Initial Project Proposal
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Initial Project Proposal
Summary of chosen project: The project chosen for this essay discussion is a project for the manufacture of free quality masks during this Covid-19 pandemic. From the end of last year, the world was hit by a pandemic known as Covid-19, which is the disease caused by the Coronavirus. The disease originated from Wuhan in China at a time when people thought it would be a passing problem handled by the Chinese. Soon after, the situation turned out differently. The disease had spread throughout the globe by the end of March, and with no cure or vaccine yet, many nations are grappling with the effects of this disease that has caused a significant number of fatalities all over the world. One of the challenges that has come up due to this disease is the shortage of proper masks that can be used by all. The disease is infectious and travels through the air. Residual droplets of the cough of an infected person can enter an uninfected person through their mucosal openings such as mouth or eyes. This necessitates the use of quality and affordable masks that can protect one from infection while enabling one to carry out other activities. The recommended mask for use currently by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) is the N95 mask. However, with the increasing rate of infection in the United States, there is a clear shortage of these masks, as witnessed in Chicago and Detroit. Moreover, people are using clothing material to make masks that are unsafe. The project seeks to address these challenges through the manufacture of masks whose quality is quite close to that of N95 for free with a projection rate of a hundred thousand masks by next month.
Project goals and objectives: The goals of the project are to provide the much-needed quality masks for free and to create awareness campaigns on the right type and quality of masks to discourage the use of cloth-based material masks. The objectives in mind are, firstly, to bridge the shortage gap being witnessed currently for these masks by the general population and medical personnel in the United States, especially in hard-hit areas like Chicago and Detroit. Secondly, to significantly improve the awareness levels of people about Covid-19 and the implications of using improper masks as protective gear. These mentioned goals and objectives will go a long way in helping to fight against this pandemic in the US, which now borders on threatening to become the new epicenter of the disease.
Project management structure: The project management structure of choice is that of setting up a dedicated project team. Owing to the nature of this project, there is a need for two aspects of the team. One that is concerned with related manufacturing and engineering, while the other concerns itself with awareness campaigns, The two teams are set to work together in unison to ensure the success of the project. A team is more manageable and practical in this case. However, the members must be relevant professionals with adequate, relevant skills to aid in media advertising and the manufacture of quality masks.
Customers and stakeholders. The main target for this project, who will be the major beneficiaries, are all those in the US citizens in dire need of these masks. This group of people includes the general population and medical personnel. Most people, as reported, for example, in Chicago and Detroit, lack these masks, which are in acute shortage. To compound this situation further, people have resorted to the use of cloth-based material masks, which do little or nothing to protect them from the disease. The two stakeholders in this project are medical organizations and the government of the United States. Medical personnel who interact daily with these patients and put the lives at risk of infection will have a great vested interest in acquiring more masks, especially if they can match the quality of N95. The US government, on the other hand, is solely responsible for the health safety of citizens. This project presents a great opportunity for the government to acquire enough masks for widespread use. The government can play the role of providing sufficient funding to help this project achieve its purpose, which is in tandem with theirs. With the assistance of the government, the levels and rates of production will adjust considerably, and as the venture is bound to expand. Medical personnel, on the other hand, have the highest rate use for the mask currently as they interact on a day to day basis with Covid-19 patients. Their role and impact are summarized by their knowledge contribution. The health professionals will reinforce the medical aspect of the mask using their expertise. The result is the production of impeccable masks that rival N95 masks.
Conclusion: This project of manufacturing quality masks for people during this Covid-19 pandemic is a brilliant idea that bridges the gap in the shortage of masks and the creation of adequate awareness levels. Together with the government and medical personnel, the aim of reaching everyone with a free of charge quality mask will be achieved signifying a positive step in the fight against Covid-19.