BGGE2044 Project Management and Finance

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Assignment
(Main Report)

Session: 202305

Programme: REE2

Lecturer: Dr Seow Boon Loo/Ir Lim Joo Eng

Submission Date: 19 September 2023

No. Name Student ID

1 Koh Wei Zhong 22WGR04265
2 Lim Win Son 22WGR04149
3 Gan Di Sheng 22WGR04141
4 Loh Pei Yen 22WGR03031

1
 TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN UNIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

Plagiarism Statement Form

I, Koh Wei Zhong Student ID 2204265 Programme REE2 S1 Tutorial Group 1 confirm that the
submitted work are all my own work and is in my own words.
I Koh Wei Zhong acknowledge the use of AI generative technology.

Signature: Zhong
Date: 19/9/2023

2
 TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN UNIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

Plagiarism Statement Form

I, Lim Win Son Student ID 2204149 Programme REE2 S1 Tutorial Group 1 confirm that the submitted
work are all my own work and is in my own words.
I Lim Win Son acknowledge the use of AI generative technology.

Signature: Lim
Date: 19/9/2023

TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN UNIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

3
 Plagiarism Statement Form
I, Gan Di Sheng Student ID 2204141 Programme REE2 S1 Tutorial Group 1 confirm that the submitted
work are all my own work and is in my own words.
I Gan Di Sheng acknowledge the use of AI generative technology.

Signature: Gan
Date: 19/9/2023

TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN UNIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

4
Plagiarism Statement Form
I, Loh Pei Yen Student ID 2203131 Programme REE2 S1 Tutorial Group 1 confirm that the submitted
work are all my own work and is in my own words.
I Loh Pei Yen acknowledge the use of AI generative technology.

Signature: loh
Date: 19/9/2023

5
Table of Contents
Plagiarism Statement Form 2
Plagiarism Statement Form 3
Plagiarism Statement Form 4
Plagiarism Statement Form 5
Table of Contents 6
Part 1 Project brief
1.1 Project background 7
1.2 Business Case 7
1.3 Project objectives 8
1.4 Scope & requirements 8
1.5 Project timeline 9
1.6 Project budget 10
1.7 Project team structure 11
1.8 Main stakeholders 11
1.9 Assumptions and constrains 13
Part 2 Project plan
2.1 Project Team 14
2.2 Work breakdown structure 21
2.3 Product breakdown structure 23
2.4 Project schedule development 24
2.5 Resource planning 31
2.6 Budget planning refer to finance part
2.7 Communication planning 35
2.8 Quality planning 37
2.9 Project tracking 44
2.10 Planning for closing 46

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Project Background
Water heaters are one of the integral appliances in every household providing comfortability
while bathing as well as effectiveness in cleaning. Besides, their significance can also be seen
in various fields ranging from warming public pool for commercial to heating up chemical
solutions for industrial. Water heaters are mostly powered via electricity due to its stability
and reliability. However, they can operate on solar power by harnessing the radiation emitted
from the sun to heat up at a performance on par with electric water heater. By reaping the free
solar energy, solar water heaters help cutting down electric bill in the long run and the benefit
is even pronounced when performed in large scale, hence the increased demand in recent
market.

This project will span for 5 months from October 2023 to February 2024 composing
planning, executing, controlling, monitoring and closing of the project. The project is entirely
carried out with the company’s fund and run by the functional departments of the company.
Therefore, the stakeholder includes from the company’s directors, project manager, project
team members and the functional manager. Other than internal personnels, there are also
government regulators, standard-defining organizations as well as the end users that can
affect the project.

Business case
The Malaysia government has been promoting green energy with great effort recently by
implementing the Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) which benefits our company
significantly. This incentive is available until the end of 2023 and is expected to be extended
as proposed in the Budget 2023. GITA grants companies that undertake qualifying activities,
including generation of energy in the form of heat water using renewable energy such as solar
power, for own consumption or project based with 100% of qualifying capital expenditure
incurred on green technology project for three years. [1]

According to an analysis performed Global Market Insights in 2022, the market for solar
water heater in Asia Pacific will show around 5.1% CAGR till 2032 with a major demand in
residential need that account for over $2.4 billion worth of market by 2032 worldwide. [2]
The positive feedback from this analysis is back with several conspicuous factors such as
extreme climatic conditions, positive outlook toward renewable energy and lack of
innovations in water heating system. Not only does the market increases steadily for years to

7
come, the foreseeable profit is lucrative considering not many competitors in Malaysia right
now.

Project charter
Project purpose
The aim of this project is to come up with a design of solar water heater system for residential
use that works seamlessly compared to the convention system. This design must enable
delivery of product efficiently, reliable and user-friendly.

Project objectives and success criteria

Goals to achieve by the end of June 2024:
 Produce a solar collection panel that convert solar energy into heat energy effectively.
 Produce a water storage that has excellent heat retention.
 Produce a water heater that control water temperature and pump force.
 Design a solar water system that is zero downtime.
 All the design must be user-friendly and reliable.

High-level requirements
The project is section into multiple defining requirements:
 Forming a capable project team consisting technical support so as to maintain the
solar water heater technological integrity.
 Designing the key parts of the heater.
 Programming the control system of the heater.
 Sourcing materials and parts to build the heater.
 Assembling the key parts of the heater.
 Seizing approval from government regulators.

High-level project description and boundaries

Aspect In scope
Project team Interviewing and recruiting
technical staffs and experts that is
capable and knowledgeable to
handle the project.
Design water Producing a unique design of solar
heater system water heater system consisting of a
Out of scope
Administrative and financial staffs
are assigned by the sole decision of
their respective functional manager.
Custom design is not considered.

8
 solar collection panel, water tank,
water heater and interconnecting
piping.
Programming Program a system that is capable of Automated control system is out of
control regulating the water temperature scope.
system and pumping force according to
user input.
Sourcing for Material is sourced according to the Statement of work or contract with
materials design at small quantity enough to companies that provide the
produce the prototype. materials are not needed.
Producing the A prototype of each key part is to Manufacturing the product to be
prototype be produced. marketed is out of scope.
Seizing Securing approval from Abiding to standards that are not
approval from government regulators on the safety crucial to the approval of the
government of the product. product.
regulation

High-level risk
 Materials may be damaged on delivery.
 The cost of material may not be the constant over time due to inflation.
 Machines and tools may be out of commission after long time of not using.
 The scope might not be met due to lack of knowledge from the technical staffs.
 The design and prototype might not perform as expected.
 Injuries when handling lab equipment.

Project Timeline
Project Stages Key Deliverables Initiation Milestone Targeted
Date Completion
Date
Project High-level requirements 17/9/2023 Project charter is 22/9/2023
initiating are identified and project produced.
team is formed.
Project Project triple constrains 1/10/2023 Project 28/10/2023
planning are defined and management
management plans are plans are formed
devised to control them.
Researching Project team are briefed 6/11/2023 Trainings are 18/11/2023
and training about knowledge on performed and
basic solar water heaters team members
and taught about skill to are capable.
use engineering
development tools.
Designing Materials required are 16/11/2023 Key parts of the 17/1/2024
solar water identified with the solar water
heater blueprint of each part heater are
drawn and sourcing of designed and

9
 material in place. material are
sought after.
Programming A simulation of the 20/11/2023 Control system 30/11/2023
control system control system is is created.
delivered.
Sourcing Materials of key parts 1/12/2023 Materials are 27/1/2024
materials are bought. ready.
Building and Prototypes are built 20/12/2023 Prototypes are 7/2/2024
testing according to the produced and
prototypes blueprint and tested tested.
individually.
Testing solar Problems are determined 8/2/2024 A fully 19/2/2024
water heater and fixed to produce a functional solar
performance heater that works water heater
perfectly when come system is
together. produced.
Evaluating and Documentations, post- 20/2/2024 Project 22/2/2024
wrapping-up project review and documents are
project suggested approach in archived.
similar project.

