Project Management - Assignment Example

Project Management By Student’s Name Course Code + Name Instructor Institution Strategic project management and practice Introduction A project can be scheduled either by using network methods which are more sophisticated planning tools or by using a Gantt charts which have to be drawn after a system has been developed. A project is a goal-oriented activity whose aim is to deliver a result successfully. The project is frequently unique, non-routine and considers the time and resource constraints in the process of undertaking it. A project must have a target such as the completion date and underlines the cost that comes with it. Moreover, in case the project manager has opted to use the networking scheduling method, the manager can decide to use either of the two network methods which are Activity on Node (AON) or Activity on Arrow (AOA). However, large projects can suitably practice AON networks since they only have one start and one end node. Therefore, project management can be defined as management to achieve project objectives and goals. An excellent project management has to define and execute all the essentials with the aim of accomplishing a complicated errand in a unique and unfamiliar manner. These accomplishments of strategic project management can only be successful when the targeted completion date and constrained resources are met. The project management comprises of the project manager, the project management team and the framework. It is very critical for the project managers to think of a plan as a life cycle since it keeps on moving from one stage to the other. 1) As a representative of the above project, define a possible scope and deliverables by use the judgment to set the time constraints considering that money is “no object.” In the process of strategic project management, there are some limitations that can bar the project from achieving its core objectives and goals. The major constrains in the process of project management are usually time and money though in this paper has considers money, not an issue. In every human-made system, the goals and objectives of a project sometimes fail to concur with each other, and this can result into general sabotage of the project implementation. However, the project manager can use integration approach to eliminate the different objects in the process of project management. It is nice to reduce conflicting objectives to enable the project implementation process to succeed (Anbari, F.T., 2003). System integration as defined in project management is the efficient design, operation, and implementation of targets and goals of a project by co-coordinating all the functioning elements of a project. This effective merging of all the goals of a project can be done by the user of Gantt chart at different levels of project implementation (Atkinson, R., Crawford, L. & Ward, S 2006). During scheduling of activities in the process of project management, a proper timing model has to be used to limit the problems that come with time constraints. In is always advisable to insert a dummy activity in case the project fails to incorporate one end node or one start node as shown below in the chart. The chart shows AOA activities in arrow This chart helps a lot the project managers in coping up the time constraints since each activity to be undertaken represented by the use of an arrow (Gardiner, P.D 2005). There are nodes at each end of the arrows to represent the start and the end of every activity within the process of managing a project as shown below. However, the AOA connections are rampant in the Gantt charts as compared to the AON connections though they both are necessary for the tailor's dummy activities. The AOA time management plan incorporates tailor's dummy activities as shown below. The diagram above shows how both AON and AOA types of networks can be used a project management system to solve the problems that usually comes with time constraints. 2) The Request for Proposal (RFP) that is to be sent out to potential contract bidders. A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a consumer document for tendering supplies. In case a customer agrees to provide the items for project management as contained in the RFP, he/ she have to notify the SDO who is the project developer to examine that idea appropriately. This means that the contact between the consumer and the SDO is paramount since it helps to initiate the RFP (Cooke-Davies, T.J. & Arzymanow, A 2003). This process is also known as RFQ, RFT or RFQ process of bidding, quoting and tendering and it is as shown below. The primary aim of RFP is to describe the needs, the challenges, and the ideas. The RFP also helps in soliciting suggestions and solutions from the SDO. The document can as well inform the SDO on how to address the RFP requirements. The RFP process can be conducted informally through emails and phone calls though it is effective when done formally. The RFP contains Statements of work (SOW), proposal requirements, contractual provisions and any other additional data (Jung, Y. & Woo, S 2004). The statement of work (SOW) of describes the problem and the general solutions that the project manager can be able to launch. It also identifies the scope of work that is to be undertaken during project management and implementation. The work deliverables have to be included and excluded from this process to provide work restrictions and the criteria of acceptance concerning the deliverables, their results, and the end items. The results that are needed for this final result shall include specifications and standards (Maylor, H 2001). This helps the project manager to measure the impacts and the work as far the expected relationships between the project manager and the contractor is concerned. Moreover, the projected completion date and constraints that are associated with time must be clearly put into consideration (Galin, D 2004). The cost plus incentives can be given special considerations as far as the project management is concerned as shown below in the diagram. This is done with the aim of sending RFP’s to the numerous number of SDO’s to help them get many proposals at once. During the above process, the customers send RFP’s to the SDO’s contained on the bidder list as per the recommendation of the consumers. 