1. Nominate three (3) example projects for discussion. (30 marks – 10 marks per project)
Nominate an organisation of your choice, and the engineering discipline or disciplines in which it is operating.
Nominate three (3) suitable projects (for example, road development, subdivisional development, power station, mobile phone network, mining, provision of industrial equipment, installation, maintenance, surveying, research and development) to use as examples for your discussion.
These projects should be consistent with your nomination of the type of engineering disciplines in which your organisation operates.
2. Define key characteristics of each project nominated. (75 marks – 25 marks per project)
For example:
Fit with current organisational strategic direction
Estimated cost
Estimated duration
Expected quality of deliverables
Current expenditure, percentage complete, quality standard achieved
Key stakeholders
Main risks
Impact on the environment and society – short term and long term
Complexity
Other factors (for example, human resource, communications, procurement)
Project integration factors
Any other significant factor impacting on the project
3. Review each of the projects nominated in the background with respect to their alignment with corporate direction and the principles of good project and program management.
(105 marks – 35 marks per project)
Areas to consider in this review include, but are not limited to:
Project charter and plan
Business case for the project in accordance with the new strategic direction of your organisation
Identification of project stakeholders and their role in the project
Potential to be completed within the constraints of time, cost and quality
Likelihood of the project’s scope being changed as a result of stakeholder issues and requirements
Change control requirements
Potential human resource, communications and procurement issues that may impact on delivery of the project
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Potential risks in delivering the project and subsequent to delivery of the project
Sustainability of the project and its outcomes
Other matters considered important to the achievement of these objectives
4. Develop a plan to manage each of the projects to achieve project objectives.
(90 marks – 30 marks per project)
This plan should take into account each of the issues described above, and summarise the following points:
Summary of issues for each project as determined by analysis
Fit of the project with corporate direction
Consequences of not completing the project within key performance indicators
The best approach for managing the project, with particular focus on the five (5) main issues with the project
Whether the organisation should undertake any future projects of the type of project that is being reviewed
SUB- TOTAL 300 MARKS
Question 1 (b) (1000 to 1500 words) (90 marks)
Report to Board of Directors
Write a report to the Board of Directors of your organisation that:
Summarises your analysis of each of the three (3) projects you have been asked to assess.
(30 marks – 10 marks per project)
Describes your proposed solution for each project, including the feasibility of implementing it.
(30 marks – 10 marks per project)
Discusses, from an overall program management perspective, how the projects within your program can be better assessed, prior to acceptance by the organisation, for feasibility and alignment with the Board’s strategic direction for your organisation. (30 marks)
SUB- TOTAL 90 MARKS
Written Communication for Question 1 (60 marks)
Abstract (Question 1b only) and tables of contents (both parts of Question 1) (10 marks)
Structure (10 marks)
Language, style, spelling (10 marks)
Completion in within word count (10 marks)
Setting out and referencing (20 marks)
SUB- TOTAL 60 MARKS
TOTAL MARKS FOR QUESTION 1 450 MARKS
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Question 2 (150 marks)
Write a 2000 to 2500 word essay to discuss the following questions:
What in your opinion are the three (3) main issues that project managers are likely to face in the next 50 years?
Why are they likely to be the main issues that project managers are likely to face?
How would you expect the practice of project management to change over the years to meet these issues?
What is your overall assessment of how projects might be managed in the future?
Marking
Identification of issues, discussion, analysis (120 marks)
Identification and explanation of each issue (10 marks per issue) (30 marks)
Discussion of why each issue is important (10 marks per issue) (30 marks)
Analysis of how the practice of project management will change to meet them
(10 marks per issue) (30 marks)
Overall assessment how projects will be managed in the future (30 marks)