Project Budget
Project stages Expenses and payroll Cash Outflow
(RM)
Researching and training  Human resource – RM28,840 28,840.00

Designing solar water  Human resource – RM22,575 22,575.00

heater
Programming control  Human resource – RM2,857 3,444.00
system  Electronics components – RM587
Building and testing  Human resource – RM19,360 13,725.00
prototypes  Solar collection panel – RM1,650
 Storage tank – RM10,165
 Mounting – RM350
 Pump – RM 2,340
 Piping – RM1,910
Testing solar water heater  Human resource – RM4,320 4,320.00
performance
Evaluating project and  Human resource – RM1,400 1,400.00
wrapping-up

A budget of RM_ has been allocated to complete the project which will be distributed by
stages according to the progress of the project. An additional RM_ is allocated as a
management reserve under the controlled of Mr. Kelvin Ong which can only be accessed
through the approval a change request by Mr. Ong personally.

Project team structure

10
This project adopts a strong matrix organization so that more attention can be put into
maintain the product’s technical integrity where technical experts make up most of the project
team so that the scope of the project can be achieved. Project manager can also retain his
authority to control over the job performed by each member with the help of functional
manager assigning capable technical staffs to this project. Meanwhile, professional opinion
from legal and financial department can be included by having their representatives working
part time on our project. The organization structure is presented as follows.

Main Stakeholders
Internal stakeholders
Project team members:

 Koh Wei Zhong – Project Manager

 Lim Win Son – Head of Design Engineers
 Kong Cheng Fong – Mechatronics Engineer
 Lim Tzer Xuan – PLC Programmer
 Gan Di Sheng – Human Resource Representative
 Loh Pei Yan – Financial Representative
 Jamie Oliver – Procurement Engineer
Supporting body:
 Kelvin Ong – Program Manager
 Tan Yun Wei – Chief Executive Officer
 Ollie Kendal – R&D Manager

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  Josh Carrott – Finance Manager
 Gabie Kook – Legal Manager
 David Tennant – Marketing Manager
 Matt Smith – Human Resource Manager
 Hing Wei Xiang – Specialist of Project Management
 Teh Chong Shin – Legal Advisor
 Juno Lee – Marketing Advisor
External stakeholders
 Energy Commission – Product approval
 SIRIM QAS – Product testing
 End-users – Domestic users

Main stakeholders consist of all the internal stakeholders listed above. The power-influence
grid to determine the influence of every member to this project is presented as follows.

Assignment of Accountabilities and Authorities

Mr. Koh Wei Zhong is appointed as the project manager for the project. He will be
responsible of coordinating project team and planning the execution of project phases to meet
the project requirements before deadline with given budget. After the requirements are met,
the deliverables are hand over to the company for them to decide the next move.

Mr. Koh is authorized to:

 Spending the project budget on project-related activities.

 Interviewing and recruiting new employees that benefits the project.
 Accessing aid and support from the project management office.
 Plan and execute the project by assigning work force from the project team.

Mr. Kelvin Ong is chosen as the representative of the board of director who is responsible for
authorizing changes of scope, approving the withdrawal of reserved fund from management
reserve, evaluating the progress of the project and permitting the distribution of budget for
the next stage as well as making decisive choice in uncertain situations.

Ms. Loh Pei Yan, as the financial representative of this project, is authorized to wire RM_ to
the project’s account from the company’s capital fund to cover the financial needs of the
project and controlling the outflow of the budget.

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Assumptions
 Full support is provided by the company’s board of directors.
 The project is aligned to the company’s vision and aim.
 The design caters only to tropical countries that has similar climate as Malaysia.
 Tools and materials needed in the design are available and accessible.
 Utility bills are bear by the company.
 The performance of the system is only required to cater to family of maximum 8
members.
 Employees honor their contract and do not bail out halfway through the project.
 No major amendment on standards that are compliance required.
 Machines and tools that are needed in designing and producing the prototypes are all
prepared beforehand.
 No holidays throughout the duration of the project.
 Work for 6 days per week, 8 hours per day from 9am to 5pm with an hour of break
starting at 1pm.
 Extra funds are used as rewards to the project team’s members.
Constrains
 Budget provided is limited and need to be spent wisely.
 Funds are distributed according the progress the project.
 Schedule must be allocated efficiently to meet the project deadline.
 The outcome of the project must meet the scope specified.
 There are government regulations to be conformed before the heater can enter the
market.

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Project planning
Project team
As mention in the initiating process, this project adopts a strong-matrix organisation structure
borrowing technical staffs to work full-time while administrative staffs work on the project
only when necessary. The organisation structure is presented as shown in the initiating
process in which multiple projects are executed at the same time under the inspection of a
program leader. Since team members come from their respective functional group, their
functional manager has a certain authority over them.
Regardless, the project team consists of only performing individuals. The performing
individuals are separated into technical and administrative staffs. Technical staffs consist of
the design engineers, mechatronics engineer, procurement engineer and technical staffs
meanwhile the project manager, financial representative, human resource representative are
administrative staffs. The project manager has absolute authority over every team member.
Among the group of design engineers, a head is appointed to resolve conflict in opinions
among themselves. The mechatronics engineer is granted with two technicians to lighten his
workload.
Brainstorm ideas
Possible specifications of the solar water heater system are brainstormed by the project team
with the help of experts before ruling out the undesirable ones leaving the most suitable
features that should be included in a domestic solar water heater system.

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Choices Decision Reasons

❌
Thermosipho 1. Needs to be pressurized to very high pressure as
n Circulation the system uses the density changes of heat
transfer fluid to get water circulation between
the collector and storage. [ISO 9459-2:1995]
 Require fewer moving parts as this system does
not require pumps for water circulation.
 Requires less maintenance as there are fewer
consumable parts such as the pumps.
 Less control on the flow rate and temperature of
the water as the it depends on the temperature of
the water which causes density changes that
leads to water flow.
Active Pump ✔  Does not need to be pressurized to very high
Circulation pressure as pumps assists in the water
circulation.
 Require pumps to circulate water as there is no
other assisting elements for water circulation.
 Requires more maintenance as there is more
moving parts such as the pumps which would
undergo wear and tear.
 Can control the flow rate and temperature of the
water as there are pumps.
Open-loop ✔  Higher efficiency as the water is directly passes
System through the collector which is then heated by the
sun.
 Less complicated to manufacture as it requires
less parts.
 Less complicated to maintain as it is simple in
construction and has lesser individual parts.
 Does not work under freezing temperature
which is acceptable for this project as
assumption was made that this product is
developed for tropical climates only.
 Cheaper as there is less parts in this system.

❌
Close-loop  Lower efficiency as the water is heated
System indirectly by other fluids that is passed through
the collector which is heated by the sun.
 More complicated to manufacture as it requires
two separate systems, one for the collector and
one for the storage tank.
 More complicated to maintain as there are more
parts.
 Works under freezing temperature which is not
relevant to this project which assumes the
product is developed for a tropical climate
 More expensive as there are double the number
of parts in the system compared to open-loop

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 system.

Flat Panel ✔  Less complicated to manufacture as it does not

Collector require any special tools or techniques for its
simple construction.
 Less complicated to maintain there are fewer
individual parts.
 Less efficient in collecting heat as it is
stationary and the angle of the sun shining
towards it is not at the most optimal angle
throughout the day.
 Cheaper to manufacture compared to evacuated
tube collector as it has a simple construction.

