Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology

Department of Computing
Level: 6

Module: COM644: IT Project Management

Assignment: 1: Tasks 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Issue Date: 1st December 2022

Assignment Reviews: Tutorials

Submission Dates: Task 1: Weekly (3 weeks) from 01.12.2022

Task 2: Interim Viva 12.12.2022

Task 3: Group Portfolio 14.12.2022

Ind. Critical Eval. 21.12.2022

Lecturer: Dr. Archana Pandita

Verified by: Dr. Sanjay Batheja

To be completed by student:
I certify that, other than where collaboration has been
explicitly permitted, this work is the result of my individual Name: ..........................................................
effort and that all sources for materials have been
acknowledged. I also confirm that I have read and
understood the codes of practice on plagiarism contained
Student Number:.........................................
within the Glyndwr Academic Regulations and that, by
signing this printed form or typing my name on an Date Submitted: .........................................
electronically submitted version, I am agreeing to be dealt
with accordingly in any case of suspected unfair practice. I
also certify that my attendance for the module has been at
least 70% Student Signature: .....................................
Are extenuating circumstances being claimed? YES / NO
If YES, give reference number: --------------------------------------
To be completed by lecturer
Comments:
Grade / Mark
(Indicative: may change when
moderated)
Overall Assignment Description

There are three tasks for this assignment, weighted: 15% (Task 1), 15% (Task 2) &
70% (Task 3).

This assessment is based on a real-life project scenario to simulate the

workplace.

Task 1

Task: You will individually undertake the weekly MS Project Exercises provided by
the lecturer. Answer the questions asked for that exercise on the VLE (Moodle) and
submit the file created. Maximum marks are given for work submitted with the correct
answers within the timescale specified on VLE (Moodle).

Sub-tasks

The MS Project Exercises are posted weekly on Moodle in the form of a Question
and Notes documents and sometimes background Power Point presentations are
provided. There will be 3 weekly exercises in total.

Submission

Provision is made to enter the answers electronically via a VLE (Moodle) quiz. These
are made available from the day of the lecture for the next 6 days. If this timeslot is
missed then it is possible to submit the exercise by consultation with the lecturers but
the mark will be capped.

___________________________________________________________
Task 2

You will produce 1 set of individual objectives and a plan of your role within the
group activities for the project. The group will also produce 1 set of objectives for the
group for an intermediate group Viva (21.12.2022), where you will defend and justify
your approach to the project. A more detailed document of the above will be
submitted in the final portfolio.

Your objectives must at least include the following:

 Why you chose the role.

 The objectives of the role.
 How you expect to operate within the group.

You may work with others to discuss the assignment, but the work that you submit
must be your own. Additionally remember to reference your work.

___________________________________________________________
 Task 3 – Group Work

Glyndwr Insurance Company (GIC) Case Study

Task 3: Group Work. As a member of a group you will create a portfolio addressing
the issues associated with the Glyndwr Insurance Company (GIC) scenario within the
guidelines provided.

This portfolio is to be submitted via Turnitin on VLE (Moodle) (21.12.2022).

Individually you will prepare a set of notes to support your contribution to this task for
the VIVA to be held on 21.12.2022.
Glyndwr Insurance Company (GIC) Case Study

Introduction

This case study introduces a fictional Insurance Company called Glyndwr Insurance
Company (GIC), located in North Wales. The IT System used for the running of the
insurance company is unreliable and utilises old technology and therefore needs to
be upgraded.

Project

Since the Operations Director has just appointed a new Finance Director she has
decided to invite Management Consultants to assist the users and IT department in
the insurance company to review the existing system with a view to replacing it. She
has been instructed by the board that:

 Every option should be explored

 The system must be reliable
 The system must meet the requirements of a modern 21st century Insurance
Company
 All areas of the operation should be catered for
 The system must be capable of lasting for at least 5years
 The capital budget with full justification for this project has to be sanctioned by
the board before work commences
 Only a minimum amount of money will be available in subsequent years to
this end any savings in the present system should be identified
 The new system should be useable within 12 months from the start date

Guidance:

Briefing notes will be provided to members of the team which are intended to enable
the student to role play and provide the necessary input to the project. Since each
member of the team will have different roles, which may have conflicting elements, it
is essential that only appropriate information is passed to the relevant members
within the team.

 Customer/Provision Manager
 IT Manager
 Consultant
 Supplier
Team Work

In this assignment, you are to develop, present, and defend an IT project plan based
on the Glyndwr Insurance Company (GIC). You may make assumptions about the
information you are given, but these must be clearly justified and documented.

Project teams are needed to undertake this work in line with the above criteria.
Teams should be made up of 4 students. Each member of the team will adopt a
specific role and both the teams and roles within them have to be agreed by the
lecturers before progressing.

The fundamental criterion for success in this assignment is to convince the Directors
that your project meets the required quality of the organisational structure and
strategy of the IT project with supporting evidence of the portfolio.

The basis for the project organisation will be based on the following diagram.

Figure 1 - Glyndwr Insurance Company (GIC) Organisational Chart

External Consultant Glyndwr Insurance

Providers Company Company

Supplier Consultant IT Director Customer

Provision Manager

Figure 2 Roles within the Glyndwr Insurance Company (GIC)

Submission Guidance for Task 3:

Group Submission: All documentation relating to the project should be included in

the team portfolio. This will include a combined section detailing the outline of the
overall project and section for each of the roles described above.
To complete the project it will be necessary to hold formal meetings with the
appropriate members of the team. Before holding the meetings it will be
necessary to produce appropriate documents for discussion. The objectives of
the meetings, decisions made and any actions need to be clearly documented.

