BBA 490 SOLUTIONS

Question 1

1) Explain what project management is, and why it is different to other forms of

management.

Project management is about knowing exactly what your goals are, how you’re going

to achieve them, what resources you’ll need, and how long it will take you to reach

that specific goal. (Project Management Institute. 2011) In fact, according to Andersen,

E.S. (2008). project management’s goal is to make sure that everyone involved in a

project knows these and is aware of the purpose of the project. Put simply, project

management is about getting things done, through application of knowledge, skills, tools,

and techniques to project activities, to achieve specific goals and meet specific success

criteria. All must be expertly managed to deliver the on time and on budget results.

Project management is different from other forms of management in the following ways:

Project management Other forms of management

1 Its temporary and has a definite start Are continuous and ongoing tasks and may

and ending. just adapt to changing operations conditions

2 Unique purpose Repetitive
3 Meet its goals and conclude Keep the organizations functioning
4 Concludes when its specific Adopts similar set of objectives and work

objectives are met continues

5 Role of team manager and members Role of team manager and members is usually

is temporary permanent and long term

6 Greater emphasis and need on Not much emphasis on planning because they

planning because the continued usually follow a guideline set by the project

success of the project is based on management team

 these plans

2) Explain how project management can be applied to your company’s projects.

In order to apply Project management in any of our company’s projects, the first stage

would have to be the identification of challenge that that project would be addressing,

for example integrating already existing mobile companies to a 5G network in Zambia,

would require goals like period of integration of already installed network towers, how

many service providers are needed, sales and or provision of gadgets that support the

network. Belout, A. (1998).

Secondly, you will have to tackle how you’re going to achieve them, what resources

you’ll need, and how long it will take you to reach that specific goal. The project

manager will have to make sure that everyone involved in a project knows these and is

aware of the purpose of the project. Arron, K., (2008). Said that Project managers are

responsible for getting things done, through proper application of knowledge, employees

skills, allocated tools, and work techniques to project activities, to achieve specific goals

and meet specific success criteria. through expertly managing to deliver the on time and

on budget results of the intended project

3) Outline the role of the project manager.

Project managers play the lead role in planning, executing, monitoring, controlling and

closing projects. They are accountable for the entire project scope, project team,

resources, and the success or failure of the project, their roles include:

a) Activity and resource planning

 Planning is instrumental in meeting project deadlines, and many projects fail

due

to poor planning. First and foremost, good project managers defines the

project’s scope and determine available resources. Good project managers

know how to realistically set time estimates and evaluate the team or teams’

capabilities. They then create a clear and concise plan to both execute the

project and monitor its progress. Belout, A. (1998).

b) Organizing and motivating a project team

Good project managers don’t get their teams bogged down with elaborate

spreadsheets, long checklists, and whiteboards. Instead, they put their teams

front and center. They develop clear, straightforward plans that stimulate their

teams to reach their full potential. They cut down on bureaucracy and steer

their teams down a clear path to the final goal.

c) Ensuring customer satisfaction

In the end, a project is only a success if the customer is happy. One of the key

responsibilities of every project manager is to minimize uncertainty, avoid any

unwanted surprises, and involve their clients in the project as much as is

reasonably possible. Good project managers know how to maintain effective

communication and keep the company’s clients up-to-date.

d) Analyzing and managing project risk

The bigger the project is, the more likely there are to be hurdles and pitfalls that

weren’t part of the initial plan. Hiccups are inevitable, but good project

managers know how meticulously and almost intuitively, identify and evaluate
 potential risks before the project begins. They know how to then avoid risks or

at least minimize their impact. Berzisa, (2015).

e) Monitoring progress

During the initial stages, project managers and their teams have a clear vision

and high hopes of producing the desired result. However, the path to the finish

line is never without some bumps along the way. When things don’t go

according to a plan, a project manager needs to monitor and analyze both

expenditures and team performance and to always efficiently take corrective

measures.

The role of the project manager cannot be downplayed because successful projects don’t

just happen. They’re not just a long list of jobs to be done, they are a masterpiece of

planning, management, organization and communication; a carefully choreographed

sequence of events, where progress is smooth and steady, one step leads seamlessly to the

next, and every possible hitch has been considered and countered.

4) Suggest a small pilot project on which you can develop your project management system.

