Project Administration and Developing - Assignment Example

Assessment Task 1 Student Name Tutor Course Date 1. Role of a project manager. Project management has become an efficient tool that has been successfully used to handle complex projects, and has been found to be more efficient compared to the traditional methods like the practice of functional divisions within a formal hierarchical organization (Munns & Bjeirmi p.88). The project manager plays a critical role in controlling the project and ensuring its successful completion. By utilizing different tools available to him/her, the project manager greatly influences the success of the project. The project manager is responsible for directing the project from its inputs to the ultimate delivery of the desired outputs. In this sense, the manager assumes role that range from being the group leader, administrator, arbitrator, coordinator, and entrepreneur. As mentioned by the Project Management Institute, the main responsibility of the project manager is to ensure that the project objectives are accomplished successfully by striving to achieve a balance among the demands for quality, time, cost and scope (8). Among several other functions, the project manager functions as the catalyst that will stimulate satisfactory communication and coordination among the different departments of design, procurement as well as the implementation team. The project manager must therefore ensure that accurate information is available so that tools like breakdown structures, project plans, client information sheets, among others, are used by the project team in an effective and productive manner. As Kumar points out, the project manager should ensure that sufficient site information is gathered in time so that the project team clearly understands the project considerations and constraints (168). By doing this, the team will be able to tailor workable strategies and methodologies that are useful for the particular situation at hand. The project manager is responsible for planning, control and proper use of project resources that have been availed by the client. The manager will therefore need to ensure that the whole project team is accountable for the use of the resources and that every individual gives an account for his/her actions if he/ she fail to be effective. The major roles include: Identifying requirements of the project Ensuring establishment of clear and attainable objectives Aligning the specifications and plans with the concerns and expectations of the stakeholders Lead and coordinate the project team Manage project resources Developing schedules Activity planning and sequencing Risk analysis Developing budgets Establishing timelines Controlling quality Strategic influencing Monitoring and reporting progress Managing risks and issues Documentation Business partnering 2. Five tools used to help determine project requirements. Customer interviews Carrying out interviews with potential customers is a great way for the project manager to properly determine and understand the requirements of the project. Through such interviews, it is possible identify key stakeholder and get information from them that could be analysed to provide insight into what the project entails. As Jonassos points out, however, the traditional interviewing approach works well in the circumstances where there are only a small number of customers or clients with only little disagreements expected from them (135). In the case where one-on-one interviewing is done, it will be critical that the requirements are shared with the other stakeholders to avoid future conflicts of interests. Observation/ job Shadowing This tool can be used actively with the user or in other cases, passively, by using videos or one-way mirrors. This technique is usually put to use with the ultimate users of the project being developed. The approach can be effected in three ways (Jonassos p.137): Job shadowing: This involves one-on-one interactions between the user and the analyst. The project manager walks with the client and watches what they are doing, and he may ask questions or seek verifications. Video tape: this is where the client or user is recorded while performing the tasks. The recordings are then edited for purposes of clarity, order and analysis. One-way mirror type approach: through the use of one-way mirrors, analysts can observe that users without the users seeing them back. This enables the user perform in a relaxed manner. Surveys Surveys are a good way for one to collect information and gain an understanding on the system requirements. In the cases where there are a big number of system users or situations where logistics makes it more difficult to get in touch, surveys could be used to capture requirements. Designing the survey is, however very challenging and great expertise is required for development of an effective study (Jonassos p.142). Discovery/JAD/Facilitated Sessions Discovery sessions are sessions where interested parties are brought together in a discussion so that a common agreement is reached upon about the requirements of the project. Although not suitable for all projects, this approach becomes useful in situations where there exists a multi-stakeholder environment that is characterised by potential disagreements. The JAD sessions are generally known to be high risk since they are based upon confrontations and exchange of different opinions so that a consensus is reached (Jonassos p.144). SMART goals Setting SMART goals for the project is a great way to determine project requirements. SMART goals helps identify the specific objectives that should be met by the time the project comes to an end. the SMART tool can ensure that the specific requirements are identified and that these requirements are actually achievable and relevant to the situation at hand. The project team will also ensure that the goals are achievable within a time-frame so that it serves the interests of the concerned parties 3. Some communication strategies are listed below. Outline the advantages and disadvantages of each one when managing projects: - Meetings Advantages Through status review meetings, project