Project Management and Engineering - Assignment Example

Number Subject Name Lecturer’s Name Project management Due date Project management The present paper is sought to present a comprehensive analysis of the application of the project management, in the engineering sector. The particular analysis will involve evaluation of the engineering project management portfolio. The portfolio analyzed is divided in to three parts. The first part of the analysis will involve a comprehensive overview of the PRINCE 2 project management. The second part will be an analysis of the five knowledge areas, as they are presented in the PMBOK, and their application to the project management. The last part will involve an application of the project management, by a representation of an analysis of an engineering management project, with association to its failures and successes. Project Management Before presenting the three parts, it is significant to understand the meaning of project management. As indicated by xin and xiaopei (2012), project management implies the comprehensive process of planning, motivating, controlling and organizing resources, protocol and procedures, which are aimed and geared towards achievement of certain defined goals, or solving particular problems. A project forms the central theme of the management, and which involves production of the goods and services within a given duration. The project has is operated under several constraints, such as time, financial resources, labor among others. These constrains forms the central point of project management. Project management is carried out with an aim of meeting the organization goals and objectives, while at the same time, observing the constraints associated with the project. Part one Price 2 Project Management Methodology Prince 2 refers to a project management methodology, which has been widely used in various project. It is considered to be the most widely used project management methods, and has proved quite successful for the because of its non-proprietary character. In addition, organizations are able to apply it in a wide range of industries, different project sizes and varied environments. This project management methodology is applied under various processes, principles, themes, roles, and it also has its associated benefits and drawbacks (Vieira, Ferreira, Barateiro & Borbinha (2014). Prince 2 Principles The principles of this methodology form the background of the performance of the whole project being managed. They are the guiding obligations for the projects, which should be observed throughout the project, from its initiation to the completion. The first and the most basic principle applied in the methodology is the principle of business justification. It implies that the business managed under this methodology should be compatible with the methodology itself. The other principle implies learning from experience, where the learnt lessons are recorded, sought as well as acted upon throughout the project. The second principle applied by Prince 2 methodology applies management by exception. It implies that there should be a defined tolerance for each project objective. In addition, it focuses on the product as well tailored to suit the environment of the project. The third principle is the application of the defined responsibilities and roles throughout the projects. Further, Takey and Carvalho (2015), advocated that another significant principle involves management by stages, through stage-by-stage planning, monitoring and controlling of the involved activities. Prince 2 Themes As a process of ensuring the success of the project involved, prince 2 has specified themes, which should be applied in every project. These themes help to ensure the overall project management is successful. The first theme is risks, which involves assessment of the possible risks. Another one is changes, which addresses the impact of the changes introduced. Further, it considers the progress, which involves addressing the stage-by-stage process of the project. Under the application in a business case, Prince 2 project management methodology implies consideration of the potential value to an organization. In this case, the idea is developed in to a viable investment position. The most efficient application of the programme is the business life cycle. In this case, there are three levels. The initial one is the start level, which implies the developing and producing the benefit review plan. The second one is the middle one, which implies the maintaining, confirming and verifying benefits. The last one is tr5the end, which implies the updating the benefits review plan and confirming the benefits. For the organization, which is managing the project, Louis (2014) advised that it is significant to allocate duties to the managers who will be responsible for its completion. Since the project is cross functional, the normal line management function is not effective. In addition to this, the methodoloh6y has a quality control mechanism. Under quality, the initial idea is not considered as a broad outline. Prince 2 Project Plan As specified by Capuz et al., (2015), prince 2 project management methodology is completed under a process of approved plans. The application of these plans depends on the needs of the organization’s personnel’s. In addition, the plans are focused on the on communication and control, throughout the project. In the whole plan, there are seven steps. The first ne involves designing the plan, which is considered as the original step. The second is product definition and analysis, while the third one is identification of dependencies and activities. The fourth one involves preparing the estimates followed by preparing the schedule, and lastly, documentation of the plan. These are presented below Risks involved in Prince 2 Project Inferring from Nicholas & Steyn (2012) there are