Introduction to project management

Question 1

What is a Project?

Answer 1

An undertaking that has a beginning and an end and is carried out to meet established goals within cost, schedule and quality objectives.

Question 2

What is Project management?

Answer 2

Integration of all aspects of a project, ensuring that proper knowledge and resources are available when and where needed, and above all to ensure that the expected outcome is produced in a timely, cost-effective manner.

Question 3

What are the 3 core objectives of projects referred to as The Iron Triangle (Maylor,2005) ?

Answer 3

1.) Project scope - Relates to all work to be done and all deliverables that constitute the project’s success. Scope is closely connected to issue of quality.
2.) Time - this concerns the agreed date for delivery of the project.
3.) Cost - relates to authorised spend on the project.

Question 4

What is the project life cycle designed by Gido and Clements?

Answer 4

• Identification of a need
• Development of a solution
• Implementation
  -Completion

Question 5

What is a Feasibility Study?

Answer 5

Considers whether the project can achieve the desired results in a cost-effective manner.

Question 6

What are the 4 perspectives to consider when conducting a feasible study?

Answer 6

1.) Technical feasibility - considers whether technology and technical expertise are available to undertake the project. Technical expertise may include marketing, HR,IT, and finance.
2.) Social feasibility - considers impact of project on internal and external stakeholders.
3.) Ecological feasibility - considers ecological impact of project on local community and wider environment.
4.) Financial feasibility - considers whether financial costs incurred by project will be outweighed by benefits gained.

Question 7

Project Initiation Document (PID) :

Answer 7

Consists of statement of requirements, confirmation of what the scope of the project is and a business case.
Also referred to as Project Charter, Project Brief, Project Authorisation.

Question 8

Once project need has been identified project management plan has to be created. What is a Project Management Plan?

Answer 8

Also known as project quality plan or simply project plan, this outlines how the project will be planned, monitored and implemented. Used as a reference for both project execution and project control.

Question 9

What are the 11 components that a Project Management plan should contain?

Answer 9

1.) Project name
2.) Project manager
3.) Purpose
4.) Deliverables
5.) Methodology
6.) Assumptions
7.) Resources
8.) Approach
9.) Acceptance - how project will be validated
10.) Change management
11.) Communication

Question 10

What does a project change management process include?

Answer 10

• An approach for prioritising project changes.
• Process for authorising changes to the project.
  -Establishing a change budget.
• Project changes should be recorded
  -Communication

Question 11

What are the 4 key areas for the project manager to focus on during the implementation stage?

Answer 11

1.) Leadership - must ensure that all staff are focused on meeting a single, agreed goal.
2.) Supply chain management - can be logistically challenging, so establishment and maintenance of good working relationships across supply chain, where relevant, is crucial.
3.) Control - project manager is ultimately responsible for managing the time, cost and quality constraints
4.) Problem-solving and decision-making - project manager will expected to address and resolve inevitable problems that emerge when managing a project.

Question 12

Configuration management controls processes by which projects evolve. Project issues governed by configuration management include:

Answer 12

-Controlling project documentation to avoid version control issues
- Assigning ownership and responsibility for project documentation
- Putting in place authorisation procedures to make changes to project documentation
- Tracking changes to project documentation
- Actively monitoring project records held to ensure that only required/authorised documents are retained
-Maintaining control over assessing project records

Question 13

Project performance can be assessed using measures covering:

Answer 13

• Scope
  -Functional quality
  -Technical quality
  -Client and satisfaction

Question 14

What is Project Quality Plan (PQP)?

Answer 14

Project quality can be measured using a Project Quality Plan (PQP) which outlines required quality standards that project is expected to achieve. PQP sets out procedures that need to be followed if quality standards are to be met.

Question 15

A PQP may include which areas against which matters relating to quality can be considered:

Answer 15

• Risk assessment
• Project overview
• Project requirements
• Project organisation
• Monitoring and reporting procedures
• Key development stages and processes
• Quality assurance standards
• Testing strategy
• Procurement policy
• Configuration management

Question 16

What is Conformance management?

Answer 16

are concerned with inspection, quality control, quality assurance. Aim to ensure that project adheres to quality levels set out at the beginning of the project performance against quality standards, with any deviations investigated and corrective measures implemented.

Question 17

What does the Completion phase address:

Answer 17

• Project has been fully delivered and signed-off as complete
• All accounts with suppliers and other stakeholders have been settled
• Responsibility for ongoing operation and maintenance is handed over to the relevant operational manager.
  -Final report is produced which summarises actual performance against planned.
• Post-completion audit.

Question 18

What are the new definitions developed that relate to the stages of project life cycle model?

Answer 18

1.) Project life cycle (Gido and Clements)
2.) Maylor’s 4 D’s
3.) Project Management Institute process (PMI)
(LEES MEER IN DIEPTE DAAROOR)

Question 19

PRINCE2 (Project IN Controlled Environments version 2) - scaled to manage any project of any size/complexity. Maintains control by prescribing the following series of processes to be followed:

Answer 19

1.) Initiating a project - set out criteria against project will be judged
2.) Starting up a project- appointment of project manager and team
3.) Planning a project - sequencing activities using project manager and team
4.) Managing product delivery - co-ordinating different aspects of the project
5.) Managing boundaries -
6.) Controlling each stage of project
7.) Closing a project
8.) Directing project - carried out my senior management throughout project

Question 20

According to PRINCE2 what are the 7 key themes to consider if a project is to succeed?

Answer 20

1.) Business case - reasoned account of what is to be achieved and why it will be of benefit.
2.) Organisation - very clear management structure which defines roles and responsibilities
3.) Plans - breakdown of plans by product. PRINCE2 is unusual in that it prioritises outputs over processes.
4.) Risk - identifying likelihood and impact of factors that may undermine the project.
5.) Progress against targets
6.) Quality - ensure that any outputs meet defined scope
7.) Issues and changes -

Question 21

Six Sigma - what are the five key steps?

Answer 21

1.) Define customer requirements, clarify problem and set goals
2.) Measure what needs to be measured, identify info sources and gather data.
3.) Analyse the data, develop hypotheses and identify key variables.
4.) Improve the situation by generating solutions and putting them into action.
5.) Control operations by developing appropriate monitoring processes.