Chapter 5 - Planning Fundamentals Flashcards
Name 5 important elements of a project plan
- Scope statement
- Detailed requirements
- Project organisation and responsibility for tasks
- Detailed work definition
- Procurement plan
What is the purpose of the first item in the project plan?
- Provide broad description of master plan
- Directed at core project team
What is described by the project scope?
Describes areas to be covered by project, deliverables and what will not be covered by the project
What does SOW stand for?
Stament of Work
What is the core definition of the SOW?
- For contracted project work:
- The contractor agree on definition of work required, work proposed, basis for costs and schedules
Suggest some good practices in setting up the SOW
- SOW and WBS must agree
- Requirements must be clear so that responsible parties can sign off acceptable results
- Never specify tasks with “as necessary” or “if required”
- Categorise full project tasks and part project tasks differently
- Hold meetings with customers and technical specialists to review clarity and completeness of the SOW
What is a charter?
Scope document of internal projects
- Issued by senior management to legitimise project
- Gives project manager authority to initiate work and apply resources to the project
How should work be defined in a project plan?
- Start with SOW requirements (“what?”)
- Ask what the actual required work is to meet SOW requirements
- Subdivide project into small, well-defined work packages (create WBS)
After the WBS has been set up using well-defined tasks, what do theses tasks form the basis of?
- Project schedule
- Budget
- Resource requirement
- Responsibility management
- Risk management
What is the broad procedure of setting up the WBS?
- Start with SOW requirements
- Ask what high level activities will yield intended results
- For each activity, ask what is required
- If the previous question is difficult to answer, continue breaking down activities until each category is well defined
What are the features of a work package?
- SOW and requirements
- Clear definition of work and subtasks
- Time estimates and deadlines
- Cost estimates
- Deliverables
- Resources
- Risk assessment
Briefly describe the end-item system approach to WBS
Start with the end-item system, subdivide it first into subsystems, then into components, then parts
Briefly describe the process-stem approach to WBS
Start by defining phases or stages in project, then subdivide each into detailed tasks;
end with defined deliverables for each
Explain how the WBS can provide integrated planning and control
- Resources (FMs, contractors, etc) responsible for work become involved in the WBS
- Work packages ensure that predecessors are completed with no tasks overlooked
- Work packages form the basis of project schedule and budget
- Project organisation is formed around work packages, and responsibilities delegated accordingly
- Project directed by people in charge of work packages
- Project control exercised through control of work packages
What is a responsibility matrix?
For each task, show who is responsible, and what the kind of responsibility is
What is RACI?
Responsibility, Accountability, Consult, Inform
Give a broad overview of what is contained within a schedule
- List of tasks (work packages)
- And for each task the
- Duration
- Resources
- Preconditions
Between a Gantt chart and network diagram, which is better suited for what part of scheduling?
- Gantt chart: Display finished schedule
- Network diagram: Create schedule
When is the Line of Balance (Vertical production method or sloping bar chart) used?
In projects that require a number of identical units, each with identical substeps
What are the advantages of using a Line of Balance?
- Rates of progress shown
- Problem areas easily spotted
- Helpful in resource allocation to eliminate bottlenecks
- Helpful in determining minimum buffer sizes
What is procurement management?
The planning, budgeting, scheduling, and control of procured goods, services and work
What do procured goods, services and work include?
- Goods and services (or work packages) designed specifically for the project
- Off the shelf equipment
- Bulk materials
- Consumables and loose tools
- Equipment not yet owned by contractor
- Administrative equipment
How does the WBS influence procurement management?
In the process of setting up the WBS, all required materials and resources are identified. After identification, it must be decided which of these GWS (goods, work, services) must be produced, and which must be procured
Level of detail for Gantt Chart?
Should reflect audience. Top-management: don’t care, low low. Site Manager: Responsible, high detail