Project name: INSTALLATION OF 5G NETWORK TOWERS

The following stages would be taken to carry out the project,

Phase 1: Project Initiation

This is the start of the project, at this phase, the project (installation of 5G network towers)

will be defined at a broad level. A business case will be presented and the results of the

research will show whether the project is feasible and if it should be undertaken. Feasibility

testing will be the last stage of this phase. Important stakeholders will do their due diligence
to help decide if the project of installing 5G towers is a goal is a “go.” If it is given the green

light, we will need to create a project charter or a project initiation document (PID) that

outlines the purpose and requirements of the project. It will include business needs,

stakeholders, and the business case.

Phase 2: Project Planning

This phase is key to successfully installing the towers and the project management, hence we

will focus on developing a roadmap that everyone will follow. This phase will begin with

setting goals. We will use these two popular methods for setting goals, S.M.A.R.T. and

CLEAR:

S.M.A.R.T (Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely). Goals – This method will help

ensure that the goals have been thoroughly vetted. It will also provide a way to clearly

understand the implications of our goal-setting process.

C.L.E.A.R. (collaborative, limited, emotional, appreciable, refinable) Goals – A newer

method for setting goals that takes into consideration the environment of today’s fast-paced

businesses.

Phase 3: Project Execution

This is the phase where deliverables will be developed and completed for example buying the

materials needed for making the towers, installing the towers as well as upgrading of already

existing towers. This often feels like the meat of the project since a lot is happening during

this time, like status reports and meetings, development updates, and performance reports. A

“kick-off” meeting will mark the start of the Project Execution phase where the teams

involved are informed of their responsibilities.

Phase 4: Project Performance/Monitoring

This phase will be all about measuring project progression and performance and ensuring

that everything happening aligns with the project management plan. The Project managers

will use key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine if the project is on track. A PM will

typically pick two to five of these KPIs to measure project performance:

Project Objectives: Measuring if a project is on schedule and budget is an indication if the

project will meet stakeholder objectives.

Quality Deliverables: This determines if specific task deliverables are being met.

Effort and Cost Tracking: PMs will account for the effort and cost of resources to see if the

budget is on track. This type of tracking informs if a project will meet its completion date

based on current performance.

Project Performance: This monitors changes in the project. It takes into consideration the

amount and types of issues that arise and how quickly they are addressed. These can occur

from unforeseen hurdles and scope changes.

Phase 5: Project Closure

This phase will represent the completed project. Contractors hired to work specifically on the

project are going to be terminated at this time. Valuable team members are recognized. Some

PMs even organize small work events for people who participated in the project to thank

them for their efforts. Once this project is completed, the PM will be required to hold a

meeting (post mortem) to evaluate what went well during the project and identify project
failures. This is especially helpful to understand lessons learned so that improvements can be

made for future projects.

Once the project is complete, PMs still have a few tasks to complete. They will need to create

a project punch list of things that didn’t get accomplished during the project and work with

team members to complete them. Perform a final project budget and prepare a final project

report. Finally, they will need to collect all project documents and deliverables and store

them in a single place.

QUESTION 2

a) Project Scope

The project scope is important in the sense that it helps the project manager to

understanding exactly what is needed to achieve the objectives in a project and mapping

out how to get there. Defining the project scope for every project, no matter the size or

complexity, gives the project manager the ability to ensure it stays on track the entire

time. It forms the basis for every decision a project manager will make on a job and when

it needs to change, proper communication will ensure success every step of the way.

Raymond, L. & Bergeron, F. (2015)

Example: A well-defined scope can help to avoid common problems like: Requirements

that constantly change, Requirements that need a rethink mid-project, the final outcome

not being what the client expected, the budget overrunning, the project is way behind

schedule etc. Effective scope management can help to avoid some of these issues by

clearly defining and communicating the scope to all parties involved in the project and

establishes control factors, that can be used to address elements that result in changes

during the lifecycle of the project.

b) Project Constraints

These have been categorized into three major constraints and termed as the triple

constraints:

1. Quality deals with how good the product is, as judged by the customer, client or

consumer.

2. Time has to do with our schedule; we have a deliverable that is due on a specific date,

so scheduling activities helps make sure that happens on time.

3. In cost, we have a limited amount of money to accomplish building the deliverable by

the due date. If we run out of money before the end of the project, where will we get

it?