team gets to exchange project information creating a sense of understanding and common goal Can be used to resolve issues with stakeholders as well as issues among team members Provide the best way to make clarifications about the project Disadvantages Meetings may consume much of the project time especially in the cases where the meeting attracts a big number of interested parties. - feedback Advantages Helps the project manager implement corrective measures and initiate preventive actions so that the project is made to comply with the plan Feedback will also enable the manager make changes in the plan to enhance performance and bring the project to successful conclusion Repeated feedback loops in multi-dimensional projects enables the project team conduct additional analysis Feedback from stakeholders may be critical in determining the course of the project. As more information is revealed understood, effective follow-on activities could be initiated Disadvantages Given the iterative nature of some projects, the permutations of the process flows and the feedback loops becomes extremely difficult and complex In cases where feedback does not reflect positively on the performance of members, it may lead to negative attitudes among such members and therefore become an impediment to the success of the project - reporting Advantages Helps update the interested groups about the performance and progress of the group by providing information with regard to the project scope, resources, risk, schedule and quality. Eliminates uncertainties among the project team members Enable the project team forecast on the future progress of the project. Performance reports may be used by the team members to identify issues and problems that may result to delays in the future - liaising. Advantages Liaising with the project stakeholders is a great way to understand their particular interests in the project and therefore ensures that issues of clash of interests do not arise Liaising with sponsors also ensures that implementation and funding is achieved in a more easy way. Sponsors feel confident with the project teams if they feel that their interests are taken into account and their opinions taken seriously. They will therefore give all the nessesary support to the team and move the project with the required speed. Liaising with local authorities and other interested parties also brings together beneficial ideas that when put together by the project manager, leads to better team performance. 4. Documents or checklists that are used to organise or monitor various project processes. Work breakdown structure From the recent past, project managers have found increasing value in the creation of WBS in the project management process while researchers have attributed success of projects to effective use of WBS (Devi & Reddy p.1). Within the WBS there is a hierarchy of activities and levels that are used to determine how the project is supposed to flow within a given timeline as decided by the project manager (see appendix). It represents the sum total work decomposition of the whole project from its start to the end. The document enables stakeholders and the project manager to make more complex and detailed projects more manageable and easily understandable for the other members of the team. The various chunks and parts are then easily estimated, supervised and implemented. Each lower level reveals the project in more details, decomposing the work into packages with deliverable orientations of the hierarchy including internal and external deliverables (Brotherton, Fried & Norman p.2). I personally think that this is one of the most useful management documents for the project manager. Since it helps simplify the whole project, is makes it easy for the other team members to understand the project plan and therefore makes implementation easier. Risk management plan This is a document prepared to provide direction on how to approach, plan and execute activities aimed towards risk management (see appendix for sample). By reviewing the conditions surrounding the project environment, organizational process assets, the scope of the project and the project implementation plan, the project manager and stakeholders must come up with the risk management plan that will provide guidance and assign responsibilities as far as projected risks are concerned (Project management Institute p. 53). This document is also very important since it identifies and projects possible risks in the project. It also provides an action plan and assigns responsibilities in the event these risks occur. It is critical that the project team clearly understand these risks so that possible injuries are reduced or eliminated. This document is very effective in achieving this. Project Charter As Project Management Institute points out, this is the document that officially authorizes any given project (81). It gives the project manager the authority to utilize organizational resources on the project. The charter is the regulatory document that will link the project to the resources of the organization. Development of this document involves documenting the needs of the project, its justification, the understanding of the current desires of the customer, and the product or service that should be developed to satisfy these needs. 