❌
Evacuated  More complicated to manufacture as it requires
tube Collector the evacuated tubes to be vacuum sealed.
 More complicated to maintain as each collector
consist of many evacuated tubes which are
delicate and need to be handle with care when
cleaning.
 More efficient in collecting heat as its design
enables it to absorb the most heat from the sun
no matter the position of the sun in the sky.
 More expensive to manufacture as special
equipment and techniques are needed to vacuum
seal each tube.
Insulated ✔  More complicated to manufacture as it consists
Water Tank of the tank, insulation and an outer shell.
 Can store higher temperature water as the heat
won’t be loss quickly due to the insulation
retaining the heat.
 Enables the usage of hot water for a longer
period of time throughout the day as it loses
heat slower due to the insulation.
 More expensive to manufacture as there are
more parts compared to non-insulated water
tank

❌
Non-insulated  Less complicated to manufacture as it has a
Water Tank simple, one-piece construction.
 Cannot store higher temperature water as it
loses heat too quickly to the surroundings.
 Users are only able to use hot water when the
sun is out as it loses heat quick.
 Cheaper to manufacture due to its simple, one-
piece construction.

❌
Low Volume  Water heats up faster as there is less water that
Water Tank is required to be heat up.
 Loses heat quicker as its surface area to volume
ratio is higher.
 Less hot water available throughout the day as
16
 less hot water can be stored.
 Cheaper as less materials are required to
manufacture it as it is smaller in size.
High Volume ✔  Water heats up slower as there is more water
Water Tank that is required to be heated up.
 Loses heat slower as its surface area to volume
ratio is lower.
 More hot water available throughout the day as
more hot water can be stored.
 More expensive as more materials are required
to manufacture it as it is bigger in size,
Backup ✔  Ensure hot water is available 24/7 no matter the
Heating time or weather condition.
Element  More Expensive as it requires more
maintenance.
Sacrificial ✔  Prevent corrosion in the solar water heater
Anode rode system by sacrificing itself to be corroded.
 Reduce the maintenance needed for the solar
water heater system.
 More expensive as it needs to be changed on a
scheduled basis for the best effect.
Additional ✔  Pumps and system could work even if there is
Backup Solar an electrical outage as long as the sun is out or
Collection there is still leftover charge in the battery of the
System system.
 Requires more maintenance as there are more
electrical components to monitor and control the
solar collection system.
 More expensive as it requires more materials to
manufacture.

❌
Alkaline  Causes the water to contain more minerals
water ionizer which could cause corrosion as they are needed
to make the water more alkaline.
 The benefits of alkaline water are not
completely proven by medical experts.
 More complicated to maintain as it has
specialized parts for the ionization of the water.
 More expensive as it requires more materials to
manufacture.

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Product scope statement
A product description is sorted out based on the brainstorming outcomes. This list must be
progressively elaborated when new features are added in to perfect the product. Activities are
carried out with these descriptions in mind to ensure the quality of the product. The success
criteria are mentioned in the quality control planning.
Key parts of the Description
solar water heater
system
Control system A software programmed on a logic controller to process user input
as well as detected input from electronics sensors. The software
should be able to perform the following tasks.
 Regulate the water temperature in the water tank.
 Automate the water circulation from water source through
the flat panel collector to the water tank.
 Control the output pumping force.
 Switching water heating method between solar thermal and
electricity.
 Able to register and respond to user inputs.
 Display crucial information to users.
A circuitry is also designed based on the tasks expected to be
performed.
Water storage tank A dedicated water tank used to store heated water and heat water at
the same time. The water heater should possess the characteristics
mentioned below.
 Capacity of 300 litres.
 Insulated to provide good heat retention.
 Body is in minimum contact with external surface to reduce
heat lost through conduction.
 Able to heat water by electricity when the weather is
undesirable.
 Long lasting and weather-proof.
Flat panel collector A panel that converts solar energy to heat energy which is used to
heat up water. The flat panel collector should possess the following
properties.
 Heat up water flowing through it at efficiency that is
acceptable with technology nowadays.
 Durable and weather-proof.
A photovoltaic solar panel is included to power water pumps and
control system for water circulation with solar power.
 A battery is used to store electrical energy to power water
pumps and control system at night.
Water heater A combination of several parts that facilitates the output of water at
the temperature desired. To carry out this feat, the parts required are
listed below.
 The circuitry of the control system housed in a waterproof
housing.

18
  Pumps for water circulation.
 Piping connecting the panel to the tank and to the shower
head.
 Mixing valve for temperature control.

Work breakdown structure

The work breakdown structure is defined starting from the executing to the closing of the
project. Before starting to design and develop the prototypes, technical staffs are gone
through a series of training and researching to refresh their memory on engineering tools and
equipment and kickstart their understanding on the project. During execution, work is broken
down into designing hardware and software parts of the solar water heater, sourcing for
materials as well as building prototypes of the solar water heater system. Since the solar
water heater is made up of three major parts, the activities to be carried out in designing
hardware and building prototypes are further grouped into work packages of their respective
part. Sourcing for materials has one extra work package which is to source electronics
components.
Controlling and monitoring the project that is included in this WBS are testing the solar water
heater part by part and as a whole system. Testing individual parts is performed immediately
after the part is assembled to ensure that no major requirement is left out so that change
request can be made if mistakes are made to avoid them from building up. Therefore, testing
is grouped under the same work package as building since building and testing come hand in
hand. Testing the system as a whole is performed after prototypes of key parts are assembled
to ensure the performance of the solar water heater system.
Closing the project consists of compiling the documentation of the solar water heater system,
producing closing report and also closing the project officially.

19
Team responsibility and skill required
Project Role Name Responsibility Skill Required
Project ManagerKoh Wei Project activities within the scope by utilizing Equips strong leadership, able to make good
Zhong resources and time wisely and maintain the coherency decisions, communicates effectively, adept in
and continuity of technical ideas throughout the project-charting tools and reasonably
development phase. knowledgeable on the topic.
Head of Design Lim Win Lead a team of design engineers and make decisive Experienced design engineers that is well-respected
Engineers Son choice when multiple ideas are suggested. with good communication and negotiation skill for
persuasion and peace-making.
Mechatronics Kong Develop prototypes based on their designs with the Possess the knowledge of how to build prototypes
Engineer Cheng help of two technicians. from scratch and able to interpret engineering
Fong drawings with ease.
PLC Programmer Lim Tzer Identify the electronic components needed and Experienced in programming a PLC to handle
Xuan program a system to sense and control the water inputs and outputs and capable of applying new
temperature as well as water pressure. tools by referring to their datasheet.
Procurement Jamie Source for materials and components that are Resourceful, equips some knowledge on quality
Engineering Oliver requested and ensure the quality when receiving. testing and able to interpret datasheets and
specification sheets.
Human Resource Gan Di Recruit human resources and ensure their benefits are Well-versed in labor laws, efficient in administrative
Representative Sheng met in term of wages, leaves and incentives. processes and experiencing identity crisis.
Financial Loh Pei Track project cashflow, prepare financial reports and Good with taxes and financial regulations as well as
Representative Yan give some advice on decision making in financial experienced with financial analysis and reporting to
perspective to achieve cost reduction. be able to maintain the financial health of the
project.
Design Engineers Come up with designs that stick to the requirements, Expertise in product design, fast-learner, thinks
determine the materials needed to build the prototypes critically and accustomed to engineering
and produce blueprints of prototypes. development software.
Technicians Assist mechatronics engineer in building prototypes. Good at controlling machinery and handling
workshop equipment and tools.

20
Work breakdown structure

21
22
Product breakdown structure

23
Project schedule development
Estimate activity duration
Our company has plenty of experience in developing convention water heaters powered by
electricity. Since this is the first time our company has undertaken a project that integrates
solar power into a water heater, there are several major parts that has to be designed from
scratch while integrating common parts from the company’s previous project asset. With
limited information on developing a solar water heater system, estimation is performed by
considering the time and budget invested by the company. The project is expected to be
completed within 3 months with RM100k allocated as the project budget.
Researching is given 6 days to ensure sufficient time is given to the project team to prepare
themselves with the knowledge of developing the solar water heater system. Online
SolidWorks training module specific on piping and tubing previously purchased by our
company that takes about 3 days are compulsory to be gone through by all design engineers.
[7] The PLC programmer and mechatronics engineer are to spend this time by going through
in-app tutorials to get familiar with the interface and functions of the software. 3 days of lab
equipment training is performed to go through the function of every equipment and safety
measures when using them are emphasis by going through the training video of every
equipment provided when purchasing them.
By using bottom-up estimation, the time and resources needed in designing the prototypes are
estimated. Considering the novelty of the solar water heater system to the technical staffs,
solar collection panel must be given the most priority, followed by the water tank, the control
system and lastly the water heater. This is judged according to how different each major part
of a solar water heater from a convention water heater listed as follows.