The triple constraint acts as the boundaries in which you can work. Just as restrictions

enhance creativity, the triple constraint provides a framework that everyone in the project

can agree on. These constraints drive the project forward while allowing for adjustments

as needed when issues arise. Managing a project is often a series of trade-offs and

compromises to keep things moving towards a successful completion. The triple

constraint is a model that helps project managers know which trade-offs are going to

work and what impact they’ll have on other aspects of the project. (Project Management

Institute. 2017.)

Example: To work out why the triple constraints matter, let’s take a look at one element

at a time. What happens if you drop the quality of what you build? The first thing that

will happen is the customer will not accept it. The second thing that happens is the

project cost will increase, and finally we won’t be able to deliver on time. We have to

respect the schedule, the required quality of deliverables, and we have to respect the cost.
 Managing the triple constraint

c) Project risk management

This is important because it helps the project manager identify what might happen to

throw the project off track and then define a response so that there are contingency plans

in place. This is usually done on larger projects, rather than smaller. Although even for

small teams, a short sync up with the team to help identify potential problems in the plan

would be useful to guard against the unexpected and have plans of action in case it does.

Risk management plans contribute to project success by establishing a list of internal and

external risks. This plan typically includes the identified risks, probability of occurrence,

potential impact and proposed actions

d) Project Charter

The Project charter builds a foundation for any projects undertaken. It is a great

communication tool for the stakeholders and provides a direction to the project. The main

purpose of the project charter is the formal authorization of the project and the go-ahead to

commit organizational resources to it; without a project charter, the project can be canceled

anytime and for any reason and can be subject to an audit as an unauthorized project.

((Project Management Institute. 2016)

Example: Let's consider a project has started for 2-3 months. A Project Manager is already

authorized, and the project is moving well. Due to certain circumstances, current Project

Manager resigns from the company and the project is assigned to another Project Manager.

The initial task of every Project Manager authorized should be to go through the Project

Charter to understand its business need and objective. The Project Charter project describes
goals, scope, stakeholders and a high-level deliverable at high levels. Imagine project having

no project charter then Project Manager would have been like a “Fish Out of Water”.

e) Project stakeholders

This is a person or a group who has a vested interest or “stake” in the project. It might be an

internal group or agency within an organization or it might be the public at large for a public

works project. The project manager usually works to communicate the project to the

stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of the project and seeks feedback on project

deliverables and performance while managing their expectations, as well. Stakeholder

identification is a continuous process during the entire project life cycle. Identifying them,

understanding their level of effect on a project, and satisfying their demands, needs, and

expectations is essential for the success of the project. (Project Management Institute. 2013)

Example: Stakeholders provide a wide range of free resources in terms of knowledge base

concerning product development, so long as a positive relationship has been built with the

stakeholders, it will become easier for a project manager to reach out for advice and insight.

tapping into the skills and knowledge of engaged stakeholders can give project managers

access to a host of additional resources, at no extra cost.

In most cases, stakeholders hold a plethora of knowledge about the current processes,

industry insights and past successes/mistakes. This can be an invaluable pool of knowledge

that is used to help make key decisions throughout the project process. Stakeholders may not

be in the driving seat, but they can be extremely useful advocates, sponsors, and agents of

change. (Project Management Institute. 2011)

References

Andersen, E.S. (2008). Rethinking Project Management – An Organisational Perspective.

Prentice Ha, Harlow, England.

Arron, K., Martinsuo, M., Dietrich, P. Kujala, J. (2008). Project strategy: strategy types and

their contents in innovation pro-jects.

Belout, A. (1998). Effects of human resource management on project electiveness and

success: towards a new conceptual framework. International Journal of Project Management

Berzisa, S., Vangelski, L. Zorc, A., Vitols, G., Martinei, N. (2015). Platform for Management

of Business and Educational Projects.

Project Management Institute. 2017. The Standard for Project Management. Newtown

Square, PA: Author.

Project Management Institute. 2013. The Standard for Portfolio Management – Third

Edition. Newtown Square, PA: Author.

Project Management Institute. Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Available from

http://www.pmi.org/codeofethics

Raymond, L. & Bergeron, F. (2015) Impact of Project Management Information Systems on

Project Performance.

Rocha, B. & Hippert, M. (2014) Integrated management systems in civil construction-based

PMBOK guide extension. 2014

Svejvig, P., Andersen, P. (2015). Rethinking project management: a structured literature

review with a critical look at the brave new world.