Project kick off and planning

Question 1

What is project authorisation?

Answer 1

Formal written instruction authorising contractor/project organiser to proceed with agreed upon terms

Question 2

What goes on in the initial registration and numbering?

Answer 2

• IDing items such as equipment, cost codes, time sheets, and other important project documents
• dates, customers etc

Question 3

What is the importance of initial registration and numbering?

Answer 3

Allows projects to be traced long after the project has been completed

Question 4

What is a responsibility matrix? What does it contain?

Answer 4

• Matrix that lets people know what is expected of them

- Job title, responsibilities (primary and secondary etc)

Question 5

What happens in the kick off meeting?

Answer 5

Project manager will outline:

• main features and objectives of project
• who and what teams/departments will work on what
• Identify key people

Question 6

What should happen after the kick off meeting?

Answer 6

Everyone should leave meeting with clear picture of projects objectives and what role they are expected to play. They should also hopefully leave motivated to do work

Question 7

What should happen in the initial planning?

Answer 7

• Project timeframe with reference to critical path network of bar chart
• Summary giving commencement dates for project
• Checklists and plan for preliminary activities

Question 8

What is in the project resource schedule?

Answer 8

1. Define the project
2. Divide the project into tasks
3. Establish working sequence
4. Estimate duration of each task
5. Calculate timing and priority of each task
6. Reconcile tasks needs with resources
7. Assign tasks to staff

Question 9

What are some ways of managing progress?

Answer 9

• Feedback closed loop control system
• Two way communication between project management and department managers
• Line managers annotating and returning copies of work to lists
• Direct input to computer/server by managers
• manager walk arounds

Question 10

What items should go in the progress report?

Answer 10

Actual starting date
Estimated % completed or estimated % left
Has task been completed?
Finish date?
Complications/remarks/questions?

Question 11

What actions can a project manager take if the project is going bad?

Answer 11

• Must first consider effect on current project, projects/work queuing up and the customer.
• Take corrective measures such as working overtime, subcontractors for extra resources, re-examine network logic, last resort is to get a taskforce

Question 12

How often should you have a progress meeting?

Answer 12

Frequency depends on scale of project. You don’t want it to be too frequent as to waste employees time and not too far apart where issues can arise or items be ignored

Question 13

What should happen after progress meeting?

Answer 13

Minutes should be issues.

Question 14

What should be on minutes?

Answer 14

Show what outcomes were agreed upon in the meeting and who is responsible for them

Question 15

What is an exceptions report?

Answer 15

Internal management report which gives concerns and demands immediate attention.
Examples include cost report, material shortages, jobs running late etc

Question 16

What must a project manager ensure before submitting an exceptions report?

Answer 16

Must make certain that there is no remedy within their control to fix the problem

Question 17

What is a report to client/customer?

Answer 17

Submission of formal progress report that is often a condition of the contract.

Question 18

Why is a formal progress report important?

Answer 18

Keeps customer up to date with progress, simplifies data and improves clarity.