Aspects Conventional water Solar water heater Difficulty

heater
Energy source Powered by electricity. Powered a solar 3
collection panel and
photovoltaic cells.
Water tank Water is drawn directly Separated tank is needed 3
from the main water tank. to stored heated water
with minimum
temperature loss heating
element is built into the
tank.
Control system Allow temperature Allow temperature 1
controlling by controlling controlling by mixing
the current flowing heated water and room

24
 through the heating temperature water as
element. well as heating water
using heating element.
Water heater Heating element is Mixing valve and is 2
needed. needed to be powered by
both thermal and
electricity generated with
photovoltaic cells.

Obviously, the solar collection panel and water tank are completely new to the technical staffs
while the control system and water heater are fairly similar with a few additional parts
compared to a conventional water heater. With that in mind, more time has to be allocated
into designing and the water tank and prototyping the solar collection panel and the water
tank. The key parts are also weighed on their difficulty to assist with the resource allocation.
Therefore, in designing, solar collection panel is allocated 33% of time; water tank is
allocated 33% of time; control system is allocated 11% of time and water heater is allocated
22% of time roughly.
Except for designing prototypes, the time and resources allocated for sourcing for material,
developing prototypes and system testing performance can be estimated by top-down
estimation. Sourcing for material can be done in one day by going through the past supplier
and look for the availability of the materials and another day seven days after the purchase to
check the materials ordered. By referring to similar projects, developing prototype together
with testing it takes about a few days to a few weeks depending on the complexity of the
prototype. Without needing to optimize the assembling process for production line,
prototyping can be performed efficiently. [6] By using three-point-estimation, the optimistic,
pessimistic and mean time to develop a prototype is estimated by using formula,
a+ 4 m+b
t μ= .
6

Prototype Optimistic duration, a Pessimistic duration, b Mean duration, m

Solar collection panel 3 days 9 days 6 days
Water tank 3 days 9 days 6 days
Water heater 3 days 9 days 6 days

Therefore, prototyping each key parts takes 6 days while testing them takes 3 days according
to the workload recommended from their respective standard. On the other hand, assembling
key parts takes only one day as a solar water heater takes hours to days to install in a
residential property and assembling them without obstacles like concrete walls and water

25
pipes should be able to complete within a day. Meanwhile, testing the whole solar water
heater system takes up to 9 days at least as some testing needs overnight observation [4].
The flow of the prototype development is basically designing, followed by sourcing for
material then building and testing. Each key part is carried out independent of each other
meaning while designing the solar collection panel, sourcing for materials for storage tank
and building storage tank can happen simultaneously as shown in the Gantt chart below. The
predecessor, duration, resources and cost of each activity is shown in the activity list below.
More details can be scrutinised in the project file attached.

26
September 2023 October 2023 November 2023 December 2023 January 2024 February 2024 March 2024 April 2024 May 2024
24 29 4 9 14 19 24 29 3 8 13 18 23 28 3 8 13 18 23 28 2 7 12 17 22 27 1 6 11 16 21 26 2 7 12 17 22 27 1 6 11 16 21 26 1 6 11 16

Mechatronics Engineer,Design Engineer[3],PLC Programmer

Mechatronics Engineer,Design Engineer[3],PLC Programmer

Mechatronics Engineer,Technician [2]
18/11

Design Engineer[3]

Design Engineer[3]
8/12

Design Engineer[3]

Design Engineer[3]
1/1

Design Engineer[3]

Design Engineer[3]
17/1

17/1

PLC Programmer

PLC Programmer
Mechatronics Engineer
30/11

Procurement Engineer,Polyurethane Insulation Foam [0.5 tins],Tank[1 unit],Backup Heater Water Element [1 unit],Thermostat[1 unit],Pressu

Procurement Engineer

19/12

Procurement Engineer,Small Lithium Battery [1 unit],Photovoltaic Cell[1 unit],Aluminium Frame [1 unit],Galvanise Steel Ba

Procurement Engineer

11/1

Procurement Engineer,Mounting[1 unit],Stainless Steel Pipe [1 unit],Insulation with Jacketing [1 unit],Mixing V

Procurement Engineer
27/1

Procurement Engineer,LCD Screen [1 unit],Circuit Board [1 unit],Buttons[1 unit],LEDs[1 unit],Power Supply [1 unit],Casing[1 unit]
Procurement Engineer
11/12
11/12

Mechatronics Engineer,Technician [2]

Mechatronics Engineer
29/12

Mechatronics Engineer,Technician [2]

Mechatronics Engineer
22/1

Mechatronics Engineer,Technician [2]

Mechatronics Engineer
7/2
7/2

Mechatronics Engineer,Technician [2]

Mechatronics Engineer

19/2

Design Engineer,Mechatronics Engineer

22/2

This Gantt chart shows that the project starts from 6th of November 2023 and ends on 22nd of
February 2024. The total project time is 94 days excluding non-working days. The critical
activities are highlighted in red colour starting from researching, software training, designing
all three key parts, sourcing for water heater materials, building and testing water heater
followed by testing solar water heater system performance and end with evaluating the
project and wrapping-up.

27
28
Activity List
WBS Task Name Duration Predecessors Resource Names Cost
Solar Water Heater System 94 days RM57,178.00
1 Researching and training 12 days RM7,536.00
1.1 Research on solar water heater system 6 days Mechatronics Engineer, Design Engineer [3], PLC Programmer RM4,224.00
1.2 Software training 3 days 2 Mechatronics Engineer, Design Engineer [3], PLC Programmer RM2,112.00
1.3 Lab equipment training 3 days 3 Mechatronics Engineer, Technician [2] RM1,200.00
1.4 Research and training completed 0 days 4 RM0.00
2 Design solar water heater 54 days RM20,736.00
2.1 Design storage tank 20 days RM7,680.00
2.1.1 Design storage tank 18 days 3 Design Engineer [3] RM6,912.00
2.1.3 Draw blueprint of storage tank 2 days 8 Design Engineer [3] RM768.00
2.1.2 Storage tank designed 0 days 9 RM0.00
2.2 Design flat panel collector 20 days RM7,680.00
2.2.1 Design flat panel collector 18 days 10 Design Engineer [3] RM6,912.00
2.2.3 Draw blueprint of flat panel collector 2 days 12 Design Engineer [3] RM768.00
2.2.2 Flat panel collector designed 0 days 13 RM0.00
2.3 Design water heater 14 days RM5,376.00
2.3.1 Design water heater 12 days 14 Design Engineer [3] RM4,608.00
2.3.3 Draw blueprint of water heater 2 days 16 Design Engineer [3] RM768.00
2.3.2 Water heater designed 0 days 17 RM0.00
2.4 Prototypes designed 0 days 18 RM0.00
3 Designing control system 10 days RM1,600.00
3.1 Program logic control 6 days 5 PLC Programmer RM960.00
3.2 Debug and patch 3 days 21 PLC Programmer RM480.00
3.3 Design circuit with schematics 1 day 22 Mechatronics Engineer RM160.00
3.4 Control system completed 0 days 23 RM0.00
4 Sourcing from materials 50 days RM15,962.00
4.1 Source for storage tank materials 9 days RM7,755.00
4.1.1 Buy material of storage tank 1 day 10 Procurement Engineer, Polyurethane Insulation Foam [0.5 tins], Tank [1 RM7,595.00
unit], Backup Heater Water Element [1 unit], Thermostat [1 unit], Pressure
Relieve Valve [1 unit], External Housing [1 unit], Sacrificial Magnesium
Anode [1 unit]
4.1.2 Checking storage tank materials 1 day 27FS+7 days Procurement Engineer RM160.00
4.1.3 Storage tank material sourced 0 days 28 RM0.00
4.2 Source for flat panel materials 9 days RM2,390.00

