet] Somerset, Web-Labs. URL available from: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/committeemeeting.asp'id=SXE7C0-A7809007#01 [Accessed 2nd January 2005]. The security side of the operation can always be improved, although the ‘Design out crime’ campaign ran by the police operation is seen as being very successful, with a drop of 33.4% in reported crime. Mendip District Council. (2004) Police Report. [Internet] Somerset, Web-Labs. URL available from: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/committeemeeting.asp'id=SXE7C0-A7809007#01 [Accessed 2nd January 2005]. This philosophy bears a direct link to the designing out fail points within the Total Quality Management principles. The measuring of how many tickets sold is an easy category but nonetheless important to attract and keep any investors, i.e. Mean Fiddler who will wish to have a return on their expenditure as well as provide a ratio of funds donated to charity. Market traders will have a benchmark of how many customers they could expect at their stalls. By measuring this category, future investors and continued support by stall holders can be achieved. The EFQM Excellence Model could be brought in to monitor standards once the above are in place. EFQM develops 9 elements (Appendix F) all elements that are required in this intangible service industry. It also ensure that processes are updated therefore continuing to improve performance measurements. Processes will have to be investigated when undertaking a review of performance and the above strategies will highlight any problems in this area. This will improve processes which will then improve layout, if required. Having a good performance history will also be useful documentation should the festival wish to expand and therefore have to present their case to the local authority. It will also help substantiate any case if more external funding were required. Bibliography Slack, N. Chambers, S. and Johnston, R. (2004) Operations Management Fourth Edition. Essex, England, Pearson Education Limited. Maylor, H. (1999) Project Management Second Edition. Essex, England, Pearson Education Limited. Haynes, M. (1989) Project Management. Aylesbury, Bucks, Kogan Page Limited. Glastonbury Festival 2004. (2004) So What is Glastonbury' [Internet] Somerset, Web-Labs. URL available from: http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/+info/+whatisit [Accessed 31 December 2004] Glastonbury Festival 2004. (2004) Glastonbury Festival organiser gets honorary doctorate. [Internet] ‘No location given’, URL available from@ http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/news/+glastonburyfesti-11/ [Accessed 31 December 2004]. Mendip District Council. (2004) Glastonbury Festival 2004 De-brief Report. [Internet] Somerset, Web-Labs. URL available from: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/committeemeeting.asp'id=SXE7C0-A7809007#01 [Accessed 2nd January 2005]. Mendip District Council. (2004) Police Report. [Internet] Somerset, Web-Labs. URL available from: http://www.mendip.gov.uk/committeemeeting.asp'id=SXE7C0-A7809007#01 [Accessed 2nd January 2005]. Appendix A – The Transformation Process [pic] Appendix B - The Project Environment (Slack et al, 2004, p.557) Stage 1 Stage 2 Changes Stage 3 Corrective Action Stage 4 Stage 5 Appendix C - The 7-S of Project Management (Maylor, 1999, p.11) Strategy The high-level requirements of the project and the means to achieve them. Structure The organizational arrangement that will be used to carry out the project. Systems The methods for work to be designed monitored and controlled. Staff The selection, recruitment, management and leadership of those working on the project. Skills The Managerial and technical tool available to the project manager and the staff. Style/Culture The underlying way of working and inter-relating within the work team or organization. Stakeholders Individuals and groups who have an interest in the project process or outcome. Appendix D - Work Breakdown Structure (Slack, 2004, p.563) Adjust as necessary [pic] Appendix E - Monitoring and Control System (Slack, 2004, p. 346) Input OPERATION Output Appendix F - The European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). (Slack, 2004, p. 642) 1. Leadership 2. Policy and strategy 3. People 4. Partnerships and resources 5. Processes 6. Customer results 7. People results 8. Society results 9. Key performance results ----------------------- Understanding the project environment Project Definition Project Planning Technical Execution Project control Identify the activities in the project Estimate the times and resources for activities Identify the relationships and dependencies between the activities Identify time and resources schedule constraints Fix the schedule for time and resources Intervention Monitor Plans Compare / Replace