BUS 353 SUSS Statistics Project Management Sincere Care Services Paper

BUS353
End-of-Course Assessment – January Semester 2023
Project Management
INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS:
1. This End-of-Course Assessment paper comprises 16 pages (including the cover
page).
2. You are to include the following particulars in your submission: Course Code,
Title of the ECA, SUSS PI No., Your Name, and Submission Date.
3. Late submission will be subjected to the marks deduction scheme. Please refer
to the Student Handbook for details.
IMPORTANT NOTE
ECA Submission Deadline: Monday, 06 March 2023 12:00 pm
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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ECA Submission Guidelines
Please follow the submission instructions stated below:
A – What Must Be Submitted
You are required to submit the following THREE (3) items for marking and grading:

A Report (you should submit this item first as it carries the highest weightage).

A Video Presentation: Refer to Canvas L/LG course site’s announcement on “ECA
Video Submission Technical Know How”, which will be posted three weeks before
the ECA cut-off date.

The set of PowerPoint slides, converted to PDF, upon which the video presentation
is based.
Please verify your submissions after you have submitted the above THREE (3) items.
B – Submission Deadline

The THREE (3) items of Report, Video and Presentation Summary are to be
submitted by 12 noon on the submission deadline.

You are allowed multiple submissions till the cut-off date for each of the THREE
(3) items.

Late submission of any of the THREE (3) items will be subjected to mark-deduction
scheme by the University. Please refer to Section 5.2 Para 2.4 of the Student
Handbook.
C – How the (3) Items Should Be Submitted

The Report: submit online to Canvas via TurnItIn (for plagiarism detection)

The Video: submit online to Canvas (refer to Canvas L/LG course site’s
announcement on “ECA Video Submission Technical Know How”, which will be
posted three weeks before the ECA cut-off date.)

The Presentation Summary:
o Submit online to Canvas via TurnItIn (PPT must be converted to PDF and
submission is in PDF only)
o The PPT must contain at least 20 words

Avoid using a public WiFi connection for submitting large video files. If you are
using public wireless (WiFi) connection (e.g. SG Wireless at public areas), you
might encounter a break in the connection when sending large files.
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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D – Additional guidelines on file formatting are given as follows:
1. Report
2. Video

Please ensure that your Microsoft Word document is generated
by Microsoft Word 2016 or higher.

The report must be saved in .docx format.

Showing your PowerPoint projection in the background is NOT
required.

Time Duration: a minimum of 3 minutes and a maximum of 6
minutes
There are two methods for ECA video assignment submission; either
Record Media or Upload Media.
For Record Media
Video can be recorded via Canvas through desktop/laptop with builtin webcam and microphone or through Canvas mobile app. Live
recording duration must be less than 10 minutes. No file size limit for
live recording.
For Upload Media
Video can be recorded using other recording devices and uploaded
as a media file. Do ensure that your video file conforms to these
requirements:
a) File Format: .mp4
b) File Size: No more than 500MB
Note: Refer to Canvas L/LG course site’s announcement on “ECA
Video Submission Technical Know How”, which will be posted three
weeks before the ECA cut-off date..
3. Presentation
Summary

Your PowerPoint presentation must contain at least 20 words.

Please ensure that your PowerPoint presentation is converted to
PDF format before you submit.

The maximum number of slides is fifteen (15).