29
4.2.1 Buy materials of flat panel collector 1 day 14 Procurement Engineer, Small Lithium Battery [1 unit], Photovoltaic Cell [1 RM2,230.00
unit], Aluminium Frame [1 unit], Galvanise Steel Backplate [1 unit],
Polyurethane Insulation Foam [0.5 tins], Copper Riser Tubes [1 unit], Inlet
and Outlet [1 unit], Low Iron Tempered Glass [1 unit]
4.2.2 Checking flat panel collector 1 day 31FS+7 days Procurement Engineer RM160.00
materials
4.2.3 Flat panel materials sourced 0 days 32 RM0.00
4.3 Source for water heater materials 9 days RM4,880.00
4.3.1 Buy materials of water heater 1 day 18 Procurement Engineer, Mounting [1 unit], Stainless Steel Pipe [1 unit], RM4,720.00
Insulation with Jacketing [1 unit], Mixing Valve [1 unit], Pump [1 unit]
4.3.2 Checking water heater materials 1 day 35FS+7 days Procurement Engineer RM160.00
4.3.3 Water heater materials sourced 0 days 36 RM0.00
4.4 Source for control system electronics 9 days RM937.00
components
4.4.1 Buy electronics components 1 day 24 Procurement Engineer, LCD Screen [1 unit], Circuit Board [1 unit], Buttons RM777.00
[1 unit], LEDs [1 unit], Power Supply [1 unit], Casing [1 unit]
4.4.2 Checking electronics components 1 day 39FS+7 days Procurement Engineer RM160.00
4.4.3 Electronics components sourced 0 days 40 RM0.00
4.5 Materials gathered 0 days 41 RM0.00
5 Building and testing prototypes 43 days RM8,640.00
5.1 Building and testing storage tank 9 days RM2,880.00
5.1.1 Build storage tank 6 days 29,41,4 Mechatronics Engineer, Technician [2] RM2,400.00
5.1.2 Test heat retention of storage tank 3 days 45 Mechatronics Engineer RM480.00
5.1.3 Storage tank built and tested 0 days 46 RM0.00
5.2 Building and testing flat panel 9 days RM2,880.00
collector
5.2.1 Build flat panel collector 6 days 47,33,41 Mechatronics Engineer, Technician [2] RM2,400.00
5.2.2 Test flat panel collector performance 3 days 49 Mechatronics Engineer RM480.00
5.2.3 Flat panel collector built and tested 0 days 50 RM0.00
5.3 Building and testing water heater 9 days RM2,880.00
5.3.1 Build water heater 6 days 51,37,41 Mechatronics Engineer, Technician [2] RM2,400.00
5.3.2 Test temperature control 3 days 53 Mechatronics Engineer RM480.00
5.3.3 Water heater built and tested 0 days 54 RM0.00
5.4 Prototypes built and tested individually 0 days 55 RM0.00
6 Testing solar water heater 10 days RM1,840.00
performance
6.1 Assemble key parts 1 day 56 Mechatronics Engineer, Technician [2] RM400.00

30
6.2 Testing solar water heater system as a 9 days 58 Mechatronics Engineer RM1,440.00
whole
6.3 Solar water heater system created 0 days 59 RM0.00
7 Evaluating project and wrapping-up 3 days RM864.00
7.1 Documenting specifications for solar 3 days 60 Design Engineer, Mechatronics Engineer RM864.00
water heater system
7.4 Project completed 0 days 62 RM0.00

31
Resource planning
Human Resource
To ensure that the project team members are clear about what should be performed by them
and when should they perform it a schedule is arranged according to the team planner in
Microsoft project.
Project Role Working days
Design 6/11/23 (Mon) – 11/11/23 (Sat)
Engineers
13/11/23 (Mon) – 15/11/23 (Wed)
16/11/23 (Thu) – 6/12/23 (Wed)
7/12/23 (Thu) – 8/12/23 (Fri)
9/12/23 (Sat) – 29/12/23 (Fri)
30/12/23 (Sat) – 1/1/24 (Mon)
2/1/24 (Tue) – 15/1/24 (Mon)
16/2/24 (Tue) – 17/2/24 (Wed)
20/2/24 (Tue) – 22/2/24 (Thu)
PLC 6/11/23 (Mon) – 11/11/23 (Sat)
Programmer
13/11/23 (Mon) – 15/11/23 (Wed)
20/11/23 (Mon) – 25/11/23 (Sat)
27/11/23 (Mon) – 29/11/23 (Wed)
Procurement 1/12/23 (Fri)
Engineer 9/12/23 (Sat)
11/12/23 (Mon)
19/12/23 (Tue)
2/1/24 (Tue)
11/1/24 (Thu)
18/1/24 (Thu)
27/1/24 (Sat)
Mechatronics 6/11/23 (Mon) – 11/11/23 (Sat)
Engineer
13/11/23 (Mon) – 15/11/23 (Wed)
16/11/23 (Thu) – 18/11/23 (Sat)
30/11/23 (Wed)
20/12/23 (Wed) – 26/12/23 (Tue)
27/12/23 (Wed) – 29/12/23 (Fri)
12/1/24 (Fri) – 18/1/24 (Thu)
19/1/24 (Fri) – 22/1/24 (Mon)
29/1/24 (Mon) – 3/2/24 (Sat)
5/2/24(Mon) – 7/2/24 (Wed)
8/2/24 (Thu)
9/2/24 (Fri) – 19/2/24 (Mon)
20/2/24 (Tue) – 22/2/24 (Thu)
Technicians 20/12/23 (Wed) – 26/12/23 (Tue)
12/1/24 (Fri) – 18/1/24 (Thu)
29/1/24 (Mon) – 3/2/24 (Sat)
32
Task to be performed
Research on solar water heater
system
Software training
Design storage tank
Draw storage tank blueprint
Design flat panel collector
Draw flat panel collector blueprint
Design water heater
Draw water heater blueprint
Documenting specifications
Research on solar water heater
system
Software training
Program logic control
Debug and patch
Buy electronics components
Buy storage tank materials
Check electronics components
Check storage tank materials
Buy flat panel collector materials
Check flat panel collector materials
Buy water heater materials
Check water heater materials
Research on solar water heater
system
Software training
Lab equipment training
Design circuit with schematics
Build storage tank
Test heat retention
Build flat panel collector
Test flat panel collector
Build water heater
Test temperature control
Assemble key parts
Testing solar water heater system
Documenting specifications
Build storage tank
Build flat panel collector
Build water heater
 8/2/24 (Thu) Assemble key parts

RACI Matrix
To avoid confusion in role performed by team members at each task, a responsibility
assignment matrix (RACI) is devised. The person assigned to complete the task is labelled as
R. The person who approves the deliverable from the task is labelled as A. The person whose
opinions are sought is labelled as C. Meanwhile, the person who is kept updated on the latest
progress is labelled as I. R, A, C and I means responsible, accountable, consulted and
informed respectively.
There can be one or more members responsible in a single task with extra members either as
assisting individuals or participants in case of attending training and performing research.
There can be only one person accountable for approving the deliverables at each milestone to
prevent confusion and overlapping authority. Consulted individuals are either experts in the
field or the current task is related to the previous responsibility of the person. If the current
performing task the predecessor of another task, informing the individuals responsible for the
next task is required at completion of the current task. Also, informing the finance
representative is required when spending project budget.
Stakeholders
Program manager

