Managing Projects

Question 1

L1. The role of a project manager

Answer 1

The project manager is responsible for day-to-day management of the project and must be competent in managing the six aspects of a project, i.e. scope, schedule, finance, risk, quality and resources

Question 2

L1. Project procedures such as PIDs, PEPs and PMPs

Answer 2

• Project Initiation Document - Foundation for business project in Prince 2 - Goals, objectives, business case, control.
• Project Execution Plan - General doc - who what where why when.
• Project Management plan - how the project will be executed, monitored and controlled and how the scope will be managed

Question 3

L1. How and why tasks are carried out at a particular stage and when it’s appropriate to deviate from the norm

Answer 3

• Breaking the project into a number of stages enables the extent of senior management control to be varied.
• Allows planning to be completed up to each stage, instead of too far in advance.
• Ok to deviate when agreed as a change process

Question 4

L1. The principles of contractual, legislative and statutory requirements of projects (including town planning legislation and building regulations), document control, the requirements and information management systems, administrative processes, and
management reporting requirements associated with a project

Answer 4

1

Question 5

L1. The client’s requirements and the development/project brief including the business case drivers for the development

Answer 5

1

Question 6

L1. The techniques for the effective control of time and cost during the life-cycle of a project including the reasons for any design, cost and programme variations

Answer 6

1

Question 7

L1. Project risks and contingency planning

Answer 7

• Risk - uncertain event that, should it occur, have an effect on the achievement of objectives.
• Risk management - systematic procedures to identify, assess and control risk.

Question 8

L1. The management of change.

Answer 8

• Change: anything that transforms or impacts projects, tasks, processes, structures, or even job functions
• Change control - All issues and changes which may affect the projects agreed baselines are identified, assessed and either approved, rejected or deferred.

Question 9

L2. Preparing a project execution plan and/or other similar management tools

Answer 9

• Prepared a PEP for work hubs

- Project definition, summary, strategic brief, programme, cost plan, roles and responsibilities etc

Question 10

L2. Implementing a development appraisal or feasibility study for a project

Answer 10

• Work hubs development appraisal. Areas identified as needing hubs and looked at libraries in the area. Visited 2 potential sites and evaluated suitability.
• Feasibility study - Torquay premises - basic cost estimates, using BCIS to estimate the cost of refurbishment works per square meter, and the lifecycle income and expenditure of the building

Question 11

L2. Managing document control, information management systems and management reporting systems

Answer 11

• Setting up document sharing areas in our Sharepoint files, updating with all up to date documents and archiving older docs.
• Circulating to internal and external stakeholders any changed documents.
• Project report issued to Executive Board (who are our project board) monthly

Question 12

L2. Using value management/value engineering techniques to advise on and improve the viability of the development

Answer 12

Bideford - I presented a case to bring in the interior designers for spatial planning before the M&E specification stage. This has meant we can locate radiators, lighting, and data and electrical sockets etc to suit the layout, rather than the other way around. Switching this has prevented future changes to the design specification post tender and therefore potential increases in cost

Question 13

L2. Carrying out a life-cycle/whole life costing exercise including analysing reasons for, and implementation of, any design, cost and programme variations

Answer 13

1

Question 14

L2. Reporting on project processes and procedures, performance and lessons learnt

Answer 14

• Post project evaluation to project board.
• End project report:
  
  • PMs summary of project performance
  • assessment of results against business case
  • review of project’s products
• Lesson’s learned report:
  
  • What went well, what went badly, recommendations

Question 15

L2. Analysing the actual performance of the project and the team and identifying potential improvements

Answer 15

1

Question 16

L1. project team structures

Answer 16

• Project sponsor - High level, driver and in-house champion
• Project manager - manages day to day
• Project team - individual deliverables
• Business Analyst/ resource manager - Ensuring resource is available.
• Project management office - group of people who help build and maintain a set of standards and best practices for internal Project Management

Question 17

L1. What are the 5 phases of a project lifecycle?

Answer 17

• Phase 1 – project definition – is completed by the production of the agreed project brief.
• Phase 2 – planning – is completed as a project plan, although this remains flexible in many ways and is revised during the progress of the project.
• Phase 3 – implementation – leads to an achievement of the project outcomes and to
• Phase 4 – closure – and
• Phase 5 – evaluation

Question 18

L1. What is NRM3?

Answer 18

Order of cost estimating and cost planning for building maintenance work

Question 19

L1. What is the purpose of a Business case?

Answer 19

To establish mechanisms to judge whether the project is (and remains desirable), viable and achievable as a means to support decision making.