Please do NOT download and use PowerPoint slide design
templates from the Internet.
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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E – Please be Aware of the Following:
Submission in hardcopy or any other means not given in the above guidelines will not
be accepted. You do not need to submit any other forms or cover sheets (e.g. form ET3)
with your ECA.
You are reminded that electronic transmission is not immediate. The network traffic
may be particularly heavy on the date of submission deadline and connections to the
system cannot be guaranteed. Hence, you are advised to submit your work early.
Canvas will allow you to submit your work late but your work will be subjected to the
mark-deduction scheme. You should therefore not jeopardise your course result by
submitting your ECA at the last minute.
It is your responsibility to check and ensure that your files are successfully submitted
to Canvas.
F – Plagiarism and Collusion
Plagiarism and collusion are forms of cheating and are not acceptable in any form in
a student’s work, including this ECA. Plagiarism and collusion are taking work done
by others or work done together with others respectively and passing it off as your own.
You can avoid plagiarism by giving appropriate references when you use other people’s
ideas, words or pictures (including diagrams). Refer to the APA Manual if you need
reminding about quoting and referencing. You can avoid collusion by ensuring that
your submission is based on your own individual effort.
The electronic submission of your ECA will be screened by plagiarism detection
software. For more information about plagiarism and collusion, you should refer to the
Student Handbook (Section 5.2.1.3). You are reminded that SUSS takes a tough stance
against plagiarism or collusion. Serious cases will normally result in the student being
referred to SUSS’s Student Disciplinary Group. For other cases, significant mark
penalties or expulsion from the course will be imposed.
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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Important Note: Grading of TMA/GBA/ECA Submissions
Marks awarded to your assignment are based on the following guidelines:
1. 80% of the marks are allocated to the content of your answers:
 The marks awarded to what your answers cover depend on the extent to which they
cover the key points that correctly and comprehensively address each question.
 The key points should be supported by evidence drawn from course materials and,
wherever relevant, from other credible sources.
2. 20% of the marks are allocated to the presentation of your answers:
Wherever applicable, the marks awarded to how your answers are presented depend on the
extent to which your answers:
 form a sound reasoning by developing those key points in a clear, logical and succinct
manner;
 provide proper and adequate in-text citations and referencing to content drawn from
course materials and other credible sources;
 strictly follow APA formatting and style guidelines[1], in particular for:
 in-text citations and end-of-report references;
 the identification of figures and tables;
 use, wherever relevant, the specialised vocabulary and terminology commonly used
in discussions about the topic(s) covered by each question;
 provide a reference or bibliography at the end of the main report;
 include the less relevant details in an Appendix;
 use sentence constructions that are grammatically and syntactically correct;
 are free from spelling mistakes; present the workings, numerical formulations and
results in a logical manner that follows the APA formatting and style guidelines;
 design and present graphs, diagrams and plots that follow the APA formatting and
style guidelines;
 are highly original;
 have proper formatting, which may:
 include a properly formatted cover page;
 respect the answer length/word count set out in the assignment guidelines,
if any is prescribed;
 present answers in paragraphs with proper spacing and page margins;
 include page numbers and appendices, if necessary.
[1] You can find a short tutorial on the APA formatting and style guidelines here:
https://apastyle.apa.org/index.
Additional details (pertaining to tables and figures) can be found here: https://is.gd/O4vDdT .
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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Video Presentation Evaluation Criteria
Note: Students will be assessed on the quality of the presentation and not the quality of
the video recording. However, the recording is expected to have video and audio
clarity. Showing your PowerPoint projection in the background is NOT required.
/8
Organisation of Presentation
•
Logical flow of presentation
/5
Posture & Body Language
•
Posture: Standing, straight back etc…
•
Body language:
– Hand gestures supporting oral arguments, etc…
/5
Eye-Contact
•
Looking at the video camera
•
No reading of slides or notes or cue cards
/7
Pace & Articulation
•
Pace: Speaks neither too fast nor too slow
•
Articulation: Oral expression is clear and confident in the presentation.
/25
TOTAL
Presentation Summary Evaluation Criteria
/3
Format and Style of Slides
•
Layout, clarity of text elements, colour blends, graphical enhancements
Clarity and Coherence
•
Proper flow – title page, introduction, body, results,
recommendations / discussion points, conclusion/summary; quick
to understand, free from grammatical errors
Creativity
•
/4
/3
Ability to use creative elements to value-add to the presentation
so as to enhance understanding and clarity of difficult concepts
TOTAL
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
/10
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(Full marks: 100)
Section A (65 marks)
Answer all questions in this section.
The Objective of this ECA
To provide an opportunity for students to apply the knowledge learnt in the course and
to develop/sharpen the necessary technical skills and knowledge on project
management.
Please note that:
i. The details and names in the ECA case are fictional. Any resemblance to reallife situation is purely coincidental.
ii. As information is given throughout the case and the questions may be
interrelated, you are advised to read the entire ECA document before working
on the report. In some situations, you need to make inferences from the
information.
iii. Students who simply reproduce the course materials without relating to the ECA
case will be given low or no mark.
iv. Students shall not include the questions in the report.
v. Students are recommended to use Microsoft Project 2019 to prepare the project
planning.
You are required to compose a report for Section A.
PROJECT: Implementing a Patient Location System (PLS)
Background
Sincere Care Services (SCS) was found ten years ago by Dr Danny Tan. SCS’s mission
is to provide total healthcare to patients through a wide range of medical expertise and
advanced technology. Currently, it operates a hospital in the city and a chain of
specialist clinics across the country.
One of the problems faced by SCS is occasionally some patients may wander off their
wards, which pose safety issues. Furthermore, patient authentication at operating rooms
should be more foolproof to prevent wrong treatments. Hence, SCS management
envisages that it needs a system to locate the patients.
Radiance Mobile Technology (RMT) was found by its CEO Mr. Lum Kok Chuan five
years ago. It specialises in implementing mobile solutions for corporate clients to
improve their businesses. Due to RMT’s good services and deep technical knowledge,
it has many projects in the pipeline. Although business is good, finance is tight due to
heavy investments in R&D.
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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Through the Trade Ministry’s technology adviser, SCS came into contact with RMT to
explore the development and implementation of a Patient Location System using Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.
Section 1: Defining the Project
Question 1
(a)
Define a plausible project arrangement between SCS and RMT.
After confirming the project arrangement, a contract was signed between the parties.
RMT will develop the Patient Location System (PLS) for SCS. The management calls
it the PLS Project.
Relate four (4) approaches of Principled Negotiation, each to a situation that SCS can
adopt when negotiating with RMT on a unique item or issue about the PLS Project.
You must answer in the format below:
SCS shall apply the approach: ___________ in negotiating ___________ (item or
issue) with RMT. Details: ___________ (describe the situation, the reason of adopting
and how SCS can apply the approach).
You shall limit your essay for Question 1(a) to maximum 450 words and indicate the
word count at the end of the answer.
(22 marks)
(b)
RMT CEO gathered the following staff to form the PLS Project team:
1. Yourself, a RMT’s Sales Account Manager, is appointed as the PLS Project
Manager. You are responsible for coordinating the project, administration
support and dealing with external organisations.
2. Mr. Wazir, a RMT’s Wireless Technology Specialist. He is in charge of
designing the wireless system and developing the application software. He
will adopt new RFID technology. As a first-time-usage, the project needs to
be certified by Infocom and Media Development Authority (IMDA).
3. Ms. Nadya, a RMT System Engineer. She is in charge of the computer and
network equipment installation. She will also oversee the cabling
contractor’s work.
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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Before the project starts, the CEO briefed you on the management’s expectations:
•
Finance is tight. An initial budget has to be worked out. It will be good to achieve
a Cost Performance Index (CPI) of at least 1.0. Any subsequent increments have to be
justified by the project team. He will approve the change if it is reasonable.
•
SCS has requested the project to be started on 1 April 2023 and completed by 21
June 2023, so that it will have sufficient time to prepare for launch the system on the
SCS 10th Anniversary Celebration in July 2023.
•
PLS must comply to all IMDA’s wireless technology directives and fulfil the
features stated by SCS in the contract.
Based on the CEO’s direction and considering RMT’s business situation, you are to
appraise the priorities of the project and construct a project priority matrix.
Note: Each criterion can be assigned to only one unique priority.
(9 marks)
Section 2: Developing a Project Plan
You conducted a pre-project discussion with your members. The team worked out the
project activities and details as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Activities List for Patient Location System (PLS) Project
Activity Task Name
Duration Predecessors
Resource Names
No.
1
Patient Location System
(PLS) Project
2
Initial project meeting
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Study
user’s
requirements
Design
wireless
network
Issue all purchase
orders
Deliver
computer
equipment
Deliver RFID tags
Develop application
software
Site preparation
Lay network cables
Install
computer
equipment
PM (See *Note
below),Wazir,Nadya
1 day
5 days
2
Wazir
4 days
3
Wazir
2 days
3
PM
12 days
5
Equipment[1]
12 days
5
RFIDTag[1]
14 days
3
Wazir
4 days
6 days
4
9
Nadya
Nadya,Contractor[1]
12 days
6,10
Nadya
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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Activity