Design Engineers

PLC Programmer
Project manager

Representative
Mechatronics

Procurement

Technicians
Task Name
Engineer

Engineer

Finance
Solar Water Heater System
Researching and training
Research on solar water heater system R R R I
Software training R R R I
Lab equipment training R R I
Research and training completed A
Design solar water heater
Design storage tank
Design storage tank R
Draw blueprint of storage tank R
Storage tank designed A I I
Design flat panel collector
Design flat panel collector R
Draw blueprint of flat panel collector R
Flat panel collector designed A I I
Design water heater
Design water heater R
Draw blueprint of water heater R

33
Water heater designed A I
Prototypes designed A I I
Designing control system
Program logic control R
Debug and patch R
Design circuit with schematics R C
Control system completed A I I
Sourcing from materials
Source for storage tank materials
Buy material of storage tank C R I
Checking storage tank materials R
Storage tank material sourced A I I
Source for flat panel materials
Buy materials of flat panel collector C R I
Checking flat panel collector materials R
Flat panel materials sourced A I I
Source for water heater materials
Buy materials of water heater C R I
Checking water heater materials R
Water heater materials sourced A I I
Source for electronics components
Buy electronics components C R I
Checking electronics components R
Electronics components sourced A I I
Materials gathered A I
Building and testing prototypes
Building and testing storage tank
Build storage tank C R R
Test heat retention of storage tank R
Storage tank built and tested A I
Building and testing flat panel collector
Build flat panel collector C R R
Test flat panel collector performance R
Flat panel collector built and tested A I
Building and testing water heater
Build water heater C R R
Test temperature control R
Water heater built and tested A I
Prototypes built and tested individually A I
Testing solar water heater performance
Assemble key parts C R R
Testing solar water heater system as a whole R

Solar water heater system created A I I

Evaluating project and wrapping-up

Documenting specifications for solar water heater C R R
system

34
 Project completed A I

Materials Required
Materials Price per unit (RM) Units required
Aluminium Frame 20.00 1
Galvanise Steel Backplate 560.00 1
Polyurethane Insulation Foam 60.00 1
Copper Riser Tubes 1,000.00 1
Inlet and Outlet 40.00 1
Aluminium Absorber Plate 660.00 1
Low Iron Tempered Glass 120.00 1
Tank 5,750.00 1
Backup Heater Water Element 165.00 1
Thermostat 205.00 1
Pressure Relieve Valve 165.00 1
External Housing 990.00 1
Sacrificial Magnesium Anode 130.00 1
Mounting 350.00 1
Photovoltaic Cell 250.00 1
Small Lithium Battery 50.00 1
LCD Screen 255.00 1
Circuit Board 270.00 1
Buttons 7.00 1
LEDs 5.00 1
Power Supply 40.00 1
Casing 40.00 1
Stainless Steel Pipe 240.00 1
Insulation with Jacketing 950.00 1
Mixing Valve 680.00 1
Pump 2,340.00 1
Total amount (RM): 15342

35
Planning communication management
Internal Communication Plan

Stakeholder Information to be Frequency Communication Channel

Communicated
Chief Executive Project Progress, Bi-weekly Email, Status Report,
Officer (CEO) Changes, Issues and Review Meetings
Concerns
Program Manager Project Progress, Bi-weekly Email, Status Report, In-
Changes, Issues and person Meetings
Concerns
Project Manager Project Progress, Weekly Email, Team Meetings
Changes, Spending,
Issues and Concerns
R&D Manager Staff Progress, Weekly Email
Performance, Project
Progress, Issues and
Concerns
Head of Technician Product Specification After Product Email, Team Meetings
and Features Design is
completed
Head of Design Product Specification After Product Email, Team Meetings
Engineers and Features Scope is
defined
PLC Programmer Product System After Product Email, Team Meetings
Specification and Design is
Requirements completed
Procurement Raw Material Types, After Product Email, Team Meetings
Engineer Quantity and Quality Scope is
Requirements defined
Finance Manager Staff Progress, Weekly Email
Performance, Project
Progress, Issues and
Concern
Finance Project Progress, As Needed Email, Team Meetings
Representative Financial Spending and
Needs
Legal Manager Staff Progress, Weekly Email
Performance, Project
Progress, Issues and
Concern
Legal Advisor Legal Issues, Concerns As Needed Email, Team Meetings,
and Advice that is In-person Meetings
Needed.
Marketing Manager Staff Progress, Monthly Email
Performance, Project
Progress, Issues and
Concern

36
 Marketing Advisor Product Specification As Needed Email, Team Meetings
that needs Feedback
and Advice
Human Resource Staff Progress, Weekly Email
Manager Performance, Project
Progress, Issues and
Concern
Human Resource Staff Skill After Product Email
Representative Requirements, Scope is
Performance, Issues defined
and Work Duration

External Communication Plan

Stakeholder Information to be Frequency Communication

Communicated Channel
Energy Commission Product After Quality Email, In-person
Specification and Testing of Prototype Meetings
Actual Product
SIRIM QAS Product After Quality Email, In-person
Specification and Testing of Prototype Meetings
Actual Product
Suppliers Raw Material Types, As Needed Email, Phone Calls,
Quantity and Quality In-person Meetings
Requirements
End-users Product Feature, Only Once Pre- Email, Phone Calls,
Requirements and planning In-person Surveys,
Feedback Social Media

All the communication details such as email addresses, phone numbers are recorded in the
stakeholder register.
Escalation Process
Step Process Details

1. Identify Issue -Identify the communication issues or concerns that is affecting

the progress of the project.
-Examples of communication issues: Breakdown in
communication, delay in information sharing, misunderstandings
2. Evaluate Issue -Assess the impact and severity of the issue.
3. Initial -Attempt to solve at the same level.
Resolution -Discussing the issues with relevant parties
Attempt -Compare and resolve the difference in information
-Clarifying misunderstandings
-Take corrective actions
4. First Level -If cannot resolve the issue at the same level or the issue escalates
Escalation in severity, it is escalated to the next level of management.
5. Second Level -If the issue still can’t be resolve after first level escalation or the

37
 Escalation issue have both huge impact and severity, it is escalated to the
higher management levels of the project.
6. Issue Closure -After an issue is resolved, all parties involved are ensured to
and Feedback received feedback and all follow-up actions are ensured to be
taken.
7. Documentation -All issue details, parties involved, escalation progress, and
actions taken are recorded for transparency and accountability
purpose.
8. Communicatio -Communication plan is reviewed and any necessary
n Plan Review improvements are taken to prevent the same issues from
occurring again in the future.

Power-influence grid
The power-influence grid is used to indicate the sensitivity of information to be conveyed to
the stakeholders. The stakeholders are separated into four categories which are to be kept
satisfied, managed closely, monitored and kept informed. The grid is shown as follows.

Planning quality management

Quality management is carried out mainly to retain the integrity of the product performance
and safety. Therefore, a quality management plan including quality objectives, standards
requirements and quality criteria is devised.
Quality objectives:
 Ensure the deliverables meet the high-level requirements at crucial stages.
 Conform to requirements set by regulating bodies.

38
  Perform testing designed by ISO to ensure good performance and safety of the
deliverables.
 Ensure the safety of every prototype even without standards from professional bodies.

