Project Management

The School of the Built Environment is keen to take advantage of new technologies to widen student access and enhance the quality of academic provision, particularly so far their expanding postgraduate portfolio. The Project Management (Level M) module was firsst run in 1994 for part-time students on the MSc Construction Law and Arbitration course and since then has become an elective module on a variety of other courses within the School and the MBA programme in Leeds Business School. More recently the module content was converted to a distance learning format for the newly launched MSc in Facilities Management. The learning material was predominantly paper-based, although several video and audio recordings has been made from past speakes at the School's Early Evening Guest Lecture Series. Furthermore, the learning material made use of some small software applications, i.e. Computer-aided Project Management screen movies and spreadsheet applications. Interest in the development of a project management in-company CD-ROM from an international project management consultancy (PMCE) and increading demand within the University has prompted the development of that CD-ROM, which will be for sole use by PMCE and only. You will be expected to fully utilise in-house resources, available from the internet. You are assume that you have been appointed Project Manager by the University with complete responsibility for the project from inception to completion. You are required to prepare a report for the Head of School which should: - Identify a network and accompanying bar chart for the redevelopment. This will require you to: list the activities, estimate the durations, schedule them in a real time-frame, so that the programme complies with the client's requirements. - Identify the risks associated with the project and describe measures that should be taken to mitigate their effects. ## Deliverables 1) Guidance Correct application of network analysis techniques is important and must comply with the parameters set. You are expected to impose both pure logic and preferential logic to make the plan workable. Importantly, the network should be easy to understand and follow-this is a question of clarity in presentation and appropriate annotation. You may include explanatory notes to assist in the breakdown of activities but a "justification" for the project is not required. 2) Project duration should be appropriate/ realistic but there is obviously a margin for judgement. Excessive duration or deliberately manipulated WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. How long the Nwrtork should be, de[ends upon the solution put forward, but it should be contained on an A3 sheet of paper. 3) You will need to cover the above: - Breakdown of activities (suitability of packages in terms of size and criticality; activities in accordance with suggested life cycle; recognition of approvals and consultations; durations of activities) - Network (logic, sequence and compliance wih parameters; clarity of network) - Gantt chart (clarity and annotation; accuracy relative to network; relationship between Gantt chart and network) - Operational plan (clarity, structure and presentation of the report; risk identification - including PIA; mitigation plan) 4) Complete ownership and distribution copyrights to all work purchased. ## Platform Computer-aided project management software may be used, or the Microsoft Project. Assuming that the start date for the project is Wednesday the 9th of October 2002. Resources/ references are not required. ## Deadline information To brakedown a project and devise a logical sequence of activities. To apply the critical path method in a realistic context. To develop an operational plan for the mitigation of project risk.