1. Consider the following statement: “Government-funded projects intended to serve as ‘prestige projects,’ such as the ‘Big Dig,’ should not be judged on the basis of cost.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

2) Project success is defined as adherence to budget, schedule, functionality (performance), and client satisfaction. Under these criteria, cite evidence that suggests the “Big Dig” project was a success and/or failure.

3) What are the lessons to be learned from the “Big Dig” project? Was this a failure of project estimation or project control by the contractors and local government?

The Boston “Big Dig” is a class case of a project that was a monumental failure in terms of cost and duration estimation, as well as a continued problem from a quality perspective. The project was initiated with very questionable estimates for the expected costs, became a “white elephant” in the Boston area, and finally staggered to completion after several years and billions of dollars over budget. This case analyzes the narrative of the development of the “Big Dig” and also looks at several of the chief culprits in its failure, including the general contractor, whose lack of oversight led to cost-cutting and poor quality, the local and state agencies, who routinely looked the other way and were of almost no help with oversight, and the contractors themselves, who used shoddy practices and fraudulent bookkeeping to keep costs down and profits high. The case has been updated to include the tragedy that occurred in 2006 when ceiling bolts gave way in a tunnel and killed a commuter passing underneath. This is a great case for general class discussion, to consider the role that each of the major stakeholders played in the project.