Project Management Coursework Solution (GC0119)

Table of Contents

Task A.

1.0 Introduction.

1.1 Define the key characteristics of any project

1.2 What is the Scope Statement for a project? What role does the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) have in such a statement?

1.3 Plot out a full project Gantt chart and identify the critical path. How many days does it take to complete the project?

1.4 What approaches exist to generate a budget for a specific project budget?.

1.5 How can project risk arise? Outline the various responses to risk that may be taken within project management.

1.6 What quality methods (project evaluation, monitoring, and control) would you introduce to ensure a project is completed successfully?

1.7 Conclusion.

Task 2.

2.0 Introduction.

2.1 Project Life Cycle.

2.2 Definition stage.

2.3 Feasibility study.

2.4 Project Planning.

2.5 Potential risks and contingency plan.

2.6 Project execution.

2.7 Project delivery.

2.8 Conclusion.

Project Sign-off Sheet

References

1.0 Introduction

This section defines key features of a project including characteristics, scope statement and role of work-breakdown structure, Gantt chart, critical path, method of developing the project budget, potential risks sources and avoiding the risks, and quality method.

1.1 Key characteristics of any project

Unique: every project is different from others in some respect

Goal and client-oriented: every project has specific goals and objectives to meet client requirements.

Resource: a project needs resources including time, money, people, and equipment and materials.

Budget: A project allocates budgets for its every work package

Multifunction: project needs efforts from people for different functions

Temporary: a project has a specific starting and finishing time

Specification: a project has speciation with clear target and objective

Uncertainty: every project includes some risks and uncertainty that is why project manager need to do contingency plan

Source: Pinto (2016)

1.2 What is the Scope Statement for a project? What role does the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) have in such a statement?

Scope statement

A project scope statement defines all the works required to gain project goals. This means it defines the project budget, what the project will produce, achieve and deliver, and what the work breakdown structure includes (Burke, 2003). It also documents features and functions of the project, quality measures and performance requirements, technical specification and security issues. The key advantage of a scope statement is it provides quality work and quality products. Additionally, using scope statement project managers can easily measure and control project quality (Schwalbe, 2009).

1.4 What approaches exist to generate a budget for a specific project budget?

Top-down approach

In this approach, the budget is created by top and middle managers based on collective judgment. The project cost is estimated by mainly allocating the costs of the key project tasks. As the top-level manager creates a top-down budget, there is less possibility of errors and uncertainty regarding the budget. However, this approach needs lots of knowledge and experiences (Schwalbe, 2009).

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Bottom-up budgeting

This approach includes a bottom level of employees along with the top managers in creating a budget for the project. This approach focuses on a work breakdown structure and/or action plan to identify elemental task and resource requirements. The key advantage of this approach is it determines budgets for every single activity from top to bottom. However, the budget may be unrealistic due to a lack of experience and knowledge (Schwalbe, 2009).

1.5 How can project risk arise? Outline the various responses to risk that may be taken within project management.

How project risks arise

Risk in a project refers to the uncertainty and occurrence that create difficulties for a project to be completed successfully on time (Pinto, 2013). Risks in the project may come from different sources that are outlined in the table below……………