The Panama Canal: a construction project of epic proportions

The Panama Canal was one of the largest construction projects in history, requiring engineering on an unprecedented scale
and innovative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. The goal for building the Panama Canal was to create a
direct shipping route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean because previously ships from the east coast circumnavigated
through South America to reach the west coast, which took a long time and was dangerous!

There were two attempts to build the Panama Canal. The first attempt to build the canal was made by Ferdinand De Lesseps
(a French diplomat and administrator who initiated and led the construction of the Suez Canal). After the huge success of the
Suez Canal, he set his eyes on building the Panama Canal. But this new construction project failed spectacularly for several
reasons. The first error was the lack of planning and not listening to experts. For example, during the international congress,
organized by Ferdinand De Lesseps in Pairs and attended by participants from all over the world, it was suggested by the
engineers to build a “lock and dam” canal rather than a sea-level canal which would be infeasible. However, it was later
decided to build a sea-level canal! This is a classic example of not heeding expert advice and ensuring the failure of the
project from the beginning during the planning stage.

There were many other challenges. The weather was hot, muggy, and rainy. The soil was not stable and there were regular
floods and earthquakes. Diseases such as Bubonic plague, Malaria, Pneumonia, and Yellow Fever were prevalent. Hence the
environmental and geological conditions were not the same while building the Suez Canal. There was no proper risk
management to tackle the challenges. Also, Ferdinand De Lesseps’s team lacked proper planning, resources, trained
employees adapted to this context.

After the financial and technical success of the Suez Canal whose construction many thought was impossible, there might
have been some over-confidence while building the Panama Canal! In the end, Ferdinand De Lesseps and his team
abandoned the project. Remember: no two projects are the same! Every project is unique!

In the meantime, the United States also wanted a canal in central America for military reasons. The US wanted their navy
ships to travel easily from the east to the west coast. At the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt, it was decided to buy
the existing dilapidated assets of the French endeavor and restart the construction project. So, a new project leader was
recruited – John Findlay Wallace, formerly the general manager of the Illinois Central Railroad. Wallace did a lot of
investigating and experimenting but he also faced another challenge. He could not accomplish much due to the red tape
imposed by the 7-member commission in Washington. So, he was replaced by another project leader – John Stevens, an
engineer who had experience building railroads. And in the meantime, the bureaucratic commission in Washington was
dissolved by Roosevelt. Unlike Ferdinand De Lesseps and John Findlay Wallace, he was a technical person and was familiar
with construction projects. He put a halt to the digging and focused more on planning, infrastructure, and logistics. Thanks to
his knowledge and experience he employed the use of railroads to move resources and remove the mud that was dug. Since
the construction project necessitated the knowledge of hydraulics and building of large concrete walls, which was too
complicated for John Stevens, and because he disliked humid climate he resigned.

In then End president Theodore Roosevelt appointed a new Chief Engineer and project leader George Goethals of the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers. Under his tenure risks were identified and tackled head-on. To tackle the prevalent diseases, he
invested heavily in insect control and public health measures. He made sure that his workforce was well fed, well housed,
and well equipped.  He also rewarded his employees and workers with medals. This boosted productivity and morale. He
planned every phase of the project in detail and allocated resources accordingly. And finally, the first ship crossed the canal
on August 15, 1914.

The Panama Canal construction project illustrates the importance of hiring the right project manager for your projects. It
significantly altered modern commerce, trade, and travel. It reduced the transit time from the east coast to the west coast of
America in half. It is called by The American Society of Civil Engineers has called the Panama Canal one of the seven
wonders of the modern world.

DQ 1
Read the case below and answer the following questions providing evidence for your response (If necessary you may use
other sources such as videos, publications, and reports to support your answers. Ensure that these sources are cited in
APA format.):
1. Define a Project
2. Describe the purpose and general scope of the Panama Canal Project.
3. What project characteristics are highlighted in this case?
4. Explain the role of five (5) main stakeholders identified in the case.

DQ 2
Read the case below and answer the following questions providing evidence for your response (If necessary you may use
other sources such as videos, publications, and reports to support your answers. Ensure that these sources are cited in
APA format.):
1. Define Project Scope Management
2. From the perspective of scope, schedule, and cost management what were the major factors for the project
downfall when managed by the French?
3. What innovations and strategies did the Americans use to plan and execute the project towards completion?

DQ 3
 The Panama Canal: a construction project of epic proportions

Read the case below and answer the following questions providing evidence for your response (If necessary you may use
other sources such as videos, publications, and reports to support your answers. Ensure that these sources are cited in
APA format.):
1. Define Project Risk Management
2. Identify and explain three (3) project risks from the case.
3. Propose and explain risk response to the project risks identified in question 2.