Engineering Project Management - Case Study Example

Engineering Project Management (Name) (Course) (Lecturer) (Date) Table of Contents Engineering Project Management 1 Table of Contents 2 1.0 Introduction 4 2.0 Overview of the PRINCE2 4 2.1 Definition of a project 5 2.2 Scope and deliverables 5 2.3 The components 6 2.3.1 Business case 6 2.3.2 Organization 6 2.3.3 Controls 6 2.3.4 Managing Risks 6 2.3.5 Quality 7 2.3.6 Configuration method 7 2.3.7 Change Control 7 2.4 The process 8 2.4.1 Starting up the project 9 2.4.2 Directing the Project 9 2.4.3 Initiating a project 9 2.4.4 Managing Stage Boundaries 10 2.4.5 Controlling a Stage 10 2.4.6 Closing Project 11 3.0 A Comparison between PRINCE2 and PMBO 11 3.1 Major process and project life cycle 12 3.2 Management responsibilities and levels 13 3.3 Authority Documentation 14 3.4 Scheduling and Planning 14 3.5 Control 14 4.0 Analysis of an Engineering Management Project 15 4.1 Project Management 15 4.2 Planning 15 4.3 Review and evaluation 16 4.4 Closure 16 5.0 Success of the project 16 5.1 User involvement 16 5.2 Statement of the requirement 17 5.3 Planning and estimation 17 5.4 Implementation factor 17 5.5 Communication 18 6.0 Failure of the project 18 7.0 Recommendation 18 References 20 Charvat, J. (2003). Project management methodologies: selecting, implementing and supporting methodologies and processes for the project. New Jersey: John WIley & Sons. 20 1.0 Introduction With the increased failure of projects in the recent years, there is a need for effective guidance on project managements for projects. PRINCE2 brings in a remedy as it is a structured method for efficient and effective project management. PRINCE2 was launched in 1996 as a response to user requirement for advanced guidance on project management and information systems. The project management guides the project through a well managed, controlled, clear set of activities in order to achieve the results desired. 2.0 Overview of the PRINCE2 PRINCE2 is a well structured project management that is based on experiments that have been drawn from different projects. In the recent times it has emerged to be one of the most accepted methods for managing different projects. It is a universal method that can be applied in any project regardless of the geography, type, organization and race. This method achieves its goals by isolating aspect of any project from the specialist contribution including construction and design. 2.1 Definition of a project PRINCE2 defines a project as ‘management environment that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to a specified business case’ http://www.prince2training.com/index.php?module=prince2methodology. 2.2 Scope and deliverables There are various people involved in today’s project including customers, user and more than one supplier. PRINCE2 is essentially designed to offer a neutral ground across the interested parties. Bringing suppliers and customers together basically involves contract management and contract. Despite the fact that these aspects are not within PRINCE2, the method appreciate the need to offer projects with the necessary breakpoints and controls to work effectively within the contractual framework. PRINCE2 is based on seven process and seven themes; business case, organization, quality, risk, change progress and plans. 2.3 The components 2.3.1 Business case Existence of a feasible business cases is the primary condition of PRINCE2 project. It is verified by a Project Board before the project commences. It also verified after every point of major decisions. 2.3.2 Organization The method offers a structure of a project team and definition of its relationships and responsibilities of all activities in the project. The roles may be shared or combined depending on the complexity and size of the project. 2.3.3 Controls PRINCE2 method offers sets of control that facilitate the provision of major decision making, thus allowing a business or organization analyze potential problems and make the necessary solution. A project is spilt into different levels so as to increase effective management control. The split is an approach to define the commitment and review of a project. 2.3.4 Managing Risks Risk is one of the major factors to consider in the management of the project. There is a need for the management to contain and control risks for the project to be a success. In this project, the Project Manager and Project Board are responsible for risk management. The Project Manage adjusts plans to include all agreed actions or decrease the impact of the risks. Various risks that face the project include technical, financial, operational performance and financial risks. The management will use a risk management plan that includes a management overview (appendix 1). The management cycle will also assist the management in managing risks (appendix 2). PRINCE2 dictate the key moments when risks may be reviewed by outlining an analysis and management approach of the risks. 2.3.5 Quality PRINCE2 appreciates the significance of quality and including a quality approach to the technical and management process. It starts by creating a customers’ quality anticipation and follow these through laying down quality inspection and standards methods to be used. 2.3.6 Configuration method PRINCE2 defines the information and facilities requirements for the configuration method and the way it should link with other techniques and components of PRINCE2 2.3.7 Change Control PRINCE2 appreciates the need for incorporating change control. Change control techniques and processes are identifying. 