No.
Task Name
Duration
Predecessors
Resource Names
12
Encode RFID tags
Install application
software
Test PLS Overall
System
Certification by IMDA
Train SCS staff
Hand over PLS System
to SCS
5 days
7,8
Nadya
11 days
11,12
Wazir
5 days
13
Wazir
3 days
4 days
14
14
PM
Wazir
1 day
15,16
PM
13
14
15
16
17
*Note: You must use your surname instead of “PM” in the MS Project Resource
Column and Resource Sheet.
To prepare an initial costing for budget approval, you gather the following unit costings:
Table 2: Standard Rate for Work Type Resources
Max
Resource Name
Standard Rate
PM (See *Note
100%
$120/hr
above)
100%
Wazir
$150/hr
100%
Nadya
$100/hr
Table 3: Standard Rate for Material Type Resource
Resource Name
Standard Rate for Material Cost
Equipment
$20,000
RFID Tag
$6,000
Contractor
$15,000
Notes on the costs:
1. All costs stated are in Singapore Dollars. The Equipment cost was derived from
supplier’s quotation in US Dollars and converted to Singapore Dollars using the
exchange rate on 1 January 2023.
2. The standard rates for project members in Table 2 are for 8 office-hours on
normal weekdays. The members will not work beyond 8 hours per day; hence,
you can leave the overtime rates at $0/hr. They prefer not to work on weekend
unless necessary. If they do so, the weekend hours and rates are the same as
those on weekdays.
3. All project members’ costs involved in this project shall be treated as variable
costs. The total cost will be calculated automatically by MS Project based on
the rates in Table 2 and the durations of the activities.
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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4. Each material item in Table 3 is quoted in 1 lot. E.g., “Contractor” cost is a
lump sum charged by the contractor inclusive of its labour and materials.
Notes on using MS Project for Q2 & Q3:
1. The project schedule is based on a 5-day work week. Each day has 8 working hours
(8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.). No work will be performed on Public Holiday
and beyond office hours on weekdays. The members will not work on Saturday and
Sunday unless stated otherwise or when you deem necessary.
Do not change any durations, predecessor relationships or the resources assignments
until needed.
2. You are required to find the official Public Holidays during the project
implementation period from the Ministry of Manpower’s website. If a Public Holiday
falls on Sunday, the following Monday will be a Public Holiday in lieu. If that Monday
is another Public Holiday, the Tuesday will be the Public Holiday in lieu. There will be
no holiday-in-lieu for Public Holiday that falls on Saturday.
To mark in MS Project all Public Holidays and Holiday-in-lieu as Non-Working Days:
Click Project-> Change Working Time. Then enter the nature of the holiday and the
date. Click Details ->Click Nonworking.
3. To enter the name, resource type and cost of each resource item in Tables 2 & 3 into
the Resource Sheet:
Click View->Gantt Chart (Leftmost icon)->More View->Resource Sheet
4. If only a member needs to work on a Saturday or Sunday for a particular activity,
you must change his/her personal calendar so as not to affect parallel activities done by
other members.
Click View -> Resource Sheet. Right click on the resource to change.
Click Information -> Click “Change Working Time”. Enter a description in Name, the
chosen date, then click Detail-> Working-> Set the working time (or choose default
time). You may have to do one day per entry.
5. Click View-Gantt Chart, then View->Table->Entry to enter the Task Name,
Duration, Predecessors in the Gantt Chart Entry Table View. You may use the
dropdown list in the Resource cell to assign the resources. Do not change the order of
the activities (you are not required to rearrange the list into a Work Breakdown
Structure).
Set Activity 1 as the higher-level activity by highlighting all activities below and right
indent them to second level.
Then Click Project -> Project Information -> Set Start Date as dictated by the CEO.
Right click on the Activity 1 to access its Information; Under Advanced Tab, set
Deadline as the date dictated by the CEO.
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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6. To see all resource conflicts, select all task, right click to choose Auto Schedule, then
Resource Tab ->Clear Leveling. Observe any resource conflicts.
7. Diagrams, charts, tables, graphs and relevant project outputs may be shown as
images. These must be appropriately formatted and presented so that they can be
viewed comfortably.
Question 2
(a)
Construct a Gantt Chart (after Clear Leveling) with columns on Information (i),
Task Mode, Task Name, Duration, Start Date, Finish Date, Predecessor and
Resource Name shown in a single diagram. Hence, state the project completion
date and explain any resource conflicts.
(5 marks)
Due to the specialised skills of the team members in this intensive project, resource
conflicts cannot be solved by splitting the task, member multitasking, transferring the
task to other members nor add in more people. The members will not be working
beyond 8 hours per day.
(b)
You shall try to solve the conflicts within the project deadline. You may set up
the approach below by using the MS Project function.
Method to resolve conflicts within Deadline:
Right click on the task with conflict that has the smallest Task (i.e., Activity) ID. Select
“Reschedule to Available Date”.
i. If an error message informs you that the conflict cannot be resolved, click
“Stop”. Skip item (ii) below.
ii. If the conflict is resolved, check the Project Finish Date. If it exceeds the
Deadline, press “Control Z” to undo this levelling.
Proceed to the next task with conflict. Repeat the above operation one at a time until all
tasks with conflicts that could be resolved are done. There is no need to use an
additional method now to resolve the conflicts.
You must explain what has changed at this stage and state the eventual project finish
date.
(4 marks)
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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(c)
You try to push the finish date further to resolve all the resource conflicts
without adding demands on the resources. Do the following:
First, select all tasks, right click to choose Auto Schedule, then Resource Tab -> Clear
Levelling.
Then do Auto leveling by clicking Resource-> Leveling Option -> Tick the buttons
“Automatic” and “Level Entire Project”. Uncheck all the boxes below. Then click
Level All.
Assess the changes due to this resource leveling operation. Identify the finish date and
comment on the impact.
(5 marks)
(d) You are aware of the need to hand over the system by the deadline. You have to
exercise your Project Manager authority. Explain the items you choose to change and
how you execute them in MS Project so that the deadline can be met.
(4 marks)
Update the MS Project with all necessary changes. The CEO approves the schedule and
the cost.
Set the Status Date (Project -> Status Date) as fourth working day and save this as a
Baseline Plan (Project -> Set Baseline -> check Entire project) which will be used to
evaluate the project performance at later stages.
Section 3: Monitoring a Project Progress and Closing Project
Two incidents occurred during the project implementation period:
1. After Wazir had completed the user requirements study, he provided
information to all members. He proceeded to design the wireless network. He
found another RFID technology had better performance which he adopted
without informing the team. In Activity 11, Nadya was shocked that the new
RFID design required a different software driver. You need to add a material
named “RFID driver” with a cost of $3,000 to Activity 11. Nadya was unhappy,
but she worked very hard to reinstall the computer equipment within the same
schedule.
2. SCS’s CEO made an impromptu visit to the project team after the application
software had been installed. He disliked the user interface shown. He demanded
RMT to make some changes which would need additional three days’ work in
Activity 13. At the brink of burnout, Wazir did not want to work overtime nor
on weekends. To resolve the issue, SCS agreed to extend the PLS Project
duration by three working days.(Note that this special allowance is not
applicable to situation in Question 2).
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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You shall implement all the changes in the two incidences and modify the deadline
accordingly.
The project progressed on till completion. The system was handed over to SCS.
Set the Status Date to 3 working days after the project completion. Update the project
(Project -> Update Project -> Entire Project).
Question 3
(a)
Assemble in a single diagram the Tracking Gantt Chart view of MS Project with
Information (i), Task Mode, Task Name, Duration, Start Date, Finish Date and
Resource columns shown. State the project completion date.
(5 marks)
(b)
Present a MS Project Cost Report or Table with Cost Performance Index (CPI).
State the values for Budgeted Cost At Completion (BAC) and Estimated Cost
At Completion (EAC). Formulate Cost Performance Index and compute the
final CPI manually.
(5 marks)
(c)
Two incidents happened during the project implementation period were
described. For each incident discuss one (1) practice the project team should
have adopted to prevent the situation from occurring or to minimise its impact.
(6 marks)
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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Section B (25 marks)
Answer the question in this section.
Question 4
The RMT CEO has scheduled a meeting one week after the project completion for you,
the Project Manager for Patient Location System (PLS) Project, to illustrate to the RMT
Management the following items from Questions 1(b) to Question 3 in Section A:
1. What are the priorities of the project?
2. What are the initial resource conflicts?
3. Are there changes in schedule and what are the contributing events?
4. Is there a cost overrun and what are the contributors for the cost overruns if any?
5. What are the recommendations for future projects?
Prepare a video recording of the presentation of at least 3 minutes but not exceeding 6
minutes. There are two methods for ECA video assignment submission; either Record
Media or Upload Media. For Upload Media, please note that your file size should be
no more than 500MB and the format is in .mp4.
(25 marks)
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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Section C (10 marks)
Answer the question in this section.
Question 5
Prepare a set of PowerPoint presentation slides upon which the video presentation is
based. Please note that the PowerPoint must be converted to PDF before submission to
Canvas.
(10 marks)
—– END OF ECA PAPER —–
BUS353 Copyright © 2023 Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ECA – January Semester 2023
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Course Development Team
Head of Programme
: Assoc Prof Huong Ha
Course Developer(s)
: Dr Clarence Ng
Technical Writer
: Lynn Lim, ETP
Video Production
: Mohd Jufrie Bin Ramli, ETP
© 2022 Singapore University of Social Sciences. All rights reserved.
No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
permission in writing from the Educational Technology & Production, Singapore
University of Social Sciences.
