INTRODUCTION

Many government and NGO (Non Governmental Organization) today have a new or
renewed interest in project management. Since Singapore was independence from
Malaysia, many blueprints have been projected to achieve to what Singapore have
derived out from. That tiny red dot to a most metropolis nation that signifies them
from the rest of the world. Infrastructure, technological, research and development
was what Singapore prove how a small nation could stood out amongst the top world
countries in executing its project and development or even the dynamic supply chain
hub that stood geographically and strategically across Asia. Namely used to be rank as
the No. 1 in its airport and Seaport for its services and manning. Youth Olympic and
F1 night race was a recent to prove a massive success on how Singapore excels in its
project construction and execution. Not until the 1980s, project management primarily
focused on providing schedule and resource data to top management in the military
and construction industries. Today’s project management involves much more, and
people in every industry and every country manage projects. In the next decade,
Singapore could prove a boost in its tourism industries in view of its success in
contrary winning many sponsorship and endorsement from world bodies.

Developing the Singapore flyer was part of Singapore projection to increase its
tourism multimodal in increasing its tourism and labor opportunity. Based on research
that was held: many tourists that come to Singapore, feedback that most of its
attraction was located out of the strategic location to where the city areas are. Many
top hotel also feedback the need arise to provide the tourist with shuttle service saw
the increase in the operating cost versus its opportunity cost. So on its projection to
promote its tourism, the upgrading of the Marina South was an area which soon saw
the explosive of human traffic and its hidden opportunities to cultivate its economy
growth.

Building a Singapore flyer would need to have 4 attributes towards its project
characteristic: an established objective, a define life span from starting to its ends,
cross boundary integrative department or organization collaboratively involvement
and the right time, covering the right cost completing on a right specified time. Most
important of all, building a Singapore flyer would require a very good manager with
the right leadership and managerial capabilities to oversee the construction. Figure 1-2
illustrates a framework to help you understand project management. Key elements of
this framework include the project stakeholders, project management knowledge
areas, project management tools and techniques, and the contribution of successful
projects to the objectives.

Project Management Knowledge Areas

Project management knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project
managers must develop. The center of Figure 1-2 shows the nine knowledge areas of
project management. The four core knowledge areas of project management include
project scope, time, cost, and quality management. These are core knowledge areas
because they lead to specific project objectives. Brief descriptions of each core
knowledge area are as follows:

 Project scope management involves defining and managing all the work
required to complete the project successfully.

 Project time management includes estimating how long it will take to

complete the work, developing an acceptable project schedule, and ensuring
timely completion of the project.

 Project cost management consists of preparing and managing the budget for
the project.
  Project quality management ensures that the project will satisfy the stated or
implied needs for which it was undertaken. The four facilitating knowledge
areas of project management are human resource, communications, risk, and
procurement management. These are called facilitating areas because they are
the processes through which the project objectives are achieved. Brief
descriptions of each facilitating knowledge area are as follows:

 Project human resource management is concerned with making effective

use of the people involved with the project.

 Project communications management involves generating, collecting,

disseminating, and storing project information.

 Project risk management includes identifying, analyzing, and responding to

risks related to the project.

 Project procurement management involves acquiring or procuring goods

and services for a project from outside the performing organization. Project
integration management, the ninth knowledge area, is an overarching function
that affects and is affected by all of the other knowledge areas. Project
managers must have knowledge and skills in all nine of these areas.

The need to build a strong foundation of the integrating function also would require a
strong mission statement so that the focus of the construction would not hinder any
wrong perception for its objective. The mission sets the parameter for developing its
objective in achieving its milestones for completion. Financial model that been utilize
such as payback and NPV was very tempting to start/complete its model fast. Request
for proposal (RFP) was made available in portfolio system to analyze the best bid by
its supplier and vendor and thus nominating the best bidder for its quote. Prioritization
of the project was also an attention to ensure the efficiencies of the project is as per its
status quo and not undermining its value added activities.

ANALYSIS

The Singapore Government plans to position Singapore as a leading tourism hub for
Asia. It has set ambitious targets for the tourism industry – to triple receipts to
S$30bn, double visitor arrivals to 17M, and create 100 000 additional tourism- related
jobs by the year 2015. It aims to transform the tourism landscape to realize this vision,
thus a project is being initiated.