several risks associated with this project management methodology. Typically, it has more risks as compared to the stable operational activity. These risks are managed through a series of activities. The management starts by identification of these risks, such as environmental hazards. Then their effects is assessed. Then the overall control program is initiated. It starts with the designing a plan on how to combats the risks identified. The risk management plan is then implemented. Prince 2 Projects Process To observe effectiveness from its initiation to completion, this methodology has a defined process. The process involves. It involves the explanation of the decision making process, plans approval, actual performance monitoring and escalating the process, if the process o not go according to the plans. The progress ultimately offers a determination of how the project should proceed. In general, progress involves four steps, which are planning, delegating, monitoring and controlling. These steps are summarized below. Roles of Prince 2 Project The prince 2 project management methodology ensures that the roles of every stakeholder as well as the role of the overall project are clearly defined. The first and the most significant role is achievement of growth to the various organizations applying the methodology (Nicholas & Steyn, 2012). This is achieved through various software development programs and extreme programming. Different people, who include the project board, the senior user, executive, supplier, project manager, team manager, project assurance as well as the project support, assume these various roles. Advantages of Prince 2 Project Methodology Since the methodology is already clearly defined, it saves time of the and finances of the managers, which could have been used in constructing their own customized set os standards. Another benefit associated with the methodology is free to use. Though the content is protected and the name trademarked, the project managers can freely apply it without specific consultations. Further, this methodology is teachable, flexible, scalable as well as repeatable. Therefore suitable in many areas of project management. The methodology also encourages good communication between the project management and its stakeholders. Drawbacks of the Prince 2 Project management Methodology Despite a wide array of advantages, the present methodology has some limitations. Some of the drawbacks of the project includes that its introduction, implementation, and adoption should be conducted smoothly. However, it is not simple to apply. Before the methodology can be applied, it requires understanding of the principles first. Further, it needs to be flexed to fit in its application project, among others. Part 2 The project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), provides a wide range of knowledge in the field and profession of Project Management. The knowledge is provided in specific areas, such as human resource management, project cost management, project management process among other (Takey & Carvalho, 2015). This part presents a comprehensive analysis of five such knowledge areas. Project Management Integration Project integration as specified by Louis (2014) implies the combination of all the processes and activities of the whole project from the start to the end. It comprises of three major processes. These processes include the project plan development, Project plan execution as well as integrated change control. It includes all the process, which is required to ensure that all the elements involved in the project are properly managed and coordinated. Project Human Resource Management It is another knowledgeable and significant area of knowledge specified by the PMBOK. It implies all staff who works towards fulfilling the objectives of the project. As it was stated earlier, there are several individuals responsible for completion of the whole project. These technicians include project engineers, project designers, and project managers among other staff. In order to ensure effective performance and completion of the project, the human resource involved in that process should be managed properly (Lindkvist ,Stasis & Whyte, 2013). The human resource management involves various activities. These activities include recruitment of the project staff, allocation of duties and responsibilities, and monitoring of the job performance, all which is aimed to effective and successful completion of the project. Project Scope Management Project scope management involves covering the whole aspect of the project. The scope involves redefining the task in to different sections, which should be covered. In case of engineering project, it is the stage-by-stage breakdown of the whole project from the start to the end. The scope project management helps to guide the project engineers on what to do at any particular time. Project Risk Management As indicated by Eastham, Tucker, Varma & Sutton, (2014) any particular project has its associated risks, which may affect a successful completion of a project, if not properly addressed. With regard to this, project risk management involves monitoring of all external and internal factors that may adversely affect the progress and successful completion of the project. It involves identification and listing of all the hazards that are likely to affect the project’s progress, and ensuring that they are well addressed. Project Time Management Time is one of the significant factor, which should be critically addressed by the project managers. As indicated by Capuz et al., (2015), time is in most cases, considered as a constraint in completion of the project. Therefore, the project time management is a process of determining the time available to a particular project, and then carrying out the project according to the time schedule. In details, the available time is allocated