ISBN 978-981-3152-69-4
Educational Technology & Production
Singapore University of Social Sciences
463 Clementi Road
Singapore 599494
How to cite this Study Guide (APA):
Ng, C. (2022). BUS353 Project management. Singapore: Singapore University of Social
Sciences.
Release V2.12
Build S1.0.5, T1.5.21
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Course Guide
1. Welcome…………………………………………………………………………………………………… CG-2
2. Course Description and Aims…………………………………………………………………. CG-3
3. Learning Outcomes…………………………………………………………………………………. CG-6
4. Learning Materials…………………………………………………………………………………… CG-8
5. Assessment Overview……………………………………………………………………………… CG-9
6. Course Schedule…………………………………………………………………………………….. CG-12
7. Learning Mode………………………………………………………………………………………. CG-13
Study Unit 1: Understanding The Relationships Between
Organisation and Projects
Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU1-2
Chapter 1: Organisational Strategy and Project Selection…………………………… SU1-3
Chapter 2: Organisation: Structure, Culture and Project Management……… SU1-27
References………………………………………………………………………………………………… SU1-38
Study Unit 2: Leading The Project and Managing The Project Team
Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU2-2
Chapter 1: Leading the Project…………………………………………………………………… SU2-3
Chapter 2: Managing the Project Teams and Inter-organisational
Relations…………………………………………………………………………………………………… SU2-18
i
Table of Contents
References………………………………………………………………………………………………… SU2-45
Study Unit 3: Defining The Project Scope and Estimating Project
Times and Costs
Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU3-2
Chapter 1: Defining the Project Scope………………………………………………………… SU3-3
Chapter 2: Estimating Project Times and Costs………………………………………… SU3-22
References………………………………………………………………………………………………… SU3-37
Study Unit 4: Developing A Project Plan and Managing Project Risk
Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU4-2
Chapter 1: Developing the Project Plan……………………………………………………… SU4-4
Chapter 2: Managing Risk………………………………………………………………………… SU4-21
References………………………………………………………………………………………………… SU4-38
Study Unit 5: Scheduling Resources and Costs and Reducing
Project Duration
Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU5-2
Chapter 1: Scheduling Resources and Costs………………………………………………. SU5-3
Chapter 2: Reducing Project Duration………………………………………………………. SU5-13
References………………………………………………………………………………………………… SU5-25
ii
Table of Contents
Study Unit 6: Monitoring Project Progress and Closing a Project
Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU6-2
Chapter 1: Monitoring Project Progress……………………………………………………… SU6-3
Chapter 2: Project Closure………………………………………………………………………… SU6-18
References………………………………………………………………………………………………… SU6-32
iii
Table of Contents
iv
List of Tables
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of Project Management
Structures………………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU1-29
Table 1.2 Ten Primary Characteristics of an Organisation’s Culture……………… SU1-34
Table 2.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing Project Work……….. SU2-39
Table 3.1 An Example of a Project Priority Matrix………………………………………….. SU3-9
Table 3.2 Conditions for Preferring Top-down or Bottom-up Time and Cost
Estimates……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. SU3-27
Table 5.1 Differences between Time-constrained and Resource-constrained
Projects……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU5-7
Table 6.1 Glossary of Terms in an Earned Value Cost/Schedule System…………. SU6-8
v
List of Tables
vi
List of Figures
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Characteristics of a Project…………………………………………………………….. SU1-6
Figure 1.2 Project Life Cycle…………………………………………………………………………… SU1-7
Figure 1.3 Rolling Wave Development……………………………………………………………. SU1-9
Figure 1.4 Drivers of Project Management……………………………………………………. SU1-11
Figure 1.5 Socio-Technical Dimensions of the Project Management
Process…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… SU1-13
Figure 1.6 Strategic Management Process…………………………………………………….. SU1-16
Figure 1.7 Portfolio of Projects by Type………………………………………………………… SU1-20
Figure 1.8 Project Screening Matrix (Multi-Weighted Scoring Model)…………… SU1-23
Figure 1.9 Project Screening Process……………………………………………………………… SU1-24
Figure 1.10 Priority Screening Analysis Example………………………………………….. SU1-25
Figure 1.11 Project Management Structures………………………………………………….. SU1-28
Figure 1.12 Factors influencing the Choice of Project Management
Structure……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. SU1-31
Figure 1.13 Cultural Dimensions of an Organisation Supportive of Project
Management…………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU1-35
Figure 2.1 Network of Project’s Stakeholders…………………………………………………. SU2-6
Figure 2.2 Types of Currencies available to Project Manager as Influencing
Mechanisms…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. SU2-9
Figure 2.3 Six Aspects of Leading by Example……………………………………………… SU2-13
vii
List of Figures
Figure 2.4 Eight Traits of an Effective Project Manager…………………………………. SU2-16
Figure 2.5 The Five-Stage Team Development Model…………………………………… SU2-20
Figure 2.6 Situational Factors that Promote the Development of Highperformance Team………………………………………………………………………………………… SU2-22
Figure 2.7 Process to Create a High-performance Team………………………………… SU2-23
Figure 2.8 Common Vehicles to Develop Team Identity………………………………. SU2-27
Figure 2.9 Essential Qualities of a Shared Project’s Vision…………………………….. SU2-29
Figure 2.10 Four Steps of the Process to Facilitate Group DecisionMaking………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. SU2-32
Figure 2.11 Sources of Conflicts over the Project Life Cycle………………………….. SU2-33
Figure 2.12 Strategies to Manage Dysfunctional Conflicts…………………………….. SU2-34
Figure 2.13 Key Points of Principled Negotiation Approach…………………………. SU2-42
Figure 3.1 Project Scope Checklist………………………………………………………………….. SU3-5
Figure 3.2 An Example of Scope Statement developed using Project Scope
Checklist…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU3-6
Figure 3.3 Project Management Tradeoffs………………………………………………………. SU3-8
Figure 3.4 Hierarchical Breakdown of the WBS……………………………………………. SU3-11
Figure 3.5 An Example of WBS…………………………………………………………………….. SU3-12
Figure 3.6 An Example of an Integrated WBS & OBS…………………………………… SU3-14
Figure 3.7 PBS for Software Development Project………………………………………… SU3-15
Figure 3.8 Responsibility Matrix for a Market Research Project……………………. SU3-17
Figure 3.9 Responsibility Matrix for a Conveyor Belt Project………………………… SU3-17
viii
List of Figures
Figure 3.10 Steps to Develop a Project Communication Plan………………………… SU3-19
Figure 3.11 Shale Oil Research Project Communication Plan………………………… SU3-20
Figure 3.12 Factors Influencing the Quality of Estimates………………………………. SU3-24
Figure 3.13 Seven Estimating Guidelines for Project Managers…………………….. SU3-25
Figure 3.14 Phase Estimating over Project Life Cycle……………………………………. SU3-29
Figure 3.15 Differences between Top-down and Bottom-up Estimates………….. SU3-30
Figure 3.16 Three Views of Cost…………………………………………………………………… SU3-32
Figure 4.1 WBS to Network……………………………………………………………………………. SU4-6
Figure 4.2 Examples of Activity-on-Node Network Fundamentals………………… SU4-9
Figure 4.3 Network Information of Order Picking System……………………………. SU4-11
Figure 4.4 Forward Pass Network Computation Process………………………………. SU4-11
Figure 4.5 Backward Pass Network Computation Process……………………………. SU4-13
Figure 4.6 Forward and Backward Pass Completed with Slack
Computation…………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU4-14
Figure 4.7 An Example of Laddering Using Finish-to-Start Relationship………. SU4-17
Figure 4.8 An Example of Hammock Activity………………………………………………. SU4-19
Figure 4.9 Risk Management Challenge……………………………………………………….. SU4-23
Figure 4.10 Risk Management Process………………………………………………………….. SU4-24
Figure 4.11 Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS)………………………………………………… SU4-25
Figure 4.12 Risk Profile for Product Development Project…………………………….. SU4-26
ix
List of Figures
Figure 4.13 An Example that illustrates Defined Conditions for Impact Scales of
a Risk…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. SU4-28
Figure 4.14 Risk Severity Matrix…………………………………………………………………… SU4-29
Figure 4.15 Risk Response Matrix…………………………………………………………………. SU4-32
Figure 4.16 Change Control Process……………………………………………………………… SU4-36
Figure 5.1 Project Planning Process………………………………………………………………… SU5-4
Figure 5.2 Technical and Resource Constraint Examples………………………………… SU5-5
Figure 5.3 Splitting Activities…………………………………………………………………………. SU5-9
Figure 5.4 Options when Resources are Not Constrained…………………………….. SU5-16
Figure 5.5 Options when Resources are Constrained……………………………………. SU5-17
Figure 5.6 Project Cost-Duration Graph……………………………………………………….. SU5-18
Figure 5.7 Activity Graph……………………………………………………………………………… SU5-20
Figure 5.8 Options to Reduce Project Costs………………………………………………….. SU5-23
Figure 6.1 Baseline Gantt Chart and Tracking Gantt Chart…………………………….. SU6-6
Figure 6.2 Project Schedule Control Chart……………………………………………………… SU6-7
Figure 6.3 Project Management Information System – An Overview……………. SU6-10
Figure 6.4 Cost/Schedule Graph…………………………………………………………………… SU6-11
Figure 6.5 Types of Project Closure………………………………………………………………. SU6-20
Figure 6.6 Project Wrap-up Closure Checklist………………………………………………. SU6-21
Figure 6.7 Project Process Review Questionnaire………………………………………….. SU6-24
Figure 6.8 Organisational Culture Review Questionnaire…………………………….. SU6-25
x
List of Figures
Figure 6.9 Project Management Maturity Model…………………………………………… SU6-27
Figure 6.10 Sample Team Evaluation and Feedback Survey…………………………. SU6-29
xi
List of Figures
xii
List of Lesson Recordings
List of Lesson Recordings
Organisational Strategy and Project Selection………………………………………………… SU1-4
Organisation: Structure, Culture and Project Management…………………………… SU1-27
Leading the Project…………………………………………………………………………………………. SU2-3
Managing the Project Teams and Inter-organisational Relations…………………… SU2-19
Defining the Project………………………………………………………………………………………… SU3-4
Estimating Project Times and Costs………………………………………………………………. SU3-22
Developing the Project Plan……………………………………………………………………………. SU4-4
Managing Risk………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU4-22
Scheduling Resources and Costs…………………………………………………………………….. SU5-3
Reducing Project Duration……………………………………………………………………………. SU5-13
Monitoring Project Progress……………………………………………………………………………. SU6-3
Project Closure………………………………………………………………………………………………. SU6-18
xiii
List of Lesson Recordings
xiv
Course
Guide
Project Management
BUS353
Course Guide
1. Welcome
Presenter: Dr Jenson Goh
This streaming video requires Internet connection. Access it via Wi-Fi to
avoid incurring data charges on your personal mobile plan.
Click here to watch the video. i
Welcome to the course BUS353 Project Management, a 5 credit unit (CU) course.
This Study Guide will be your personal learning resource to take you through the course
learning journey. The guide is divided into two main sections – the Course Guide and
Study Units.
The Course Guide describes the structure for the entire course and provides you with an
overview of the Study Units. It serves as a roadmap of the different learning components
within the course. This Course Guide contains important information regarding the
course learning outcomes, learning materials and resources, assessment breakdown and
additional course information.
i