3. The Project Charter to be used by the project team with the following elements: A project charter outlines all the project stakeholders, and it can also be used to generate the interests that are proposed in the project. The project charter is often used to declare the authorization of the approved project (Shenhar, A.J 2004). After authorization, the firm and the project manager get authority to collect and use the resources that were set aside for that project. The project charter also provides an overview of the project to be implemented, and it might comprise of the project objects and scope. It also outlines the stakeholders and their stakes in the project. The charter can also estimate the budget and schedule the risks that are associated with the project. The project cheater can sometimes be used as the project plan case the SOW and requirement have to be met. The charter typically divides the project into small and defined packages that simply to understand. a) The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) This is the used to split the project into distinct tasks which are the basis for a project management schedule, budget, responsibility, and the resource requirements. The procedure for WBS comprises the Start with SOW and its demands. It also has what five to ten level practices can achieve as an result and what is involved and required here in the project implementation. Furthermore, the WBS breaks down the project activities into similar forms which are easy to understand (Kerzner, H 2013). Among the elements that are well-defined in the WBS include SOW and its requirements, the precise definitions of the project works to be undertaken, time estimates and cost estimate. It also contains the responsibilities, deliverables, and resources. The importance of WBS is that it provides packages that are useful in project integration and control. The project implementers like function managers, contractors and sponsors can be identified during the WBS process. b) Estimate of time and resources needed, staff and materials During the first meeting of the all stakeholders and other key members of the project management, the manager has to make a formal representation with the aim of answering the questions that arise from the stakeholders (Atkinson, R., Crawford, L. & Ward, S 2006). The estimate of time needed and resources should be provided during the meeting. The time and cost estimate are given with the aim of announcing the project, communicating and developing the standard expectations. Such meetings can also help the project stakeholders in generating enthusiasm and the determination towards the objectives and the deliverables. During such meetings, the project master plan and the resources that are needed are evaluated. The system requirements and the specifications must tackle the last resources of the project. The developed master plan for the project also has to describe the project willingness in delivering the ultimate resources that shall be used to achieve the requirements and specifications. The master plan developed shall address the questions of satisfaction and performance of the project. The master plan is comprised of work review, procurement and contracting administration. During the initial stages of the project implementation, it is good to estimate the project resources, time and cost. Moreover, it is also important to outline the customer needs as this shall help the project manager to makes changes in the plan in case of any need. However, it is crucial to note that as the project progresses; the anxieties also come to an end. The project manager should pay full attention to ensure that the project details are filled in accurately and to create a more detailed project plan to help to establish the requirements for each phase of the project. As the project moves past each stage, the manager has to keep on assessing his estimations of resources, time, staff, and materials. In fact, the project manager has to stay focus up to the completion of the project. The manager should also collaborate with the customers to review the deliverables in time (Oberlender, G.D 1993). The project manager also has to assess the deliverables as fast as possible and pay the suppliers and the workers in time to avoid any delay in the project implementation as had been planned earlier. The table below shows an example of estimations in terms of time, resources, staff, and materials. Time(days) 30 30 30 Resources(Million) 100 80 60 Staff/human resource 30 20 15 Materials(USD) $100 Million $80 Million $50 million The project manager also has to put into consideration the imprecise or the ambiguous requirements like human language, deliberated imprecision for the flexibility, the nebulous plans and inadequate expertise. The guidelines which can help the project manager in defining some of these requirements include: • Coming up with pictures, models, and exhibitions which formulate the project requirements. • The project manager has to keep on monitoring changes as the project progresses. • The project manager has an obligation of educating the users and employees of the project concerning particular soma requirements. • The project manager has to lay down some approaches in defining the concurrent issues. c) The network or critical path analysis and Gantt Diagram The