Exercise Chapter 4 - Assignment Example

Project Management Project Management Question 7 MEMO (Senior Management) (Insert (Insert BMS toolsBusiness service management (BSM) tools are essential software of any successful project management activity and project selection. The tools strengthen a service management facility, which involves management of people and the whole process framework. BSM tools are especially popular in an information technology setting, which is an essential component of any project. The tools facilitate prioritization of efforts because it permits IT departments to function by service rather than by individual arrangement items.

In the main, it improves any service that the business partakes (Schwalbe, 2013). Aligning IT with a project is necessary is essential to improve administration and service delivery. Good administration improves accountability, risk-return balance and cost structures (Guglielmo, 2009). It integrates all aspects of project management from plan execution to monitoring the success of all components of the project. Sincerely,(Insert name)Question 8Managing project work is an intricate process that involves coordination of efforts from different levels of an organization.

It demands exemplary integration of project management principles and techniques. The management of two projects, Adelaide Desalination Project Adelaide, Australia SA Water Corporation, and Prairie Waters Project, Aurora, Colorado, USA, commendably directed and managed their project work. The projects received recognition in the “PMI Project of the Year award” in the year 2013 and 2011 respectively. The Adelaide Desalination Project, which the South Australian and Australian governments, AdelaideAqua, and the Kaurna community undertook, was a project completed by South Australian Water Corporation (Kumar and Farinola, 2012).

Communication was the overall consideration by the organization because it involved the coordinated efforts of separate authorities, (AdelaideAqua, a consortium of McConnell Dowell Constructors, Abigroup Contractors, Acciona Agua and Trilit), and community leaders. Agility and risk management were also two considerations that ensured success of the project. The team maintained an aggressive schedule through creating inspection processes and strict risk-assessment (Kelly, 2013). Separately, Prairie Waters Project, Aurora, Colorado, USA, was completed two months before its proposed date of completion because of exemplary project management skills (Learnard and Kelly, 2011).

The project managers attribute the success of the project, which was also below budget, to trimming unnecessary features from the plant and excellent planning (Illescas, 2010). In addition, they took advantage of the competitive bidding environment to select the best and most cost effective contractors. Question 9Mind mapping is an intriguing topic discussed in chapter 4. Broadly, it is a useful technique, which structures thoughts and ideas from a core idea. Tari Akpodiete’s article “Mind mapping as a Project Management Tool” affirms that mind mapping taps the creativity and important skills of an organization’s staff to ensure on-budget and on-time project completion.

While there are common choices such as MS project, mind mapping is undoubtedly a favorite among project managers because it helps brainstorm, collaborate, and solve problems. Akpodiete confirms that it is beneficial because it can help to classify, envisage, evaluate, and structure complex concepts (Akpodiete, n.d). In a similarly related article by Diane Murley, “Mind Mapping Complex Information”, the benefit of mind mapping is evident. Murley affirms that a mind map shows ideas in a relational context to aid simplify complex topics and aid inventiveness, memory, organization, and output in virtually any plan or project (Murley, 2007).

An advantage of mind maps is that they can be created manually or using computer software. Remarkably, one can simply use subtopics and branches to stem out of the main topic and create a mind map with pen and paper. ReferencesAkpodiete, T. (n.d). Mind mapping as a Project Management Tool. Communicator. Retrieved from http://www.matchware.com/en/forms/mindview2%20case%20studies/pmi_tbc_june2007_ombe2.pdfGuglielmo, K. (2009). Use business service management software and tools for better ITSM. TechTarget.

Retrieved from http://searchcio.techtarget.com/podcast/Business-service-management-software-and-tools-for-IT-service-deliveryIllescas, C. (2010). Aurora water project ahead of schedule, below budget. The Denver Post. Retrieved from http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14676275Kelly, M. (2013). Adelaide Desalination Project Takes Top Honors as 2013 PMI Project of the Year Award Winner. Project Management Institute. Retrieved from http://www.pmi.org/About-Us/Press-Releases/2013-PMI-POY-Award-Winner.

aspxKumar, M. and Farinola, M. (2012). SA Water: Adelaide Desalination Project Final Project Report for 100GL/a Plant Commonwealth Funding $228 million Milestone 2 and Final Milestone Report #4. Government of South Australia. Retrieved from http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/077dd73b-8850-4d2f-b1f4-883b82955229/files/final-report-adelaide-desalination-project.pdfLearnard, C. and Kelly, M. (2011). Prairie Waters Project Receives Project Management Institute’s Prestigious 2011 PMI Project of the Year Award.

Project Management Institute. Retrieved from http://www.pmi.org/About-Us/Press-Releases/Prairie-Waters-Project-Receives-PMI-Prestigious-2011-PMI-Project-of-the-Year-Award.aspxMurley, D. (2007). Technology for Everyone: Mind Mapping Complex Information. Law Library Journal, Vol 99, 1. 2007. Schwalbe, K. (2013). Information Technology Project Management. London: Cengage Learning.