A variety of information should be produced by the team and included in the portfolio:

 Project Organisation and Objectives

 Individual role definitions & objectives
 Specifications - including User, design, system
 Financial information
 Tender information
 Planning information
 Risk Assessments (Project Risks and also Health, Safety & Environmental)
 System support information
 Ethical Issues

The following should also be included in the portfolio:

 Each meeting should have an Agenda and formal minutes with any relevant
correspondence
 Research resources should be referenced using IEEE referencing, and
included in the portfolio.
 Each team member should indicate their adopted role and each piece of work
produced will be attributed to the team member who produced it.

All documentation relating to the project should be included in the team portfolio.

Individual Submission:

Each student will also provide an individual critical evaluation of both their
individual and project team’s approach and results and these should be uploaded
individually to the relevant submission portal.

Submission

For Task 3 work is submitted to the Glyndwr VLE (Moodle) for COM644 on
21.12.2022. There will be:

i. One Group submission (Portfolio) (submitted by 1 group member only)

ii. Each student must submit an individual Critical Evaluation.

Individually you will prepare a set of notes (not a presentation) to support your
contribution to this task for the VIVA to be held on 21.12.2022.

Learning Outcomes

This assignment covers all learning outcomes specified in the module specification.

1. Demonstrate and justify a professional approach to IT practice, including

adhering to the codes and guidelines of professional bodies within the
industry.
 2. Evaluate the professional, ethical, social and legal implications associated
with IT project management.
3. Critically evaluate possible solutions to a problem and select the best
approach, both technically and commercially, demonstrating a critical
understanding of the importance of the decision-making process in IT
management.
4. Evaluate and apply the essential tools and techniques of IT project
management.
5. Demonstrate an in depth understanding of the issues involved in planning and
controlling an IT project.

Key skills for employability:

1. Written, oral and media communication skills

2. Leadership, team working and networking skills
3. Opportunity, creativity and problem solving skills
4. Information technology skills and digital literacy
5. Information management skills
6. Research skills
7. Intercultural and sustainability skills
8. Career management skills
9. Learning to learn (managing personal and professional development, self-
management)
10. Numeracy

Assessment guidelines

This assignment will test your ability to work effectively in a high-pressure team-
based environment. You must work professionally and methodically to produce a
structured IT project plan which could be transferred to a real-world scenario with
minimal further development.

Your personal input to the project portfolio should reflect the role you play.

Each team must take part in a group Viva with the module lecturers as part of the
assessment criteria to defend and justify the contents of their IT project portfolio as
well as submitting the portfolio.

Your individual mark for the Group Project will be produced using the following
components:

60% from your individual written work,

10% from your contribution to your team’s defence of the report and
10% from your contribution to your team’s activity throughout the exercise
20% from your individual critical evaluation

Marking criteria
Grade Description

Work which fulfils all the criteria of the A grade but at a quite exceptional 80+
standard.

A Work of distinguished quality which is based on very extensive reading and 73-79
which demonstrates an authoritative grasp of the concepts, methodology,
and content appropriate to the subject and to the assessment task. There
is clear evidence of originality, and insight and an ability, to sustain an
argument, to think analytically, and/or critically and to synthesise material
 effectively.

Work of distinguished quality, which displays most, but not all, of the A 70-72
grade attributes.

B+ Work which clearly demonstrates all the qualities of a B+ grade but which 68-69
reveals greater insight and more originality.

Work which demonstrates a sound and above average level of 63-67

understanding of the concepts, methodology and content appropriate to the
subject and which draws on a wide range of properly referenced sources.
There is clear evidence of critical judgment in selecting, ordering and
analysing content. Demonstrates some ability to synthesise material and to
construct responses which reveal insight and may offer some occasional
originality.

Work which contains most of the qualities of a B+ grade but where the 60-62
critical judgment is less developed and there is less insight and originality.

B Work of the qualities of a B grade but which contains a greater degree of 58-59
critical analysis and original insight.

Work derived from a solid basis of reading and which demonstrates a grasp 53-57
of relevant material and key concepts; and an ability to structure and
organise arguments. The performance may be rather routine but the work
will be accurate, clearly written and include some critical analysis and a
modest degree of original insight. There will be no serious omissions or
irrelevancies.

Work which demonstrates many of the qualities of a B grade but which 50-52
contains less critical analysis and little or no original insight.

C Competent and suitably organised work which demonstrates a reasonable 48-49

level of understanding but which lacks sufficient analysis and interpretation
to warrant a B grade. It will display some of the weaknesses of a C grade.

Work which covers the basic subject matter adequately and which is 40-47
appropriately organised and presented but which is too descriptive and
insufficiently analytical. There may be some misunderstanding of certain
key concepts and limitations in the ability to select relevant material so that
the work may be flawed by some omissions and irrelevancies. There will be
some evidence of appropriate reading but it may be too narrowly focused.

R There is sufficient information presented to indicate that the student has 0-39
general familiarity with the subject area. Such answers contain very little
appropriate or accurate material, cursory coverage of the basic material,
with numerous errors, omissions or irrelevancies, loose structure, poor or
non-existent development of arguments