Titanic Case Study

Here is a summary of the project management case study on the sinking of the RMS Titanic:

• Strategy & Scope Creep: To compete with rival Cunard, key stakeholders (J.P. Morgan, Bruce Ismay, and Lord Pirrie) prioritized luxury over speed. Conflicting priorities led to scope creep, including expanding first-class accommodations and reducing the number of lifeboats. Chief designer Alexander Carlisle resigned after his recommendations regarding lifeboats were ignored.
• Quality Assurance Failures: Due to shipyard time being taken up by repairs for the sister ship Olympic, marketing pressure resulted in sea trials being cut down to just half a day. This essentially turned the maiden voyage into the ship's actual sea trial.
• Team Preparation & Operations: The crew was given only five days to prepare, leaving them unfamiliar with the ship's layout. A last-minute change in senior officers created confusion, and critical equipment—such as binoculars for lookouts in the crow's nest—was locked away and inaccessible. This reflects poor resource management and team preparation.
• Communication & Risk Management Breakdown: Hours before the collision, wireless operator Jack Phillips received an iceberg warning from a nearby ship but dismissed it because he was overwhelmed with sending passenger messages. Due to poor protocols and communication, the warning was never passed on to the bridge.

See also: Toxic Uber Corporate Culture Case — another business case study on organizational failure and cultural overhaul.