SIM335 Managing Projects

Faculty of Business and Law

Level: 3                                                               Module: SIM335 Managing Projects

Assignment Code: SIM335                               Module Leader:

This is an individual assignment - complete both tasks 1 and 2

Background: The assignment intends to bring out the benefits and limitations of different approaches to project planning and control by relating these to the circumstances in the case outlined. It also offers students the opportunity to demonstrate their learning and competence in respect of the management of resources generally, but in particular elements of scope, schedule, quality, and cost.

Task 1 (40% marks) 700 words (+/- 10%) each short answer question requires a response in a few sentences for the questions awarded up to 4 or 6 marks and a paragraph is required for questions awarded for 8 or 10 marks.

1)   Projects are normally categorised into different types. Define the type of project identified in Task 2 and give the reasons for your choice? (8 marks).

2)   What is ‘Scope Management’ what would you include in your managing scope statement for the case study in Task 2. What tool could you use to show the sub-division of the scope of work? (6 marks).

3)   What difference would it make if you plot out a full project Gantt chart and identify the critical path? (6 marks).

4)  How would you decide if the project in the case study in Task 2 had been successful? (4 marks).

5)  Throughout a project events may happen that necessitate minor or major changes to the project plan. How would you manage any changes in order to control the project in the case study in Task 2? (6 marks).

6) What methods (project evaluation, monitoring and control) would you introduce to ensure the project in Task 2 is completed successfully on-time and within budget? (10 marks)

Task 2: (60% marks) (2,300 words +/- 10%).

Case Study:

JKB Bloggins Ltd is a company specialising in the design and manufacture of industrial Textiles for the automotive industry. The organisations they supply are major suppliers into various global car manufacturing plants. The company has been particularly successful since it started trading in the UK in 1980. Now, because of global competition, JKB Bloggins Ltd are looking to increase their competitiveness in the automotive industry market and as part of a strategy of expansion, introduce new technology and machinery into a new manufacturing site within the UK. JKB Bloggins Ltd has employed you as Project Manager to manage this one-off special project. The Project budget is £12 million pounds which includes the purchase and building of a manufacturing site, located directly off the North- East coast of England and open to all weather conditions. The new technology and machinery has to be transferred from Asia which will require training of staff and purchase of machines in Asia.

The team members are to be recruited from existing JKB Bloggins Ltd staff with some team members recruited externally. These members are required to train in Asia for potentially 12 months to gain knowledge, experience and assist the implementation of the new technology. This new technology project must be completed for March 2018 with production supplying new customer orders at this point in time.

As Project Manager responsible for the transfer and start-up of the new technology, you are required to prepare a report (2,300 words +/- 10%). From a project management perspective outline the activities required to successfully manage this new initiative, ensuring that it is on-time, and within budget.

The analysis should include the skills and competencies required by the Project Manager, along with the project management process. Use examples of the concerns, Project Life Cycle stages, processes, leadership, and administration and control problems associated with managing the lifecycle of this major project.

The answers to both tasks are independent and should be addressed separately.

Task 1 answers to six questions – (700 words +/- 10%) – are to be completed as an individual task.

Task 2 a report that is produced for task two (2300 words +/- 10%) – is also to be completed as an individual task.

For your convenience, both tasks should be submitted as one document, which contains both individual tasks.

The criteria for assessing the task two report will be as follows:

Report presentation (20%) (12 marks)

The extent to which the assignment represents an effective report; this will be judged on:

Appearance: Is a word count included at the end of the report? Is it within the specified amount? Is the text double spaced?

Structure: Does the report follow the conventions of the format? Does it have a clear introduction, explaining how it answers the questions? Do the sections of the report