2.4 The process PRINCE2 consist of 8 distinctive management processes. All projects running under PRINCE2 should address the processes in various forms. However, the processes should be tailored in accordance to the need of the projects. Figure1. The process model 2.4.1 Starting up the project This is the first process that is mainly designed to ensure that all the prerequisites for initiating a project are in order. This process requires that the Project Mandate is existing that defines the need for the project and the products. It is built around six things Design Project Brief Quality expectations of the customers Risk log Initiation Stage Plan 2.4.2 Directing the Project It runs from end of Starting a Project to the closure of the project. It is aimed at user, suppliers and Project Board. The main processes for the Board are divided into major areas: Initiating Stage boundaries Direction of the Ad hoc Project c closure 2.4.3 Initiating a project Objectives Define how quality will be achieved Cost and plan the project Document and establish the Business Case is acceptable Enable the Board to own the project 2.4.4 Managing Stage Boundaries The process provides the needed information on which the Board make key decisions Products of the process include; End Stage report Current Stage Report Revised project plan Updated Risk log A revised Business Case 2.4.5 Controlling a Stage The main objective of the process is to make sure that the planned products are established and delivered by a project by; Team Manger taking details of the Work Packages with the Manager Ensuring that the works confirms with the requirement Ensuring the products have met the quality criteria Obtaining approval for the products completed. Products created Team plans Quality Log updates Project Issues Updates of Risk Log Checkpoint Reports 2.4.6 Closing Project This key purpose for the process is to perform a well controlled close to a project. It covers the Project Manager’s activities. Much of the activities carried out is the preparation of inputs to the Board in order to obtain confirmation that a particular project may close/ Some of the objectives include Confirm the acceptance of the products by the client Make recommendations Capture lessons Prepare an end project plan Make an end project notification 3.0 A Comparison between PRINCE2 and PMBO Risk Management Cycle 3.1 Major process and project life cycle The first difference between these methodologies is that PRINCE2 project life cycle is based with 6 major processes out of 8. Each of these processes has sub-processes adding up to 45. Feeding into this systems are the components which may also be viewed as processes. PRINCE2 also describe three techniques; Change Control, Quality Review and Product Based Planning. The document is well presented as a narrative that is easy to follow timely tips and hints, bulleted checklists and process diagram (http://www.prince2trainingen.nl/PRINCE2Websitefiles/Prince2%20introduction.pdf). On the other hand PMBOK, a Guide is comprised of twelve chapters that describe areas in function based knowledge and have illustrations of project management processes and the narrative description is in form of outputs, techniques and tools and inputs. 3.2 Management responsibilities and levels PRINCE2 appreciates four level of management that are parallel; Programme or Corporate management, Directing a project, Managing a project and Managing Product Delivery. As result, the program management or corporate business interest are integrated with the project management and the management of the technology of the project at the project and team level respectively (Clarkson 2010). While the PRINCE2 defines a project manager as a person who has been given responsibility and authority to manage the project under the constraints agreed with the Board, the Guide define a project manager as a person responsible for running the project. 3.3 Authority Documentation PRINCE2 has heavy documentation. All the projects are expected to have governing documents such as Project Mandate. It recognizes business case and project which are essential in the running of the project management. By comparison, PMBOK recognizes neither project brief nor business case (Charvat 2003). 3.4 Scheduling and Planning Planning is a key feature in PRINCE2 and it focuses on the products delivered. Product based planning for a significant part of Planning Process. There are three steps which describe the Planning technique and each step is described in detail and illustrations are provided. In PMBOK, planning is seen to be a key part in the general management skills. 3.5 Control Control is mainly about decision making and is core to project management. In PRINCE2, control of all technical work is done through approval of work packages. The main purpose is to produce the needed products while meeting the quality criteria defined. The work package is often used to allocate work teams or individuals. It involves control on cost, time and quality and identifies hand over requirements and reporting. The team or individual reports to the manager through checkpoint reports or other means such as updating quality log and triggers. Change control is a process that is designed to ensure that all the processing of the project issues is controlled. The process is discussed in detail beginning with project issue management (Philips 2006). On the other hand, the Guide Change Control, like planning is described as part of the Project Integration Management. It also referenced in various chapters of the Guide. The spiral processes were used in model exploration for getting solution for the requirements given using domain base based meta-models. The particular meta-models were essentially described using the style of functional block diagram. This metaphor obtained from hardware block diagram was appropriate as it was easily understood by the hardware members. It is important to note that every existing domain based domain has its particular traces to the existing architecture pattern/style and the UV network (Matsumoto 2002). 4.0 Analysis of an Engineering Management Project This analysis provides fundamental concepts that underlie the engineering management that was practiced in establishing a computer factory. 4.1 Project Management The definition of scope and project initiation for both software and hardware were well collaborated. The Project Manager was responsible of the scope and the stakeholders and sponsors created and approved documents that were used in measuring the project scope. Feasibility and the negotiation and determination of the requirements were done using those traces, models and patterns/style. 4.2 Planning Each Unit Workload (UW) was accompanied by a Unit Workload Order Sheet (UWOS). The Unit Workload was given a go ahead when the preconditions were satisfied. The traces obtained from the requirement specifications to every UW were specified in order the adaptation to the change done on the requirements could be efficiently coped with. 4.3 Review and evaluation Design inspection/review teams were well organized at each baseline project. The configuration management was applied to every configuration accordingly. In analyzing and visualizing schedules, critical paths and progresses PERT charts while Gantt charts were considered in allocating responsibilities and visualizing scheduled tasks 4.4 Closure The project accepted visitors from a reusable components team. An analysis was done on the economic benefit of developing the reusable components. The reusable components were later developed and put into asset archives. Plans were then made for the needs of evolution and maintenance. 