Communicating results, plans, problems

Step 3. Conducting a Hazard Analysis The actual plan begins by defining the problems that may require emergency responses. The problem definitions result from a hazard analysis and identifying hazardous materials that could affect the community. There are many sources for information about hazardous materials. Included are local companies, users of materials, transportation organizations and companies, and waste handlers and disposers. For each hazardous material, analysts must determine the hazards and quantities present or potentially present in the community. The planning team must know the potential distribution media (air, water, sod, vehicles, rad, etc.) and how each potentially impacts community s residents. 

Project management problems typically don t manifest themselves until the project is well underway. But the basis for most problems is established early on, during the project definition and planning phases. In particular, unclear and poorly communicated statements of project objectives, scope, and deliverables will almost always result in a project workplan that, when implemented, does not fulfill the expectations of the client and other stakeholders. In the absence of clear project definition, the stakeholders will set their own expectations, which usually won t match those of the project manager and his or her team members. 

The synchronized supply chain has been tested repeatedly and it does address the more common problems of the traditional approach. The key is communication from the market. Material and information is released into the system based on the consumption at the primary control point. Every supplier of raw material as well as every producer along the supply chain is linked to that actual demand. Strategically sized and located buffers of inventory are designed to absorb the unpredictable variability, and sufficient protective capacity is planned to maximize the velocity of the product flow. As a result, the waves of demand are avoided and the productivity of the entire system is made much more predictable. As well, the properly synchronized system is more stable and easier to manage. 

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