1 Project Management Principles

Unit Title Project Management Unit Code 21578V Unit Value 6 Last Updated 01/08/2009 Programme Title HN Operations Engineering HN Electrical/Electronic Engineering HN Electrical/Electronic Eng. (Electronics) HN Manufacturing Engineering HN Computing (ICT Systems Support) Programme Number F5042 HNC Computing (ICT Systems Support) T7285 HNC Operations Engineering T7286 HND Operations Engineering V7072 HNC Electrical/Electronic Engineering V7073 HND Electrical/Electronic Engineering V7076 HNC Electrical/Electronic Eng. (Electronics) V7077 HND Electrical/Electronic Eng. (Electronics) W9260 HNC Manufacturing Engineering W9261 HND Manufacturing Engineering Unit Leader Martin Heeley Internal Verifiers Hugh Burgess Unit Level H2 Pre-requisites None Co-requisites None

Content

1 Project management principles

Project management: principles of engineering projects, project management and the role of the project manager (e.g. management of change, understanding of project management system elements and their integration, management of multiple projects, project environment and the impact of external influences on projects), identification of the major project phases and why they are required; an understanding of the work in each phase; the nature of work in the lifecycles of projects in various industries.

Success/failure criteria: the need to meet operational, time and cost criteria, and to define and measure success (e.g. develop the project scope, product breakdown structure (PBS), work breakdown structure (WBS), project execution strategy and the role of the project team); consideration of investment appraisal (e.g. use of discount cash flow (DCF) and net present value (NPV); benefit analysis and viability of projects); determine success/failure criteria; preparation of project definition report; acceptance tests. Project management systems: procedures and processes, knowledge of project information support (IS) systems, how to integrate human and material resources to achieve successful projects.

Terminating the project: audit trails, punch lists, close-out reports and post- project appraisals; comparison of project outcome with business objectives.

2 Organisation and people

Organisational structure: functional, project and matrix organisational structures (e.g. consideration of cultural and environmental influences, organisational evolution during the project lifecycle), job descriptions and key roles (e.g. the project sponsor, champion, manager, integrators), other participants (e.g. the project owner, user, supporters, stakeholders).

Control and co-ordination: the need for monitoring and control (e.g. preparation of project plans, planning, scheduling and resourcing techniques, use of work breakdown structure to develop monitoring and control systems, monitoring performance and progress measurement against established targets and plans, project reporting, change control procedures).

Leadership requirements: stages of team development (e.g. Belbin’s team roles, motivation and the need for team building, project leadership styles and attributes), delegation of work and responsibility, techniques for dealing with conflict, negotiation skills.

Human resources and requirements: calculation, specification and optimisation of human resource requirements; job descriptions.

3 Processes and procedures

Project management plans: the why, what, how, when, where and by whom of project management (e.g. contract terms, document distribution schedules, procurement, establishing the baseline for the project).

Project organisation: the product breakdown structure (PBS) and the work breakdown structure (WBS), project execution strategy and the organisation breakdown structure (OBS) (e.g. preparation of organisation charts, task responsibility matrix, statement of work (SOW) for project tasks).

Scheduling techniques: relationship between schedules, OBS and WBS, bar charts, milestone schedules, network techniques, resourcing techniques, computer-based scheduling and resourcing packages, project progress measurement and reporting techniques, staff-hours earned value and progress ‘S’ curves, critical path analysis and reporting, milestone trending. Cost control: cost breakdown structure (e.g. types of project estimate, resources needed, estimating techniques, estimating accuracy, contingency and estimation, bid estimates, whole-life cost estimates, sources of information, cost information sensitivity, computer-based estimating).

Techniques: allocation of budgets to packages of work, committed costs, actual costs, cash flow, contingency management.

Performance: cost performance analysis (e.g. budgeted cost for work scheduled (BCWS), budgeted cost for work performed (BCWP), concept of earned value, actual cost of work performed (ACWP), cost performance indicators.

Change control: the need for formal control of changes (e.g. project impact of changes, principles of change control and configuration management; changes to scope, specification, cost or schedule), change reviews and authorisation, the formation of project teams, project initiation and start-up procedures. Pass level outcomes 1 2 4 6 3 5 Outcomes Assessment Criteria s s s s s s s s s s To achieve each outcome a student s s must demonstrate the ability to: A A A A A A 1 Investigate project  Describe the background and  - - - management principles of project principles. management.  Appraise the viability of projects  - - - and develop success/failure criteria.  Understand the principles behind  - - - project management systems and procedures.  Identify the key elements  - - - involved in terminating projects and conducting post-project appraisals. 2 Examine project  Identify the most appropriate  - - - organisation and organisational structure, roles people. and responsibilities of participants within a project.  Control and co-ordinate a  - - - project.  Identify project leadership  - - - requirements and qualities.  Plan and specify human  - - - resources and requirements for a project. 3 Examine project  Prepare project plans and  - - - processes and establish the project procedures. organisation.  Apply project scheduling,  - - - estimating and cost control techniques.  Describe the methods used to  - - - measure project performance.  Describe project change control  - - - procedures. Assessment Strategy