Gantt chart is a simple tool that is commonly used for scheduling the project management activities in an orderly manner easy to interpret. This chart was developed by Henry Gantt who was also a consultant to Fredrick Taylor. Below is an example of a Gantt chart. Activity Immediate Predecessors Time A -- 1 B A 2 C B 3 D B 1 E C, D 2 F E 3 Activity Immediate Predecessors Time A -- 1 B A 2 C B 3 D B 1 E C, D 2 F E 3 The dotted lines in the Gantt chart show the predecessor relationships. The X-axis in the Gantt chart outlines the calendar dates. These dates include the time off like weekends when the project is not supposed to continue. d) The Budget The cost accounting system of the project can help budgeting process in being aggregated based on the work packages of the project. The budgeting process must outline the weekly expenses and the cumulative profiles of the project management. The project management budget should be created based on the work package budgets with the aim of assuming the expenses that occur throughout the project management duration. The cumulative outline can display the estimated cost as far as the work scheduled is concerned. The project management budgeting helps to devise planning and controlling, this enables the weekly, and cumulative expenses outline to be used in amending the schedules to contain the cash flow and the working capital problems. e) Quality Assurance Plan The quality management process is used in project management system in making decisions that are concerned with standardizing and specifying the metrics which can help in achieving the project standards. The quality assurance also helps in creating criteria for project phases, tools and the techniques for QA and QC as shown in the diagram below. This principle of quality assurance can also help the project management team in purchasing the righty quality of the items they intend to use in the process of implementing the project. The quality planning of company can help in extensive planning for quality systems written as ISO 9001 outlines the following requirements project management systems for planning for the specific project planning integration. This provides the schedule and budgeting which can further be used to eliminate the risks that are associated with management plans, procurement, and communication and safety measures (Cooke-Davies, T.J. & Arzymanow, A 2003). The Quality Assurance toolbox is comprised of training of the team members for the project, configuration system of management and the configuration identities. It is further comprised of design reviews, quality function deployment, and classification of characteristics of the project management. The diagram below outlines the component of the project quality management process. a) Risk Management Plan The project risk management plan outlines the measures that should be taken to bar any adverse activity that can delay the project from taking place. These risks can include hazards, and the focus of the risk management is to prohibit the grave risks from occurring. These risks can make the project not achieving the quality of performance, schedule and budgeting failure. The risk management approach is comprised of two methods which are the likelihood that one event shall (Jung, Y. & Woo, S 2004). The risk management process has to take place throughout the project management process to eliminate all the risks that are associated with it. In case, the project stakeholders fail to identify the risks in a timely manner then the project is like to lag behind or even collapse. 4) The 5-slide PowerPoint presentation for senior management to show my vision of how the project is to be delivered. See the full attached PowerPoint slide alongside the word document. Project Presentation for Senior Management and its Delivery Assessment and Evaluation of Project progress  Quick Identification and correction of deviations in the project development plan  Analysis of the importance of using a Gantt chart in implementing the scheduling of the project management activities in an orderly manner easy to interprets to enable smooth implementation of the project.  The vision of using the two network approaches to in merging the project objectives and goals. The Use of Technology in Project Management System  The Projected implementation shall purely be technology based in order to minimize on time wastage. This technology shall include the use of robots and computer based loadings to facilitate quick implementation of the project Emphasis on involving all the stakeholders  The members of the project management team has to ensure that all staff, sponsors, project managers, functional managers and the community are fully incorporated to enable full implementation of the project.  The surrounding community has to be considered in terms of job opportunities as they are able to provide both skilled and unskilled workforce. Motivation and incentives to employees  The employees at the project site has to be well remunerated in order to give them morale to be able to work under different conditions with an aim of enabling the project management to achieve it core objectives and goals.  Every employee to have a well description of his/her job in order to enable everyone concentrates on a line of duty as this shall contribute the success of the project management system. 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Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons. Maylor, H., 2001. Beyond the Gantt chart: Project management moving on. European Management Journal, 19(1), pp.92-100. Oberlender, G.D., 1993. Project management for engineering and construction (Vol. 2). New York: McGraw-Hill. Shenhar, A.J., 2004. Strategic Project Leadership® Toward a strategic approach to project management. R&d Management, 34(5), pp.569-578. Read More