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Course Guide
2. Course Description and Aims
Project management is becoming an essential organisation’s survival response in an
ever increasing competitive business environment. As a result, it is almost impossible
to imagine that a business manager can be successful without some expertise in project
management.
The course BUS353 Project Management is designed to help students develop the skills
and knowledge necessary to manage a project effectively. It adopts a pragmatic sociotechnical view on teaching the topic project management.
On one hand, students will learn the technicality of the various tools and processes
involved in managing a project. On the other hand, students will also be exposed to the
socio-cultural dimension of a project, such as the organisational culture and interpersonal
team dynamics. We believe this course will help students become successful business
managers who are skilled in the art and science of project management.
The course is designed around the software Project Professional (Microsoft Project). Two
videos have been added at the end of SU6 of this study guide to help you acquire the skills
and knowledge on using Microsoft Project to perform project management activities. The
first video is an Introduction to Microsoft Project. The second is a demonstration video
on how to use Microsoft Project to answer the questions posted in the Red Zuma Project:
Computer Project Exercises, page 644-649 of your textbook. You are strongly encouraged
to apply the skills and knowledge learnt through these videos on the other Computer
Project Exercises listed in Appendix 2 of your textbook.
Course Structure
This course is a 5-credit unit course presented over 6 weeks.
There are six Study Units in this course. The following provides an overview of each Study
Unit.
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Course Guide
Study Unit 1 – Understanding the Relationships between Organisation and Projects
This study unit sets out to help students to:
1.
Develop a good overview of the basics of project management;
2.
Gain an appreciation of the intertwining relationships between organisation and
the management of projects.
Study Unit 2 – Leading the Project and Managing the Project Team
This study unit sets out to help students to:
1.
Understand what it takes to be an effective project manager.
2.
Appreciate the various techniques and ways to manage a project team.
3.
Appraise the outsourcing practices.
4.
Acquire the knowledge on negotiation and managing customer’s expectation.
Study Unit 3 – Defining the Project Scope and Estimating Project Times and Costs
This study unit sets out to help students to:
1.
Employ and choose the tools and processes involved to define a project scope;
2.
Analyse and evaluate the tools and processes involved in estimating project
times and costs.
Study Unit 4 – Developing a Project Plan and Managing Project Risk
This study unit sets out to help students to:
1.
Assess and compare the tools and processes involved in developing a project
network.
2.
Assess the importance and appraise the tools and processes involved in
managing risk in a project.
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BUS353
Course Guide
Study Unit 5 – Scheduling Resources and Costs and Reducing Project Duration
This study unit sets out to help students to:
1.
Analyse the resource scheduling problem in a project and evaluate the tools and
processes involved in addressing it.
2.
Assess and choose the tools and processes involved in reducing the duration of
a project.
Study Unit 6 – Monitoring Project Progress and Closing a Project
This study unit sets out to help students to:
1.
Appraise the tools and processes involved in monitoring and controlling the
progress of a project;
2.
Formulate the tools and processes involved in closing a project.
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Course Guide
3. Learning Outcomes
Knowledge & Understanding (Theory Component)
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
• Appraise the relationships among organisation’s strategy, organisation’s structure,
organisation’s culture and projects.
• Examine the importance and choose the appropriate ways to develop project
leadership as a manager.
• Categorise the challenges and appraise the processes of managing a project team.
• Arrange the appropriate tools and discuss the processes involved in:
◦ defining a project scope;
◦ estimating project times and costs;
• Choose the appropriate tools and demonstrate the ability to implement the
processes involved in:
◦ developing a project network;
• Evaluate the appropriate tools to solve project management challenges involved in:
◦ reducing project duration;
◦ addressing project’s resource scheduling problem;
• Propose the appropriate tools and processes to:
◦ monitor and control project progress; and
◦ close a project
Key Skills (Practical Component)
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
• Analyse project management case works in classes and assignments by applying
project management theories.
• Prepare a project planning by using Microsoft Project.
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Course Guide
• Demonstrate the essential knowledge and interpersonal skills to work effectively
in a team.
• Compose a report with developed written proficiency.
• Practice giving oral presentations in class and on recorded video in areas related to
project management.
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Course Guide
4. Learning Materials
The following is a list of the required learning materials to complete this course.
Required Textbook(s)
Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project management: The managerial process
(International Edition) (8th ed.). New York, USA: McGraw-Hill Education.
If you are enrolled into this course, you will be able to access the eTextbooks here:
To launch eTextbook, you need a VitalSource account which can be created via
Canvas (iBookStore), using your SUSS email address. Access to adopted eTextbook is
restricted by enrolment to this course.
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Course Guide
5. Assessment Overview
The overall assessment weighting for the evening classes for this course is as follows:
Assessment
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Description
Weight Allocation
Pre-Course Quiz 1
2%
Pre-Class Quiz 1
2%
Pre-Class Quiz 2
2%
Tutor-Marked
18%
Assignment
Assignment 3
Group-based Assignment
20%
Class Participation
Participation during
6%
seminars
End of Course
ECA
Assessment
TOTAL
50%
100%
The overall assessment weighting for the daytime classes for this course is as follows:
Assessment
Assignment 1
Description
Weight Allocation
Pre-Course Quiz 1
2%
Pre-Course Quiz 2
2%
Pre-Course Quiz 3
2%
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Course Guide
Assessment
Description
Weight Allocation
Assignment 2
Tutor-Marked Assignment
18%
Assignment 3
Group-based Assignment
20%
Class Participation
Participation during
6%
seminars
ECA
End of Course Assessment
TOTAL
50%
100%
The overall assessment weighting for the full online classes for this course is as follows:
Assessment
Assignments
End of Course
Description
Weight Allocation
Pre-Course Quiz
2%
Pre-Class Quiz 1
2%
Pre-Class Quiz 2
2%
Discussion
10%
Participation
6%
Tutor-marked Assignment
18%
Group-based Assignment
10%
End of Course Assessment
50%
Assessment
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BUS353
Course Guide
Assessment
Description
Weight Allocation
TOTAL
100%
SUSS’s assessment strategy consists of two components: The Overall Continuous
Assessment Score (OCAS) and the Overall Examinable Score (OES), which make up the
overall course assessment score.
a.
OCAS: OCAS constitutes 50% of the final grade for this course.
b.
OES: The End of Course Assessment constitute 50% of the final grade.
To be sure of a pass result, you need to achieve scores of 40% or above in each component.
Your overall rank score is the weighted average of both components.
Passing Mark:
To successfully pass the course, you must obtain at least a mark of 40 percent for the OCAS
and also at least a mark of 40 percent for the OES. For detailed information on the Course
grading policy, please refer to The Student Handbook (‘Award of Grades’ section under
Assessment and Examination Regulations). The Student Handbook is available from the
Student Portal.
Non-graded Learning Activities:
Activities for the purpose of self-learning are present in each study unit. These learning
activities are meant to enable you to assess your understanding and achievement of the
learning outcomes. The types of activities can be in the form of Formative Assessment,
Quiz, Review Questions, Application-Based Questions or similar. You are expected to
complete the suggested activities either independently and/or in groups.
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Course Guide
6. Course Schedule
To help monitor your study progress, you should pay special attention to your
Course Schedule. It contains study unit related activities including Assignments, Selfassessments, and Examinations. Please refer to the Course Timetable in the Student Portal
for the updated Course Schedule.
Note: You should always make it a point to check the Student Portal for any
announcements and latest updates.
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Course Guide
7. Learning Mode
The learning process for this course is structured along the following lines of learning:
a.
Self-study guided by the study guide units. Independent study will require at
least 3 hours per week
b.
Working on assignments, either individually or in groups
c.
Complete online quizzes
d.
Take part and contribute to the Group-Based Assignment, and class activities,
etc.
e.
Submit the End-of-Course Assignment
f.
Classroom seminar sessions for blended mode (evening) (3 hours each session,
6 sessions in total), or
g.
Virtual office hours for virtual mode (see the information on the Canvas site of
the virtual classes).
iStudyGuide
You may be viewing the iStudyGuide version, which is the mobile version of the
Study Guide. The iStudyGuide is developed to enhance your learning experience with
interactive learning activities and engaging multimedia. Depending on the reader you are
using to view the iStudyGuide, you will be able to personalise your learning with digital
bookmarks, note-taking and highlight sections of the guide.
Interaction with Instructor and Fellow Students
Although flexible learning – learning at your own pace, space and time – is a hallmark at
Singapore University of Social Sciences, you are encouraged to engage your instructor and
fellow students in online discussion forums. Sharing of ideas through meaningful debates
will help broaden your learning and crystallise your thinking.
Academic Integrity
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BUS353
Course Guide
As a student of Singapore University of Social Sciences, it is expected that you adhere to
the academic standards stipulated in The Student Handbook, which contains important
information regarding academic policies, academic integrity and course administration.
It is necessary that you read and understand the information stipulated in the Student
Handbook, prior to embarking on the course.
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Study
Unit
1
Understanding The Relationships
Between Organisation and Projects
BUS353
Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Overview
This study unit sets out to help students to:
1.
Develop a good overview of the basics of project management;
2.
Gain an appreciation of the intertwining relationships between organisation and
the management of projects.
In Chapter 1, an overview of the project management concepts and the relationships
between organisation and project selection will be clarified and presented. This is akin to
laying the foundation before we build more advanced concepts of project management
upon it.
In Chapter 2, students will examine the intertwining relationships among an
organisation’s culture, project management structure and project management process.
An organisation’s culture and project management structure heavily influence a project’s
success and we will examine this topic closely in this chapter.
It is expected that at the end of this study unit, students can gain an understanding of the
foundations of project management and the various organisational factors that influence
its selection and success.
Students may discover that all the ideas and concepts of the management of projects
introduced in this study guide can be applied to both their professional careers and
personal lives.
Let the learning journey begin!
SU1-2
BUS353
Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Chapter 1: Organisational Strategy and Project Selection
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this chapter, you are expected to:
Topic 1: Managing a project 101
1.
Define a project
2.
Distinguish the stages in a lifecycle of a project
3.
Understand Agile project management
4.
State the current drivers of project management
5.
Describe the socio-technical dimensions of the project management process
Topic 2: Understanding organisational strategy and project selection
1.
Explain the relationships between an organisation’s strategic management
process and its project portfolio management process
2.
Assess the need and benefits of a project portfolio management in an