5. How to deal with each of these - An unplanned or sloppy presentation to a project sponsor or stakeholder. Preparation is key to a successful presentation. The project presentation should be properly organised and should always be reduced to writing (Catalyst p.1). This will help the presenter have an outline that will be followed during the presentation. The written outline should be developed after the entire presentation has been organised in an electronic format like in Power Point slides through which it will be presented. It is therefore important to determine the number of people in attendance so that extra copies are prepared in time. Additional project information including graphs, and tables must be added. I would ensure better presentations by starting early enough and obtaining information about my audience, preparing copies and organising neat electronic presentations (Catalyst p.3). - Inability to solve day-to-day problems. Project managers must be prepared to handle issues that arise on the daily basis within the team members. I would ensure that I develop an open mind that will enable me have an understanding of the individual needs of all members within the group. By encouraging a participatory approach rather than a supervisory approach would help me gain the trust of members and as a result, their support in overcoming the daily problems. It is also necessary that project team members understand the project plan exhaustively as this will minimize confusions and mistakes within the workplace. I would encourage members to follow procedures as paid down in the project plan and invite them to use proper conflict resolution channels to solve their differences. - Providing ‘truthful’ but ‘hurtful’ feedback to another team member. Team members should first understand that feedback is only meant to ensure that necessary corrections and adjustments are carried out so that the project runs as required towards achievement of the project objectives. I would therefore first explain the importance of feedback, making sure that the member understands that it is not meant to harm anyone’s reputation or feelings but just a means of ensuring that the project is brought back on the desired course. I would ensure that the member is ready to take the feedback positively so that he/ she can use the feedback to move the project to the next level. 6. Methods for gathering data that can be used in the evaluation of projects. Include a sample of each type. Information gathering for project evaluation may employ both qualitative and quantitative methods. Each method is focused on specific information about the performance of the project and they may be adopted depending on the nature and scale of the project. The methods include surveys, focus groups tests, observations and interviews. Surveys Surveys have been useful in evaluations to gather information regarding attitudes, expectations, opinions, beliefs and aspirations. They can provide information by focusing on a sample of the whole population and are effective when broad information is needed from a larger population. Surveys have been found to be cheaper than interview and can be used to target a big number of respondents. The ease and success of surveys in contributed to by the anonymity associated with it and the simplicity of its structure. Again, surveys are preferred since respondents have the time to reflect and consider facts before they provide responses. They are able to share their feelings about a given position without feeling harassed or intimidated. Usually, surveys are conducted through emails, over a telephone conversion or it may be a combination of these. They are also administered in group settings at the end of workshops (Suvedi & Morford p.14). Sometimes evaluators may choose to have open ended question but the common approach is to design close-ended questions where respondents select from a list of predetermined answers. Interviews Evaluators have used interviews to collect data in cases where there is confidence with the perspectives of the respondents and where the respondents’ contributions are considered meaningful and an affect the success of the project. Personal one-to-one interviews and telephone interviews may be selected when it is important to establish interpersonal contact with the respondents and where there is need for opportunities for follow-up of interesting comments. Evaluators may adopt a structured format where carefully worded questionnaires are administered. In this approach, the focus is on obtaining answers to carefully phrased questions with minimal diversions from the principle idea. In-depth interviews, on the other hand, encourage free and wide responses where there may be need for comprehensive coverage of issues and in-depth investigation of certain questions. Focus Groups These combine the elements of interviewing and participant observation. Focus groups utilize group dynamics and explicitly use interactions within the group to generate data that may not be obtained using any other methods. Through observation of group dynamics, firsthand insights into behaviours, languages and attitudes, evaluators are able to come up with useful trends that indicate the success of the project or reveal difficulties presented by the project. The groups may be made of 8 to 12 individuals and their interactions evaluated to assess the project. Works cited Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: PMBOK® Guide, 3rd Edition. Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Project Management Institute, 2004. Suvedi, Murari & Morford Shawn. Conducting Program and Project Evaluations: A Primer for Natural Resource Program Managers in British Columbia. Forrex—Forest Research Extension Partnership, Kamloops, B.C. Forrex Series 6, 2003 Munns Andrew K & Bjeirmi Bassam F. The role of project management in achieving project success. International Journal of Project Management. Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 81-87, 1996 Kumar D. Developing strategies and philosophies early for successful project implementation. Project Management. Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 164-171, 1989 Catalyst. Preparing your investor presentation. Catalyst-law, Vancouver, 2009. Jonasson Hans. Determining Project Requirements. Florida, CRC Press, 2007 Brotherton Shelly, Fried Robert & Norman Erick. Applying the Work Breakdown Structure to the Project Management Lifecycle. PMI Global Congress Proceedings – Denver, Colorado, 2008. Devi Rajani & Reddy Shobha. Work Breakdown Structure of the project. International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications. Vol. 2, Issue 2, pp. 683 – 686 Appendix Question four: Fig1: Copy of Work breakdown structure for Website development project Table1: Risk probability of occurrence Table2: Risk impact analysis Table3: Risk roles and responsibilities Question six: Interviews should be aimed at finding answers to the following: Focus groups help can be used to: Read More