Alister Punton and Shannon Lee had plenty of experience with real estate and construction projects in Australia. But now they and their Storylinesstartup are taking all those lessons out to seabuilding a whole new kind of community that lets people live, work and play from the comfort of their very own new home aboard a private cruise ship.

Reimagining the cruise ship experience as not just a temporary getaway but as a sustainable community has truly been an exercise in blue ocean strategy.

"This is a ship that people live on, not a vacation cruise ship, so the architects had to design it completely differently than their previous projects," says Punton, CEO of Storylines. "They started with a blank canvas."

To determine which features to includeand how people might use the spacesthe team went straight to the source: the ship's future residents. Based on surveys, focus groups and interviews with residents and supporters (dubbed the "Founders Circle"), the team came up with the project specifications. "If it's not on the ship, it's because they didn't want it," Punton says.

After considering several existing vessels, the team decided that to truly deliver on its vision, it needed to start from scratchwhich meant budget, scope and scheduling changes. Designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden, the all-new MV Narrative will be constructed at the Brodosplitshipyard in Croatia when that phase begins later this year.

Along with serving up all the requirements for daily livinglike a pharmacy, bank, school and post officethe ship will offer three swimming pools, a 10,000-book library, a farmer's market, a wellness center and even a solar-powered hydroponic garden farm.

To deliver what Storylines proclaims is "the greenest ship in the market," the team designed the vessel to run on clean liquefied natural gas fuel and incorporated reusable energy technologies, among other eco-friendly features. And, in keeping with its focus on environmental, social and governance principles, Storylines has committed to using only biodegradable or reusable items and will donate a portion of its profits toward safeguarding the world's oceans.

The final product will have a range of housing optionsfrom studios to two-story penthouseswith prices starting at US$400,000, all the way up to US$8 million. That kind of customer-centric design means the project will appeal to a wide customer base that Punton sees including "digital nomads, executive-level entrepreneurs, families, expats and early retirees."

Staying agile has helped the team truly tailor its design for a diverse community. Though the project was launched in 2016, designers recently amended deck plans to add five new residence types with office spaces, larger and deeper balconies, and they incorporated more entertainment venues for its growing cohort of resident families and execs.

The project ultimately represents a larger shift by the luxury travel industry to create more immersive travel experiences that also allow for remote work and study. Though the MV Narrative won't begin its 1,000-day voyage across six continents until late 2024, when it sets sail, there will be 1,000 residents on board for a life at sea.

"Now there is a lifestyle opportunity that gives people the chance to live, work and travel the globe at a relaxed pace, from the safety and comfort of home," says Lee, the company's co-founder. "They don't have to live out of a suitcase. They can unpack once and sleep in their own bed every night, waking to a new view every week."

Questions

1. What environmental influences would you consider before initiating this project? Be specific. (1 point)

2. Would you consider using a predictive or an adaptive approach for this project's implementation? Why or why not? Be specific. (1 point)

3. You decide to formally identify all your stakeholders and develop a stakeholder register. In the space below, what would your stakeholder register look like for at least 6 stakeholders that you can identify. (3 points - 1 point: all critical stakeholder register information is captured, 1 point: at least 6 logical stakeholders are identified, 1 point: information captured for each stakeholder is reasonable)

4. What is the purpose of developing a stakeholder register? How does it help you manage a project? (1 point)

5. You have decided to use a milestone list to report your progress to your project sponsor. 1) Describe what a milestone list is and what its benefits and drawbacks are. 2) Show a milestone list for this project that includes at least six (6) milestones. (2 points - 1 point: understanding of a milestone list is demonstrated, 1 point: milestones are appropriately identified)

6. You are planning out the resources that you require to complete the MV Narrative project. In the space provided below, create a resource management plan and identify what resources you will need on your project team. Identify at least 6 resources you will need. (3 points - 1 point: all critical resource management plan information is captured, 1 point: at least 6 logical resources are identified, 1 point: information captured for each resource is reasonable)

7. What would your communications management plan look like?(identify at least 6 distinct communication activities 3 points - 1 point: all critical communications management plan information is captured, 1 point: at least 6 logical communication activities are identified, 1 point: information captured for each communication activity is reasonable)

8. It is July 15^th, approximately two (2) months prior to the design approval milestone which is on the critical path. You had put together a very detailed plan identifying all the tasks that needed to be done, by whom and by when. The activities assigned to the architects are not being completed on time and your project is now one (1) month behind. What steps would you take to get your project back on track? (2 points - 2 points: a comprehensive set of steps is provided, 1.5 points: most steps are provided, 1 point: some steps are provided, .5 points: a lack of steps is provided, 0 points: question not attempted or does not logically answer the question)

9. You know that designing and building a cruise ship of this magnitude is a risky endeavor. You decide to get a handle on all the things that could go wrong on your project and create a risk management plan to optimize your chance of success. In the space below, what would your risk management plan look like (identify and plans for at least 6 risks. (3 points - 1 point: all critical risk management plan information is captured, 1 point: at least 6 logical risks are identified, 1 point: information captured for each risk is reasonable)

10. Great news! You managed to successfully deliver launch your cruise ship for its maiden voyage, just as you planned. What do you do now? (1 point)

Bonus

11. What is the difference between project execution and project monitoring and controlling? What is the focus of each of these process groups? Demonstrate using an example. (1 points)