organisation
3.
Appraise all the considerations when designing a project portfolio system in an
organisation
a.
List and compare the three classifications of a project in an organisation;
b.
Discuss and evaluate both financial and non-financial criteria for
selecting projects;
c.
Describe and assess the process of applying a project selection model;
and
d.
Explain the process of managing a project portfolio management
system.
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Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Lesson Recording
Organisational Strategy and Project Selection
1.1 Managing a Project
This topic in Chapter 1 introduces to you the foundation of project management. It helps
you develop:
1.
An understanding of what is and is not a project;
2.
The typical characteristics of a project;
3.
The current drivers that are pushing the proliferation of project management
practices in organisations; and
4.
The socio-technical dimensions of the project management process.
It is unconceivable in today’s world that an organisation can compete and thrive without
the effective and efficient management of projects.
Projects in an organisation drive strategies. The successful implementation of projects
realises the strategies of an organisation, which helps the organisation compete and thrive
in its environment.
Read any newspapers today and you will be overwhelmed by the myriad of projects that
are undertaken by an organisation or individuals. Here are three examples.
Read these articles via the SUSS Library – Newslink e-Resource:
1.
Veterans and newbies in virtual fund-raiser (Source: The Straits Times, 16 July
2020)
2.
Sisters create website to help those in need (Source: The Straits Times, 15 June
2020)
3.
Grange Road carpark to make way for event space with cinema (Source: The
Straits Times, 14 June 2020)
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Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Reflection Question 1.1
Please pause for a moment and reflect upon the above three examples before you proceed
to read on.
What do the virtual fund raiser, a website to help those in need, and the redevelopment
of Grange Road carpark have in common?
1.1.1 What is and is not a Project?
“A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product,
service, or result.” – Project Management Institute (n.d., para. 1)
The keyword in this definition of project is ‘temporary endeavour’. A project has a finite
life span and once the product/service/result is delivered to its customers, the project is
considered as completed.
For this reason, it is important not to confuse project work with routine and repetitive
work.
Read
Textbook Chapter 1, page 9, Table 1.1 for a comparison of routine work with projects.
Another way to define a project is by examining its major characteristics and they are
depicted in the figure below.
SU1-5
BUS353
Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Figure 1.1 Characteristics of a Project
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial Process
8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
It is sufficient to say that when a work matches the five characteristics of a project, we can
conclude that the work is a project work.
Read
Read Textbook Chapter 1, page 7, for detailed discussion on each of these
characteristics.
Activity 1.1
Define a project. What are the five characteristics that help differentiate projects from
other functions carried out in the daily operations of an organisation?
Let us go back to discuss the reflection question posted earlier.
What do the virtual fund raiser, a website to help those in need, and the redevelopment
of Grange Road carpark have in common?
SU1-6
BUS353
Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Now that you know the characteristics and definition of a project work, would you
be able to argue that the three examples can all be classified as project works?
Hint: You may refer to Chapter 1, page 7, of your textbook to see how this is
done.
1.1.2 The Project Life Cycle
Another way to understand project work is by examining its unique nature in each stage
of its life cycle.
You may find it useful, for example, to divide project into distinct stages as depicted in
the example below.
Figure 1.2 Project Life Cycle
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial
Process 8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
SU1-7
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Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
A project typically goes through four stages namely, defining, planning, executing and
closing in its limited lifespan.
The level of effort of each stage in the project life cycle differs depending on the project
requirements. Some projects may require more efforts to define their project requirements
and some projects may require more efforts in their planning stage. However, it is
sufficient to state that most projects typically start with a minimal level of efforts in the
defining stage. The level of effort increases gradually to its peak in the executing stage.
Note that the above project life cycle is an example. There are many models of project
life cycle that are available in the project management literature. For instance, there is
the software development life cycle that differs from the example shown above. What is
important about a project life cycle is that it gives us some ideas on the level of efforts that
is required in each stage during the implementation of a project.
This piece of information is particularly useful to a project manager because it helps the
project manager anticipate the activities and the required resources in each stage of a
project’s life cycle to ensure the smooth implementation of a project.
Read
Textbook Chapter 1, pages 9-10, for detailed listing of the typical activities that are
performed in each of the stages of a project life cycle.
1.1.3 Agile Project Management
Traditional project management focuses on thorough planning up front. Planning requires
predictability. For plans to be effective, managers should have a good understanding of
what is to be accomplished and how to do it.
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Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Agile project management (Agile PM) emerged out of frustration with using traditional
project management processes to develop computer software. Software projects are
notorious for having unstable scopes in which end user requirements are discovered, not
defined upfront. Agile PM is now being used across industries to manage projects with
high levels of uncertainties.
Figure 1.3 Rolling Wave Development
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial Process
8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
Agile PM employs an incremental, iterative process approach to complete projects (see
Figure 1.3). This iterative process is sometimes referred to as a “rolling wave”. Instead of
trying to plan for everything upfront, the scope of the project evolves. The final project
design/outcome is not known in great detail and is continuously developed through a
series of incremental iterations (waves). The goal of each iteration is to make tangible
progress, such as define a key requirement, solve a technical problem, or create desired
features to demonstrate to the customer. At the end of each iteration, progress is reviewed
and adjustments are made, and a different iterative cycle begins.
Agile PM focuses on active collaboration between the project team and customer
representatives, breaking projects into small functional pieces and adapting to changing
requirements. (Larson & Gray, 2020)
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Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Read
Read Textbook Chapter 15 that provides a detailed discussion of Agile PM. Chapter 15
starts by comparing between traditional and Agile methods of project management,
and introduces the different Agile methods like Scrum.
1.1.4 Current Drivers of Project Management
Project management is no longer a special-need management. It is rapidly becoming
a standard way of doing business. Increasingly, organisations are dependent upon the
success of their projects to contribute to the fulfilment of their business strategies.
What has driven organisations towards the implementation of project management
practices in recent years? Several environmental drivers can be attributed to this emphasis
and they are listed below:
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Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Figure 1.4 Drivers of Project Management
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial Process
8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
These environmental drivers contribute to the increased demand for good project
management across all industries and sectors. As you will see in the later part of this
study guide, regardless of the size of an organisation, the implementation of good project
management practices will inevitably increase an organisation’s ability to thrive in today’s
business environment.
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Understanding The Relationships Between Organisation and Projects
Activity 1.2
What are some of the key environmental forces that have changed the way projects
are managed? What has been the effect of these forces on the management of projects?
Is technological advancement also a driver of project management? Explain with
relevant examples.
1.1.5 Socio-Technical Dimensions of Project Management Process
Ask any project manager and you will realise that achieving the successful
implementation of a project is not an easy task.
If you aspire to become an effective project manager, you must be very good in the
implementation of the project management process, which consists of two dimensions
namely, sociocultural (yin) and technical (yang) dimension. The learning curve to acquire
the skills and knowledge in these dimensions is steep. However, if you are able to master
them, you will have a distinct competitive advantage over your peers.
The socio-cultural dimension deals with the ‘yin’ of project management process where
the emphasis lies on the creation of a temporary social system that seeks to bring out the
best of everyone involved in the project. It includes the shaping of a project culture and the
ability to cope rapidly with unforeseen circumstances through close collaboration among
team members.
The technical dimension focuses on the ‘yang’ of project management process where the
emphasis lies on planning, scheduling, and controlling projects through the systematic
application of a rigorous project management methodology.
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Project Management Process
1. Socio-cultural
-> creation of a temporary
social system
-> collaboration among team
members
2. Technical
-> systematic application of proj.
mgt. methodologies
-> planning, scheduling and
controlling
Figure 1.5 Socio-Technical Dimensions of the Project Management
Process
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management
– The Managerial Process 8th ed. (International Student Edition).
New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
Activity 1.3
The technical and sociocultural dimensions of project management are two sides of
the same coin. Explain.
Think about two project managers that you have encountered in your professional
career. One of them you would highly regard as an excellent project manager, while
the other a poor one.
Reflect upon the two project managers’ competencies in the two dimensions of project
management process stated above.
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Would you be able to develop a list of to-do (from the excellent project manager) and
not-to-do (from the poor project manager) items that you can work on in order to
become a good project manager?
Class Activity 1.1
Read the case ‘A Day in the Life – 2019’ in Chapter 1, page 21, and answer the two
questions:
1.
How effectively do you think Troi spent her day?
2.
What does the case tell you about what it is like to be a project manager?
Self-Assessment
Access the Student Edition website of the textbook and test your knowledge of these topics
via the MCQ questions in Chapter 1. Email your first-attempt score to your Instructor.
1.2 Understanding Organisational Strategy and Project Selection
With the increasing pressures to concurrently manage projects to their successful
completion within an organisation, how does the organisation oversee the management
of all these projects? How are projects prioritised for implementation given the limited
resources that are available in an organisation?
This chapter shall examine how organisational strategy is given careful consideration in
the process of selecting projects.
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1.2.1 Relationships between Strategic Management and Project Portfolio
Management Process
To understand the relationships between strategic management and project portfolio
management process, we need to understand the concept of project governance.
Project governance helps to provide the following information to the senior management
of an organisation:
Project Governance
-> seeks info on proj (usage of resources,
risk assessment, improvement of projs as
compared to others, etc.)
-> assess to see if projs are aligned with org’s
strategies
1.
An overview of all project management activities
2.
