Death Star II: A Project Management Case Study

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

In the midst of a conflict with the Rebel Alliance, the leader of the Galactic Empire, Emperor Palpatine, ordered the construction of a second planet-like battle station. Following the nomenclature of the first project, which was unfortunately destroyed by the Rebel Alliance, this second battlestation was named the “Death Star”.

Both the first and second Death Star projects were part of a greater Galactic Empire vision entitled “The Tarkin Doctrine”. According to this vision statement, “terror-inspiring superweapons” would help instill order and security to a galaxy over 100 light years across and consisting of over 5 million sentient beings. The sheer magnitude and destructive potential of these projects were designed to instill “fear of force” in the galactic populace.

Designed by Imperial Engineer Bevel Lemelisk, architect of the original Death Star, the second Death Star was larger in scale and scope than its predecessor. The second Death Star was to be a self-sustaining, planet orbiting battlestation measuring 160 kilometers in diameter. Keeping in mind the flaws of the first Death Star, Lemelisk designed the new battlestation with millions of millimeter-wide heat ducts and enhanced weaponry. In total, the battlestation contained 7,500 laser cannons, 768 tractor…