Assessment number Assessment type 1 Assignment 2 Assignment 3 Examination 1 2 4 6 3 5 Grade Descriptors Indicative characteristics s s s s s s s s s s s s A A A A A A

M1 - Identify and apply  The techniques identified to  - - - strategies to find measure success/failure are appropriate comprehensive with an solutions. appropriate level of detail and there is a realistic explanation of how their application to the LACADS could have averted a disaster.  The Work Breakdown Structure  contains an appropriate level of detail and demonstrates a thorough understanding of all the tasks that will need to be undertaken to complete the project. M2 - Select/design and  An appropriate range of project  - - - apply appropriate management techniques have methods/ been applied to the LACADS to techniques. suggest ways the risks could have been reduced/removed.  The narrative accompanying the  WBS contains an appropriate level of detail and any assumptions made are realistic and achievable. The Gantt chart shows the tasks and resources have been carefully managed to complete the project in the shortest possible time with no clashing of resources. M3 - Present and  The report is structured, contains   - - - communicate an appropriate level of detail and appropriate uses technical language findings. accurately. 1 2 4 6 3 5 Grade Descriptors Indicative characteristics s s s s s s s s s s s s A A A A A A

D1 - Use critical  The cost/benefit analysis is  - - - reflection to detailed, accurate and the evaluate own estimates are realistic and work and justify justified. The arrangements for valid conclusions. monitoring of progress/cost of the project are thorough and described with an appropriate level of detail. D2 - Take responsibility  The activities needed to  - - - for managing and successfully complete the organising project are thoroughly activities. organised, detailed and have been completed with minimal support from the tutor. D3 - Demonstrate  There is evidence of convergent  - - - convergent/lateral/ thinking in the identification of a creative thinking. detailed breakdown of the tasks and the estimation of the human/physical/time resources requirements needed to complete the project.

The assessment of the outcomes is spread across the two assignments and the examination. The first assignment covers ‘describe’ assessment criteria with the ‘apply’ assessment criteria being covered in a simulated project in the second assignment. Merit grade descriptors are available across both the assignments with distinction only being available in the second as this provides the best opportunity for students to demonstrate higher level skills.

Two assessment criteria are set aside for the examination. The examination is included to comply with the assessment strategies of the HN Computing and HN Engineering programmes that identify the need for some limited assessment by examination in order to help prepare student for progression to degree. Reading list

Buttrick, R Project Workout 2nd Edition. (Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2000 ISBN: 027364436X) Lock, D Project Management 8th Edition. (Gower Publishing, 2003 ISBN: 0566085518) Smith, K Project Management and Teamwork 2nd Edition. (McGraw Hill, 2000 ISBN: 0070122962) Murphy Project 2000 Made Simple. (Butterworth Heinemann, 2001)

Other resources

Appropriate software packages should be used to demonstrate project control and reporting techniques. Packages might include:  Time and costs scheduling packages.  Documentation and procurement control packages.  Spreadsheet packages.  Graphic presentation packages.  Project Management software (any propriety software or Microsoft Project 2000).

The use of the Internet is actively encouraged.

This is a stand-alone unit.

Delivery

A practical approach should be adopted where possible. However, it is important that students do not spend too much time doing numerical work, preparing or analysing large quantities of data.

Delivery is by lecture, demonstration, research and seminars, and simulated management of a project. Scheme of work

Week Subject Handouts Activity Assessment No. 1 Introduction to Unit. Unit Lecture and classroom Project Management Descriptor discussion. principles. The major Smartboard/whiteboard. project phases. 2 Multiple projects. Lecture and classroom Success/failure criteria. discussion. Operational, time and Smartboard/whiteboard. cost criteria. 3 Work breakdown WBS-PBS Lecture and classroom structure. Benefit discussion. analysis and viability. Smartboard/whiteboard. Financial considerations. 4 Project Management Lecture and classroom Systems. Procedures discussion. and processes. Smartboard/whiteboard. Integration of resources. 5 Introduce assignment 1. Lecture and classroom Assignment 1 discussion. out Smartboard/whiteboard.

6 Measurement of project Lecture and classroom performance (BCWS, discussion. BCWP, ACWP). Smartboard/whiteboard.

7 Change control. Lecture and classroom Monitoring against discussion. established targets. Smartboard/whiteboard

8 Assignment work. Support with assignment Assignment 1 as required. in

9 Introduce assignment 2. Lecture and classroom Assignment 2 discussion. out Smartboard/whiteboard.

10 Microsoft Project: Gantt Using Lecture and classroom charts, Network Microsoft discussion. diagrams, etc. Project Smartboard/whiteboard.

11 Project Management Organisation Lecture and classroom plans. discussion. Project organisation. Smartboard/whiteboard. Week Subject Handouts Activity Assessment No. 12 Organisational structure. Roles. Lecture and classroom Key roles and job discussion. descriptions. Smartboard/whiteboard.

13 Leadership Leadership Lecture and classroom Assignment 2 requirements. Team discussion. in building. Human Smartboard/whiteboard. resource requirements. 14 Revision for Lecture and classroom examination. discussion. Unit review. Smartboard/whiteboard.

15 Examination. Examination. Assessment 3