Quality regulation based on to project baseline

Even though the design is not constrained to any specifications, the Energy Commission has
composed a guideline that demand for some safety features that has to be complied in order
to secure approval. Besides, ISO 9806-2017 is crucial in testing the solar collection panel as
it defines the testing procedures to evaluate the durability, reliability, safety and thermal
performance of the panel. Additionally, ISO 9459-2:1995

Project stages Standards/guidelines Task to be performed Performing

personnel
Designing solar Energy Commission  The structure supporting the Lim Win
water heater heater tank must be able to Son
withstand twice the weight
of the fully filled tank.
 The output water
temperature must be
controlled at not more than
60℃ .
 The water tank capacity for
domestic uses is up to 300
litres at maximum.
 Isolation barriers must be
prefitted at both water inlet
and outlet connections. [3]
Sourcing for Depending on the  Perform non-destructive Jamie Oliver
materials material procured quality checking such as
dimensional checking and
inspection.
Prototype ISO 9806-2017  Air leakage rate test. Kong Cheng
performance  Rupture or collapse test. Fong
evaluation  Standard stagnation
temperature.
 Exposure test.
 External and internal shock
test.
 Rain penetration test.
 Internal pressure test for
fluid channels.
 Mechanical load test.
 Impact resistance test. [5]
ISO 9459-2:1995  Six one-day tests. Kong Cheng

39
  Test to determine the degree Fong
of mixing in the storage
tank during draw-off.
 Overnight heat lost test to
determine the heat lost
coefficient. [4]

Audit checklist at each milestone

An audit checklist is prepared to control the quality of the project at the hand-over major
deliverables at their specified milestone.
Milestone Success criteria Assessed Comments
by
Research and  Project team is clear about how to Koh Wei
training design a solar water heater system. Zhong
completed  Project team is familiar with
engineering tools that they are going
to be using.
 Project team is capable of handling
lab equipment according to standard
procedures.
Storage tank  The design allows the tank to be Koh Wei
designed installed at some distance from the Zhong
solar collection panel.
 Heating element is included.
 Water tank is below 300 litres.
 Water tank comes with isolation
barriers at the inlets and outlets.
 The dimensions of the water tank are
stated clearly.
 Materials required are listed
completely.
Flat panel  The design fits the properties of a Koh Wei
collector closed direct solar water heater Zhong
designed system.
 Water is forced to circulate through
the panel
 The dimensions of the solar collection
panel are stated clearly.
 Materials required are listed
completely.
Water heater  A mixing valve is included to enable Koh Wei
designed temperature control. Zhong
 Sufficient spaces are designated for
electronics components.
 Good water-resistance to protect the
internal circuitry.

40
  Allow switching from heating water
using solar collection panel and
electricity stored using photovoltaic
panel.
 The dimensions of the water heater
are stated clearly.
 Materials required are listed
completely.
Prototypes  A 3D-model of the whole system is Kelvin
designed drawn out with simple descriptions Ong
explaining the process of water being
heater.
 The design meets the high-level
requirements collected from
stakeholders.
Control  Allow switching from heating water Koh Wei
system using solar collection panel and Zhong
completed electricity from a 3-pin socket.
 Control system is programmed and
simulated.
 Schematic is drawn out.
 Electronics components required for
user input and temperature sensing are
listed out.
 The maximum temperature must be
controlled at below 60℃ .
Storage tank  Water tank is built according to its Koh Wei
built and blueprint. Zhong
tested  Water tank is mounted on a structure
that can withstand twice of its fully
filled weight.
 Water tank is tested with some basic
features including heat retention,
durability and safety.
Flat panel  Solar panel is built according to its Koh Wei
collector built blueprint. Zhong
and tested  Solar panel is tested according to ISO
9806-2017.
Water heater  Water heater is built according to its Koh Wei
built and blueprint. Zhong
tested  Water heater is tested mainly on its
reliability and safety on controlling
water and electricity outputs.
Solar water  Solar water system is assembled with Kelvin
heater created special connectors designed alongside Ong
with the water heater.
 The performance of the solar water
heater as a whole is evaluated
according to ISO 9459-2:1995.
41
 Project  Documentations about the Kelvin
completed specifications of the water heater are Ong
produced.
 Post-project performance review is
carried out.

Problem logs
Useful data such as material delivery time, team members punctuality and machine downtime
can be taken down in a check sheet throughout the execution. Additional complications can
be progressively added throughout the project lifetime. This data will be used to draw an
Ishikawa diagram and plot a Pareto diagram so that the causes can be identified when any
undesirable outcome arises.
Complications Date 1 Date 2 Date 3 Frequency
Late delivery
Team member being late
Little to no progress on
designing
Machine breakdown
Prototype falsely
constructed
Prototypes underperformed
Buggy temperature
regulation
Buggy pump force
regulation

Template of Ishikawa diagram

42
Change request
To access the management reserve fund, a change request has to be made by filling up the
form below stating the reason of change and change impact. After the request has been
approved, the activities carried out with the time and resources granted has to be tracked as
usual.
CHANGE REQUEST FORM

Change Description
Project Name: Change Name: Number:

Requested By: Contact: Date:

Description of Change:

Reason for Change:

Priority [Circle One]: 1. High 2. Medium 3. Low

Impact on Deliverables:

Impact of Not Responding to Change (and Reason Why):

Date Needed: Approval of Request: Date:

Change Impact
Tasks/Scope Affected:
Cost Evaluation:
Risk Evaluation:
Quality Evaluation:
Additional Resources:
Duration:
Additional Effort:
Impact on Deadline:
Alternative and Recommendations:
Comments:

Sign Offs
[Circle One]: 1. Accepted 2. Deferred 3. Rejected 4. More Info Requested

Comments:
Project Manager Signature: Date:
Decision Maker Signature: Date:

43
Planning risk management
Risk register
Risk identified is included in the risk register below. The probability and impact of the risk is graded and the possible mitigation method is
thought out so that the risk can be address earlier at a lower cost. A contingency resolve method is also planned out in case if the risk cannot be
solved with mitigation. The responding personnel and response time are stated out to perform the contingency plan to ensure the problem is
addressed quickly and efficiently by a specific person.
Category Risk Probability Impact Mitigation Contingency Risk Score Responding Respond
After Personnel Time
Mitigation
Schedule Materials High High Pay for extra Buy from another 2 Jamie 2 hours
risk damaged on courier protection supplier Oliver
delivery
Financial Inflation Medium Medium Source for Opt for second- 2 Jamie 2 hours
risk materials from grade materials Oliver
local suppliers
Technical Machine High High Perform Outsource to other 1 Lim Tzer 3 days
risk malfunction maintenance at the manufacturing Xuan
start of the project companies
Performance Project team Low High Provide relevant Employ experts on 1 Koh Wei 3 days
risk under training at the start this field to provide Zhong
performed of the project advice
Performance Product under Low High Perform market Add in additional 3 Koh Wei 1 day
risk performed research feature Zhong
Safety risk Injuries occur Low High Provide equipment Admit to hospital 1 Koh Wei immediately
when handling training to immediately and Zhong
lab equipment personnel using it pay for medical fee

44
Monitoring and controlling scope
This project adopts phase-gate model where each phase is separated with several
requirements that impedes the progression by cutting off the funding if they are not met. Go
or no-go control is introduced at the closure of each phase and is performed according to the
audit checklist prepared when planning the project. Deliverables have to be accessed by the
program manager, Kelvin Ong to secure the funding for the next phase.
Monitoring and controlling cost
Earned value management is used to evaluate the cost performance and make suitable
response according to the performance. The planned cost against time (PV) is plotted by
cumulating the budget spent throughout the project life according to the cost baseline.
The graph with the planned cost plotted is shown as below.