among the project tasks, to ensure that each one is performed according to the allocated time. Effective time management ensures that the project is completed on time and meets its objectives. Part 3 A case Study Analysis of an Engineering Management Project To present an application of the knowledge acquired in the module, regarding the project management, the present part of the paper presents a case study analysis of an engineering project. A detailed analysis is provided, together with the success and failures of the particular project. The engineering case study in this case is the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940). It was a suspension bridge in the United State, which was considered one of the engineering department achievements after completion. However, after it collapsed, it marked one of the biggest failures of the engineering department. The bridge spanned the Tacoma Narrows strait, between the Kitsap Peninsula and Tacoma. It was opened for traffic use on the July 1, 1940, and later collapsed on November 7th the same year. During the time of construction of the bridge and its completion, it considered the third longest suspension bridge in the world. Design and Construction The interest to have the bridge constructed started around 1889, but the concentrated efforts towards its construction were realized on mid-1920s (Takey & Carvalho, 2015). After consultation with engineering officials, the Washington State legislature established the Washington State Toll Bridge Authority, to study the construction of the bridge over the narrows. An engineer from Washington by the name Clark Eldridge was mandated to construct design the suspension building. Then, the Washington toll Bridge Authority requested 11 million dollars for the purpose of construction of the bridge, from the Federal Public Authority Works. According to the advice of the Washington Department of Highways, the preliminary construction plan had set to construct the bridge on a 25 feet trusses, beneath the road map, in order to stiffen it. However, according to the designer, he advocated that the bridge should be constructed on a shallower support. The support was 8 feet grinder. Another designer named Moisseiff won in proposal design proposal, as his was quite cheap. Based on his proposal, the bridge construction started in 7th September, 1938. The overall construction process took around 19 months. The cost incurred to complete the construction of the bridge was 6.4 million dollars, which was financed by the public works administration. After its completion, the bridge was 850 meters long, which was considered the third longest suspension bridge in the world. It was considered a good achievement of the concerned engineering department, to have completed the bridge within quite a short period. However, the bridge experienced considerable vertical oscillations. The oscillation according to Beringer et al., (2012) started while the bridge was still under construction. In attempt to reduce the motion, several strategies were applied. These strategies included the attachment of the tie-down cables the fixed plate grinders. There was also an addition of a pair of inclined cables. Lastly, the structure was supported with the hydraulic buffers, which were installed between towers and the floor as a support. In November 1940, the bridge collapsed. The collapse was because of strong wind, which swayed the bridge strongly side by side. The physical phenomenon of this occurrence was named as the aeroelastic flutter. Though no human life was lost on the collapse of the bridge, it was considered a considerable failure of the engineering department, particularly the designers. After the consultation and the investigation of the reason behind the failure of the bridge, it was discovered that the strong wind blowing across the area caused the collapse. However, the engineers and designers were also considered to have contributed to the failure. The reason for this is that they did not consider the effect of the strong wind blowing across the gap. As a result, they failed to erect effective support to the bridge. As a result, the bridge was unable to withstand the wind sway, and therefore collapsed. Bibliography Beringer, C, Jonas, D, & Georg Gemünden, H 2012, 'Establishing Project Portfolio Management: An Exploratory Analysis of the Influence of Internal Stakeholders' Interactions', Project Management Journal, 43, 6, pp. 16-32, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015. Capuz Rizo, S, Yagüe Blanco, J, & Ayuso Muñoz, J 2015, Project Management And Engineering : Selected Papers From The 17Th International AEIPRO Congress Held In Logroño, Spain, In 2013, Cham: Springer, Discovery eBooks, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015 Eastham, J, Tucker, D, Varma, S, & Sutton, S 2014, 'PLM Software Selection Model for Project Management Using Hierarchical Decision Modeling With Criteria From PMBOK® Knowledge Areas', Engineering Management Journal, 26, 3, pp. 13-24, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015. 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Takey, S, & Carvalho, M 2015, 'Competency mapping in project management: An action research study in an engineering company', International Journal Of Project Management, 33, pp. 784-796, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015. Vieira, R, Ferreira, F, Barateiro, J, & Borbinha, J 2014, 'Data Management with Risk Management in Engineering and Science Projects', New Review Of Information Networking, 19, 2, pp. 49-66, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015. xin, J, & xiaopei, L 2012, 'Continuous Optimization Path of Hydraulic Engineering Project Management Based on TOC', Procedia Engineering, 28, 2012 International Conference on Modern Hydraulic Engineering, pp. 483-488, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015. Read More