A big picture of how organisational resources are being used
3.
An assessment of the risk their portfolio of projects represents
4.
A rough metric for measuring the improvement of the projects relative to others
in the industry
5.
Linkages of senior management with actual project execution management.
With such information, senior management can assess if the portfolio of projects within
an organisation is strategically aligned with the organisation’s business strategies.
Because the alignment of projects to an organisation’s strategies is so crucial to the success
of an organisation, project managers need to understand how their projects contribute to
the overarching business strategies of the organisation. Often, this understanding helps
a project manager make tradeoff during project implementation to keep the project on
schedule and on budget.
Before a project gets selected for implementation, an organisation typically goes through
a strategic management process. Within this process, the selection of projects to fulfil an
organisation’s business strategy is one of the most critical processes. As a project manager,
it is imperative that you are familiar with this process so that you can increase the chances
of your projects being selected. An overview of the strategy management process in an
organisation is presented below:
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Strategic Movement
Process
1. Review and define
mission
2. Set strategies
3. Set objectives to
achieve strategies
4. Select projs to help
org implement the
strategies
-> if steps are followed,
likely chose projects
will align with strategies.
Figure 1.6 Strategic Management Process
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial Process
8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
Read
Textbook Chapter 2, pages 33-36, that describes the four activities of the strategy
management process of an organisation, namely
1.
Review and define the organisational mission
2.
Analyse and formulate strategies
3.
Set objectives to achieve the strategy/ies
4.
Implement the strategies through projects
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While you read these pages, pay special attention to how you should set project
objectives to achieve strategy using the SMART characteristics. SMART stands for
Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time related.
Activity 1.4
Describe the major components of the strategic management process.
Explain the role projects play in the strategic management process.
How are projects linked to the strategic plan?
Why is the implementation of projects important to strategic planning and the project
manager?
1.2.2 The Need for a Project Priority System
Project Priority System
1. Links project outcomes to strategies
2. Reduces or eliminates problems:
-> Implementation Gap
-> Organization Politics
-> Resource conflicts and multitasking
A priority-driven project portfolio system links projects’ outcomes closely to an
organisation’s strategies.
An organisation needs a project portfolio system because it helps the organisation to
reduce or eliminate the impact of three problems that may affect its survival/profitability.
These three problems are highlighted below:
1.
The implementation gap – which refers to the lack of understanding and
consensus among senior management (people who derive the organisation’s
strategies) and middle management (people who are tasked to translate the
strategies into projects).
2.
Organisational politics – which refers to the problem where project selection is
not based on sound reasoning but on the persuasiveness and power of people
advocating the projects.
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Resource conflicts and multitasking – which refers to the resource challenges in
a multiproject environment in an organisation. For instance, with the scarcity of
resources, organisations in a multiproject environment typically would have to
share resources. Without a strong priority system, such sharing may not happen
amiably across projects. This is especially when an organisation is also facing the
two problems that are stated above.
By reducing or eliminating these problems, project portfolio management can benefit an
organisation in the following ways:
1.
It builds discipline into the project selection process.
2.
It links project selection to strategic metrics.
3.
It prioritises project proposals across a common set of criteria, rather than on
politics or emotion.
4.
It allocates resources to projects that are aligned with the strategic direction of
an organisation.
5.
It balances risks across all projects.
6.
It justifies killing projects that do not support organisational strategy.
7.
It improves communication and supports agreement on project goals.
Read
Textbook Chapter 2, pages 36-38, to gain further insights on these three problems and
the benefits of a project portfolio system (Exhibit 2.2).
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1.2.3 Design Considerations of a Project Portfolio System
In order to fulfil all the stated benefits of a project portfolio system, its design needs to
be carefully considered. Typically, a project portfolio system must consider the following
design considerations before implementation and they are listed below:
1.
Classification of a project
2.
Selection criteria depending upon classification
3.
Sources of proposals
4.
Evaluating proposals
5.
Managing the portfolio of projects.
1.2.4 Classification of a Project
Most organisations would classify their projects into three portfolios and they are:
1.
Compliance/emergency (must do) projects – projects that need to be undertaken
to fulfil regulatory requirements in order to operate legally in a region/country
or to address an emergency situation (e.g., disaster);
2.
Operational projects – projects that support the smooth operations of day-to-day
business functions;
3.
Strategic projects – projects that contribute directly towards the fulfilment of an
organisation’s strategies.
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Figure 1.7 Portfolio of Projects by Type
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial
Process 8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
1.2.5 Project Selection Criteria
Project selection criteria in a project portfolio system can be broadly classified into
financial andnonfinancial criteria.
Financial Criteria
In the area of financial criteria, financial models, such as payback period and net present
value (NPV) are often being used.
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The payback period model provides a way to determine how long it takes for the project
to recover its initial investment. It has the following formula:
Payback period (years) = Estimated Project Cost/Annual Savings
Payback period criterion is particularly important for organisations which are concerned
with the liquidity of their resources (e.g. cashflow and manpower).
The net present value (NPV) model uses a formula to compute the present value of all net
cash inflows. The more positive the net present value, the more desirable the project is to
an organisation. Conversely, if the project has a negative NPV, then it should be rejected.
Read
Textbook Chapter 2, page 41, to understand the formula of NPV and examine the
examples provided to understand how these financial selection criteria work in
practice.
Activity 1.5
Complete Exercises 2 and 3 in the Textbook, Chapter 2, page 56.
Non-Financial Criteria
Unfortunately, the use of financial criteria cannot ensure that the selected projects will
be aligned with the organisation’s strategy. In order to address this, the project selection
criteria also include non-financial criteria like public image, brand loyalty, market share,
etc.
In this regard, different organisations will likely use different non-financial criteria to meet
their strategies. For instance, company A may want to set the amount of market share
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that the project will help to capture as a non-financial selection criterion. Company B may
want to evaluate how the project can contribute to the organisation’s ability to innovate
new products/services as its non-financial selection criteria.
It is a common practice that the assessment of a project’s non-financial criteria will involve
obtaining inputs from an organisation’s senior management.
1.2.6 Project Screening Models
Given the myriad of criteria that can be developed in a project portfolio system and no
single criterion can reflect the strategic significance of a project, organisations often have to
develop a multi-criteria project screening model to ease the prioritisation effort of projects.
Two of the commonly used models are:
1.
Checklist models – as the name suggests, a checklist is developed and projects
are accepted or rejected based on their evaluation against the checklist. An
example of a common checklist can be found in your textbook, Chapter 2, page
44.
2.
Multi-weighted scoring models – typically these models use a set of criteria
that has been ‘weighted’, i.e. some of the criteria are given more weights in their
evaluation as compared to others. For instance, the way you are being assessed in
this course is using a multi-weighted scoring model (refer to the course guide for
details). Projects are evaluated based on a total weighted score that is computed
by adding up the weighted scores of all the criteria (which can be financial and
non-financial). An example of how this model is used is shown below.
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Figure 1.8 Project Screening Matrix (Multi-Weighted Scoring Model)
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial
Process 8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
1.2.7 Project Screening Process
To apply these models, an organisation typically follows a set of well-defined processes to
ensure the timely submission and evaluation of projects. This process is shown below:
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Figure 1.9 Project Screening Process
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial
Process 8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
Following the submission of the list of projects, the organisation will go through a process
of priority screening analysis. An example of this process is shown below:
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Figure 1.10 Priority Screening Analysis Example
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial Process
8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
A project management office (PMO) is usually being set up to implement the process of
project portfolio management, which includes the process of screening projects. The PMO
will typically perform the first cut priority screening analysis process before involving the
senior management of an organisation to determine the final list of prioritised projects.
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During this prioritisation process, attempts will be made to balance the risk and resource
demand of projects across all the submitted projects. This is a non-trivial task. It requires
well-designed project selection criteria, a set of rigorous evaluation mechanisms, and
coordination of a team of highly competent individuals drawn from diverse areas of
expertise in an organisation.
However, the appropriate prioritisation of projects is extremely important to an
organisation. This is not just because it fulfils its business strategies, but it may help an
organisation gain a competitive advantage in its business environment.
Activity 1.6
Complete Exercises 5, 6 and 7 in Chapter 2, pages 56-58, of your textbook.
Class Activity 1.2
Read the case ‘Film Prioritisation’ in Chapter 2, pages 61-65, and use the provided
evaluation form in the textbook to formally evaluate and rank each proposal. Report your
ranking and justify your decisions in class. Also, discuss the questions:
1.
Will the objectives be different between a profit-driven firm and a non-profit
organisation? Will the prioritisation of the projects be any different?
2.
Must one consider cultural sensitivities in choosing projects?
Self-Assessment
Access the Student Edition website of the textbook and test your knowledge of these topics
via the MCQ questions in Chapter 2. Email your first-attempt score to your Instructor.
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Chapter 2: Organisation: Structure, Culture and Project
Management
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this chapter, you are expected to:
Topic 1: Understanding project management structures
1.
Compare and contrast the various project management structures
2.
Appraise the organisation and project considerations to determine the right
project management structure for a given project
Topic 2: Understanding organisational culture and project management
1.
Discuss organisational culture and its key dimension
2.
Explain the process of identifying cultural characteristics in an organisation
3.
Discuss the implications of organisational culture for organising projects
Lesson Recording
Organisation: Structure, Culture and Project Management
2.1 Understanding Project Management Structures
A good project management structure balances the needs of both the parent organisation
and the project by defining interface between the project and the parent organisation in
the following terms:
1.
Authority
2.
Allocation of resources
3.