This project is part of the Singapore government’s exciting plans to develop a ‘second
downtown’ in the Marina South vicinity to boost tourism. The project will comprise a
Giant Observatory Wheel (“The Singapore Flyer”) of about 178 meters in height,
comprising 28 passenger capsules, making it the world’s largest moving stationary
project! The Singapore Flyer will also comprise a 3-Storey terminal building with
retail shops and F&B outlets; and a carpark complex with about 300 parking spaces,
together with on site parking for 40 tour buses. Offering spectacular views of
Singapore, the Singapore Flyer will undoubtedly become one of Asia’s most iconic
and recognizable visitor attractions.

This is a unique project with strong support from the Singapore Government as
evidenced by Singapore Tourism Board (“STB”) being the landlord of the land leased
to SFPL. The Singapore Tourism Board supported the project by purchasing the land
for the development and leasing it back to Singapore Flyer Pte Ltd, initially for 30
years but with an option for a further 15 years. The land was rent-free up to the first
day of operation. The project company has also been granted ‘Pioneer Status’ by the
Economic Development Board of Singapore. The Singapore Flyer is a key part of the
Singapore Government’s blueprint to develop the new Downtown Marina Bay and
Marina Boulevard area into a world class, work, live and play destination.

Using Matrix Organization Structure, the design of the Flyer itself was very much
engineering-led by Arup. Arup built upon knowledge gained during the design of
the London Eye to develop a thinner, lighter, “next generation” rim structure with a
more efficient structural geometry and cable arrangement. The Flyer’s two-
dimensional “ladder truss” rim structure gives it less bulk than the London Eye’s
three-dimensional triangular rim, as well as reducing the wind loads. At the outset of
the project, Arup worked closely with MPM in a financial risk/reward partnership
arrangement that involved reduced initial fees, then supplemented by success
payments upon the proving of project feasibility. Arup took the design evolution from
the initial conceptual ideas through scheme development up to tender stage (Allsop, et
al., 2008).

Taking approximately 2.5 years to complete, Singapore Flyer held its groundbreaking
ceremony in September 2005, with Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National
Development, present as its guest of honour. In May 2007, it unveiled its mock
capsule amidst much fanfare and anticipation. In February 2008, Singapore Flyer held
its corporate inaugural flights. The event proved to be a success, further fanning the
hype surrounding the Flyer. Finally in March 2008, Singapore Flyer held its soft
launch to the public amid overwhelming response.

Milestones
 27 June 2003 – MOU Signing Ceremony
 27 September 2005 – Groundbreaking Ceremony
 13 December 2006 – Installation of Giant Spindle for World's Largest Giant
Observation Wheel
 9 April 2007 – Entire Singapore Flyer rim was completed
 3 May 2007 – Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Award
 25 May 2007 – Mock-up capsule was unveiled
 3 August 2007 – First capsule was installed
 2 October 2007 – Final capsule was installed
 11 – 13 February 2008 – Singapore Flyer takes off for the first time during
Chinese New Year 2008 for corporate clients
 14 February 2008 – First Valentine’s Day at Singapore Flyer, opened for the first
time to the public
 1 March 2008 – Soft Opening of Singapore Flyer to the public
 15 April 2008 – Official Opening of Singapore Flyer, with Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong as the Guest-of-Honour
 31 July 2008 – Singapore Flyer's Ticket sales cross the 1-million mark
 26 - 28 September 2008 – Singapore Flyer was part of the historic first Formula
One night race, held in Singapore
 9 April 2009 – Singapore Flyer welcomed 1.9 million visitors in 2008. As it
celebrates its first birthday.
Reference:

Singapore Flyer. 2008-2010. History and Milestones.

http://www.singaporeflyer.com/en/about-us/history-milestones.html. (accessed Sep
12, 2010).

Allsop, et al., 2008. The Arup Journal: The Singapore Flyer, 2(2008) pp.2-12.

Reid, L.R., 2009. American Society of Civil Engineering: High Flyer. 10(2009)
pp.42-52.