60000
Earned Value Management
50000

40000
Cost (RM)

30000

20000

10000

0
6/11/23 16/11/23 26/11/23 6/12/23 16/12/23 26/12/23 5/1/24 15/1/24 25/1/24 4/2/24 14/2/24

Time (Date)

Cumulative Cost

The earned value (EV) is plotted by cumulatively adding the cost by using the 50-50 rule in
which half of the cost is incurred at the start of the activity and the other half will be incurred
at the end of the activity. On the contrary, actual cost (AC) is plotted by cumulating the actual
cost that is spent on each activity.
By continuously updating the graph, the cost performance of the project can be evaluated
from time to time and make changes accordingly. To evaluate the cost performance, the cost
variance (CV), schedule variance (SV), cost performance index (CPI) and schedule
performance index (SPI) can be calculated with the formulas below.
CV = EV - AC SV = EV - PV CPI = EV / AC SPI = EV / PV

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These parameters carry some information with them. Positive CV means the project is
underrun while negative CV means budget overrun. CPI is alternative to CV which presents
the information in a ratio form. If CPI is above 1, the project is underrun and vice versa. If
SPI is above 1, the project is ahead of schedule and vice versa.
Moreover, actual cost can be forecasted to obtain the estimate at completion (EAC) to
compare with budget at completion (BAC) so that an early warning can be signaled if the
EAC is out of acceptable tolerances. EAC will be forecasted considering both SPI and CPI
factors using the formula EAC = AC + [(BAC - EV) / (CPI * SPI)].
Monitoring and controlling schedule
By referring to the earned value management graph, the schedule performance can be
calculated by calculating the schedule variance (SV) and schedule performance index (SPI) to
access the magnitude of variation to the original schedule baseline.
Furthermore, an iteration burndown chart is plotted with ideal remaining work based on
schedule baseline, actual remaining work plotted based on the progress of the project in real
time and a forecast trend line that predicts the completion based on remaining work.
The ideal remaining work is plotted as shown below.

Iteration Burndown Chart

2,500 hrs
2,232 hrs

2,000 hrs
Remaning work (Hours)

1,776 hrs

1,500 hrs 1,440 hrs

1,056 hrs
1,000 hrs
720 hrs
500 hrs 328 hrs
168 hrs
56 hrs 0 hrs
0 hrs
30/10/23 13/11/23 27/11/23 11/12/23 25/12/23 8/1/24 22/1/24 5/2/24 19/2/24
Iteration days (Date)

Remaining Cumulative Work

Monitoring and controlling quality

To monitor the quality of the deliverables, the audit checklist prepared is filled up to ensure
the deliverable at each milestone meet the expectations from regulatory bodies and standard
organizations. Besides, format sheets to record the result of prototype testing provided in the
annex are filled up in order to be evaluated by professional bodies on the performance of the
prototypes. Changes can be requested if the quality does not meet the requirements.

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Closing
At the end of the project, the project needs to be finalised with all the activities across all the
Project Management Process Group to formally complete the project or phase. The project
manager reviews the scope baseline to ensure completion of this product development.
1. Define the specific objective and criteria that must be met for the project to be
considered closed successfully.
2. Stakeholder Communication: Communicate with all project stakeholders to inform
them of the impending project closure. Share the project's achievements, outcomes,
and any outstanding issues or tasks.
3. Review and Document Lessons Learned: Conduct a formal lesson learned session
with the project team. Document successes, challenges, and best practices for future
reference. Use lessons learned to improve processes and outcomes in future projects.
4. Finalize Documentation: Ensure all project documentation, including project plans,
reports, and deliverables, is up-to-date and complete. Archive all project-related
documents for future reference and audit purposes.
5. Financial Closure: Review project finances to ensure all expenses have been properly
accounted for and paid. Close out financial accounts and ensure all outstanding
invoices and payments are resolved.
6. Quality Assurance: Review the quality of project deliverables to ensure they meet the
defined quality standards and requirements. Resolve any outstanding quality issues.
7. Procurement Closure: Review all procurement contracts and ensure that all goods and
services have been received and paid for. Close out procurement contracts and ensure
all outstanding procurement-related issues are resolved.
8. Risk Assessment: Conduct a final risk assessment to identify any outstanding risks
that need to be addressed before project closure. Develop and implement risk
mitigation plans as needed.
9. Transition Plan: Develop a transition plan for the handover of project deliverables,
responsibilities, and knowledge to the appropriate teams or individuals. Ensure that
ongoing maintenance and support plans are in place if applicable
10. Formal Sign-off: Obtain formal sign-off and acceptance of project deliverables from
the project sponsor or client. Ensure all stakeholders are in agreement that the project
has met its objectives.
11. Finalize Resource Release: Release project team members and resources to their
respective departments or projects. Update resource allocation records and notify
relevant managers.
12. Project Closure Report: Prepare a comprehensive project closure report that
summarizes the entire project lifecycle, including objectives, achievements,
challenges, and lessons learned. Distribute the report to key stakeholders and archive
it for future reference.
13. Administrative Closure: Complete all administrative tasks, such as closing project
accounts, contracts, and permits. Update project management tools and systems to
reflect project closure.

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 14. Celebrate and Acknowledge: Celebrate the successful closure of the project with the
project team and key stakeholders. Acknowledge and thank everyone who contributed
to the project's success.
15. Post-Implementation Review: After a period of time, conduct a post-implementation
review to ensure that the project's outcomes and benefits are being realized as
expected.
16. Formal Closure Notification: Send out formal closure notifications to all stakeholders,
formally concluding the project. By following this comprehensive closing plan, you
can ensure that your project is closed efficiently and effectively, with all loose ends
tied up and lessons learned for future projects.

Key Project Management Takeaways:

Effective Planning: Thorough planning, budgeting, and resource allocation are essential for
the success of projects with significant upfront costs.
Risk Mitigation: Anticipating and addressing weather-related and maintenance challenges in
advance can minimize project disruptions.
Stakeholder Engagement: Maintaining open and transparent communication with
stakeholders is crucial for project success
The Closing Process Group is a crucial phase in project management as it ensures that the
project's work is formally completed and all objectives are met. It provides a structured
approach to bringing the project to a successful conclusion and allows for the capture of
valuable lessons learned for future projects.

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Project Closure Template
Project name: XXX

Programme: XXX

Version and date: XXX

Author: XXX

Hand over document: XXX

Reason for closure: XXX

Project final position: Scope: XXX

Schedule: XXX

Budget: XXX

Change control: XXX

Project manager: XXX

Date: XXX

Approved by: XXX

Activity Completed (Yes/No)

Research and training completed Yes
Storage tank designed Yes
Flat panel collector designed Yes
Water heater designed Yes
Prototype designed Yes
Control system designed Yes
Storage tank material sourced Yes
Flat panel collector material sourced Yes
Water heater materials sourced Yes
Electronic components sourced Yes
Materials gathered Yes
Storage tank built and tested Yes
Flat panel collector built and tested Yes
Water heater built and tested Yes
Prototypes built and tested individually Yes
Solar water heater system created Yes
Project completed Yes

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Reference
[1] “GUIDELINE ON APPLICATION FOR INCENTIVE AND/OR EXPATRIATE POSTS
FOR GREEN TECHNOLOGY (GT).” Available:
https://www.mida.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Guideline-Green-Technology-
Incentive-as-at-02122021.pdf
[2] “Solar Water Heater Market Share, Analysis Report 2032,” Global Market Insights Inc.
https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/solar-water-heater-market (accessed Aug. 23,
2023).
[3] “Guideline for the Design, Installation, Inspection, Testing, Operation and Maintenance of
Water Heater Systems.”
[4] ISO/TC 180, Solar energy - Solar thermal collectors - Test methods.
[5] ISO/TC 180/ SC 4, Solar heating - Domestic water heating systems - Part 2: Outdoor test
methods for system performance characterization and yearly performance prediction of solar-
only system.
[6] E. D. | P. R. Labs, “Understanding the Prototype to Production Process,” Pacific Research,
Apr. 07, 2020. https://www.pacific-research.com/understanding-the-prototype-to-production-
process-prl/
[7] H. Yahya, “SOLIDWORKS Routing - Piping and Tubing Course - CADVision Systems
SOLIDWORKS,” CADVision Systems SOLIDWORKS, Apr. 11, 2019. https://www.cad-
vision.com.my/solidworks-routing-piping-and-tubing-course/ (accessed Sep. 19, 2023).
[8] Project Management Institute, Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition), 6th ed. Project Management Institute, 2017.

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