Integration of project outcomes into mainstream operations.
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The job of a project manager is to determine the best project management structure that
can appropriately balance these needs.
There are three kinds of project management structures that a project manager can
consider and they are:
Figure 1.11 Project Management Structures
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial
Process 8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
Read
Please refer to Figures 3.1 (page 70), 3.2 (page 72), 3.3 (page 75) & 3.4 (page 78) for the
graphical illustrations of the different project management structures.
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The summarised advantages and disadvantages of each project management structure are
provided below:
Table 1.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of Project Management Structures
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial Process 8th ed
(International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
Read
Read detailed discussions on each of the advantages and disadvantages of each project
management structure in the textbook.
Functional Organisation – Chapter 3, pages 70-73
Dedicated Teams and Projectised Organisation – Chapter 3, pages 73-77
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Matrix Organisation and its various forms – Chapter 3, pages 77-81, including Table
3.1
2.2 Determining the Appropriate Project Management Structures
Determining the best project management structure for a project is a difficult task. For a
project manager to do well, he/she will need to consider a number of issues at both the
organisation and project levels.
Organisation Considerations
At the organisation level, the first question to ask is how important the project
management to the success of the firm is. What percentage of core work involves projects?
If the project is critical to the success of a firm and over 75% of work involves projects, then
a fully projectised organisation may be appropriate. If an organisation has both standard
products and projects, then a matrix arrangement may be ideal. If an organisation has
very few projects, then maybe a dedicated team can be created and the project can be
outsourced.
The next question at the organisation level is about resource availability. If there is
a necessity to share resources across projects and functional domains, then matrix
organisation may be appropriate.
Within the context of these two questions, a project manager will also need to assess the
current practices in an organisation and determine the changes that are needed to be made
in order to allow the projects to be effectively managed.
This shift to a new organisational structure needs time and effort and frequently requires
the commitments of the management to overcome the potential resistance by managers
during the structural transition.
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Project Considerations
At the project level, a project manager will have to consider the amount of autonomy that
the project needs in order to achieve its objectives.
Hobbs and Ménard (1993), cited in Larson and Gray (2020), identify seven factors that will
influence the choice of project management structure and they are as follows.
Figure 1.12 Factors influencing the Choice of Project Management Structure
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial
Process 8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
The higher the levels of these seven factors, the more autonomy and authority the project
manager and project team need to be successful.
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Understanding the various characteristics of each project management structure and the
above-mentioned organisation and project considerations are imperative for all project
managers.
If you aspire to be an effective project manager, you must be able to propose and justify the
appropriate project management structure given the organisation and project situations.
The success of your project depends on it.
Activity 1.7
What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of the functional, matrix and
dedicated team approaches to managing projects?
What distinguishes a weak matrix from a strong matrix?
Under what conditions would it be advisable to use a strong matrix instead of a
dedicated project team?
2.3 Understanding Organisational Culture and Project
Management
Organisational culture refers to a system of shared norms, beliefs, values and assumptions
that binds people together, thereby creating shared meanings (Deal & Kennedy, 1982, cited
in Larson & Gray, 2020).
Beside the project management structure, organisational culture has a significant effect on
the success of a project. For instance, if the organisational culture is risk adverse and the
project is to develop an innovative product, a project manager will need to change the
culture to encourage creativity among team members. This is an uphill task.
In many ways, an organisation’s culture helps the organisation perform many important
functions with minimum management efforts and they are summarised below:
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1.
Culture provides a sense of identity for its members.
2.
Culture helps legitimise the management system of the organisation through the
clarification of authority relationships in an organisation.
3.
Culture clarifies and reinforces standards of behaviour.
4.
Culture helps create social order within an organisation.
Research suggests that there are 10 primary characteristics that capture the essence of
an organisation’s culture (Schein, 2010; Harrison & Beyer, 1993; O’Reilly, Chatman, &
Caldwell, 1991, cited in Larson & Gray, 2020). They are highlighted below:
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Table 1.2 Ten Primary Characteristics of an Organisation’s Culture
Based on these ten cultural characteristics, a useful set of cultural dimensions of an
organisation that is supportive of project management is shown below. Incidentally, the
organisation’s culture below is similar to 3M.
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Figure 1.13 Cultural Dimensions of an Organisation Supportive of Project
Management
(Source: Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management – The Managerial
Process 8th ed. (International Student Edition). New York: McGraw Hill Education.)
As a project manager, understanding the organisation’s culture helps to make your job
easier. For instance, when faced with a challenge, you may be able to predict how
people will act or behave and come up with feasible solutions to address the challenge.
This understanding of an organisation’s culture is also imperative to project managers
when they attempt to navigate through the myriads of political obstacles during the
implementation of a project.
The following steps can be used by a project manager to understand the culture of an
organisation:
1.
Study the physical characteristics of an organisation
2.
Read about the organisation
3.
Observe how people interact within the organisation
4.
Interpret stories and folklore surrounding the organisation.
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It may be useful to know it is possible that an organisation may have a ‘weak’ culture or
several ‘weak’ subcultures among its departments, which may differ from its dominant
culture. As a result, a project manager needs to be mindful not to generalise the
understanding of an organisation’s culture across all its functions without first validating
it.
Read
Read Textbook Chapter 3, pages 87-89, that provides more information on how a
project manager can identify an organisation’s culture and pages 89-91 that clarifies
the implications of organisational culture for organising projects.
Activity 1.8
Must one consider an organisation’s culture in choosing an appropriate project
management structure? Will the organisation’s culture impact this choice?
What do you believe is more important for the successful completion of a project – the
formal project management structure or the culture of the parent organisation?
Complete Exercises 2 and 3 in Chapter 3, page 94.
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Class Activity 2.1
Complete Exercises 4 and 5 in Chapter 3, pages 94-95 and discuss your answer in class.
Read the case ‘Horizon Consulting’ in Chapter 3, pages 100-103, and answer these
questions in class.
1.
How successful was the post-meeting?
2.
What factors contributed to the success or failure of this meeting?
3.
What kind of project management structure does Horizon use? Is it the right
structure? Explain.
Self-Assessment
Access the Student Edition website of the textbook and test your knowledge of these topics
via the MCQ questions in Chapter 3. Email your first-attempt score to your Instructor.
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References
Deal, T. E., & Kennedy, A. A. (1982). Corporate cultures: The rites and rituals of corporate life
(Vol. 2). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Harrison Miller, T., & Beyer, J. M. (1993). The cultures of work organisations. Prentice-Hall,
Inc.
Hobbs, B., & Ménard, P. (1993). Organisational choices for project management. New York:
AMACOM.
Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project management: The managerial process
(International Edition) (8th ed.). New York, USA: McGraw-Hill Education.
O’Reilly III, C. A., Chatman, J., & Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organisational
culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organisation fit.
Academy of Management Journal, 34(3), 487-516.
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organisational culture and leadership: A dynamic view. San Francisco,
CA, US: Jossey-Bass.
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Unit
2
Leading The Project and Managing
The Project Team
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Leading The Project and Managing The Project Team
Overview
While the earlier study unit focuses on educating students on the organisational factors
that are affecting the success of the project, this study unit turns its attention to the factors
within a project team that may affect its success. It is the ‘yin’ of the project management
process which all project managers must master.
This study unit sets out to help students to:
1.
Understand what it takes to be an effective project manager.
2.
Appreciate the various techniques and ways to manage a project team.
3.
Appraise the outsourcing practices.
4.
Acquire the knowledge on negotiation and managing customer’s expectation.
In Chapter 1, we will explore the various techniques and mechanisms that can be put in
place to allow someone like you to become an effective project manager.
In Chapter 2, we will look at managing project teams which is one of the most essential
skills of an effective project manager. We will also be looking at outsourcing of project
works. Outsourcing has been one of the emerging trends in modern organisations and it is
imperative for a project manager to understand what is outsourcing and the best practices
relating to outsourcing project work. We will conclude the chapter with a discussion
on how to conduct effective negotiation and ways to measure and manage customer’s
expectation of a project.
Together with Study Unit 1, this study unit will complete the discussion of the sociocultural dimension of the project management process.
Let the learning journey begin!
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Chapter 1: Leading the Project
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this chapter, you are expected to:
Topic 1: Being an effective project manager
1.
Compare and contrast the differences between managing and leading a project
2.
Describe the various stakeholders of a project and discuss ways to manage them
3.
Distinguish the organisational currencies that can be used by a project manager
as an influencing tool
4.
Examine the ways for a project manager to build an effective social network
5.
Discuss the ethical issues during project management
6.
Examine the qualities of an effective project manager
Lesson Recording
Leading the Project
1.1 Introduction
Success of a project does not just depend upon the project manager and the project team;
it is also dependent upon the contributions of various stakeholders of the project, such
as top management, functional managers, customers, suppliers, contractors, etc. These
stakeholders need to be actively managed by the project manager. An effective project
manager manages and leads his/her team as well as manages the relationships with these
project stakeholders in order to assure the success of a project.
The foci point of this chapter is to provide you with insights on how to become an effective
project manager.
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1.2 Differences between Managing and Leading the Project
Management and leadership sometimes can be confusing. They seem similar in concept
but they are not.
On the one hand, management, focusing on four main functions (planning, organising,
leading and controlling), is all about making sure that things go according to the plan. It
advocates the development of skills to cope with the complexity of ensuring the stability of
a project. On the other hand, leadership is all about motivating people towards a change.
It advocates the development of skills to cope with changes that…