5.0 Success of the project The project was a success as a result of various factors that were considered by the project management. These include; 5.1 User involvement In this project the presence of user involvement was highly appreciated. This is attributed to the fact that the final products should be in accordance to the need of the user. It is important to note that a project is bound to fail, even when on budget and on time, if the user’s needs are not met accordingly. Support from the executive management The support of the executive management was felt in the project. As a result the progress and process of project were advantaged as the executive input dictate the progress of the project in the right direction. 5.2 Statement of the requirement This also refers to the base level requirements. It is noted that the project had a clear base level requirements. As such, the effect of change was reduced as a minimal and obtainable state of requirements was developed. In additional project manager well prepared to handle and articulate the priorities and the needs of the next level of the project. 5.3 Planning and estimation The management worked hard to ensure that proper planning was upheld. To some extent, proper planning was carried out in various which led to the success of the project. In addition, the management used a proven and a time tested project life cycle. This gave clear outline on the running of various processes involved in the project. The schedule estimates and initial costs were well revised when more information became available as the progression of the project was on (Frese 2003). 5.4 Implementation factor There was correct use of the project methodology while the testing, inspections and requirement were excellently carried out (Gray & Larson 2008). 5.5 Communication In every project, communication is a key factor that should be considered. This s important in the linking of the processes involved in the project with the project team. In this project, instructions and important information were communicated vividly and vague descriptions were avoided. This resulted to maintenance of a controlled evolution. 6.0 Failure of the project Indeed, despite the success of the project, there were some notable failure that could have led to the fall of the project. However, there were more factors that contributed to the success of this project. Some of the factors that were missing in the project include; Clear sign-off and approval from the sponsors, irregular meeting by the management which resulted to failure to address important issues timely, some deliverables were not well defined and this would have resulted to the stagnation of the project (Coley 2007). 7.0 Recommendation It is obvious that culture within many projects is often such that the stakeholders, leadership and risk management issues are not clearly factored in early in the project. In some cases that are not written down due to political reasons may rarely be discussed at steering groups or project board meetings. Indeed, despite the efforts to make project delivery and software development more vigorous, a proportion of delivery effort in the system may be cancelled. This may be attributed to the fact that very few projects have education, infrastructure, management or training discipline that is required to an organization’s project successful. In future projects it can be recommended that; The project should not rely totally on the project methodologies and development. This basically implies that excellent leadership is significant within the process of delivery. This will assist in the shift of relying totally on the methodology. It is also important to note that processes alone are not in a position to cover the human aspect and the complexity of large projects subject to resources, ethical and multiple stakeholders’ strains. Information system projects may not fully address the issue of project failure. Therefore, recognition of project failure mostly relies on the influence of the stakeholders, leadership and the management of the stakeholder. Therefore, the project management should analyze the influence of the stakeholder in the running and development of the project. This will assist in filling in the loop holes that may arise The project management may develop an alternative methodology founded on a stakeholder, risk management and leadership would definitely lead to better understanding of the rising management issues. This will obviously lead to success of the information system projects delivery. The senior management team should have the ability to control their staff. This is important addressing the fact that the management has a large role to play in the success of the project. Proper planning before the execution of the project should be considered. It is a key to the success of a project. References Charvat, J. (2003). Project management methodologies: selecting, implementing and supporting methodologies and processes for the project. New Jersey: John WIley & Sons. Clarkson, I. 2010, PRINCE2 business profile. London: OGC. Coley, P. 2007, February 27, Why project fail? Retrieved February 27, 2008, from Project fail: www,colyconsulting. co.ku. Frese, R. (2003). Project success and failure: what is success , what is failure, and how how you improve your odds for success. Retrieved March 27, 2003, from Project: from http://www.umsl.edu Gray, C., & Larson, W. 2008, Project management: the managerial proocess. Singapore: McGraw-Hill Educations. http://www.prince2training.com/index.php?module=prince2methodology. http://www.prince2trainingen.nl/PRINCE2Websitefiles/Prince2%20introduction.pdf Matsumoto, Y. 2002, Essence of Toshiba software factory. Stuttgart: University of Stuttgart. Philips, J. 2006, Project management professional study guide. California: McGraw Hill. Wideman, M 2002, Comparing PRINCE2 with PMBoK. Vancouver; AEW Services Read More