LESSON NOTES

TEST QUESTIONS REVISION

Section A
1) Complete this statement to give the fullest and most accurate definition of a project.

"A project is…

Select your answer.

.. a list of functional activities completed within a defined time period and within a defined
budget."

…a group of coordinated activities aimed at bringing about clearly specified organizational

objectives."

… a plan for managing the scope, time, and cost of an organization's activities."

… a series of coordinated activities aimed at bringing about clearly specified objectives

within a defined time period and within a defined budget."

2) What is the role of Project Management?

Select all that apply.
 To define the project goals and the work needed to achieve those goals
 To ensure functional activities are managed in a consistent way
 To keep a balance between competing project parameters to ensure delivery and
quality
3) What are the common causes of project failures?
Select all that apply.
 Communication challenges
 Too much time to deliver the project
 Scope creep
4) What are the criteria for a project to be considered a success?
Select all that apply.
 Key stakeholders and Project Governance agree the project objectives have been
met
 The Project Manager believes the project objectives have been met
 The project is completed within the defined parameters
 The project is completed
 5) Why do Administrations undertake projects?
Select all that apply.
 To positively impact society
 To meet the missions of the organization
 To improve organizational performance
 To make use of functional resources
 To effectively respond to emerging needs, demands, and opportunities

Section B.
a. How does project management contribute to effectiveness and efficiency?
Answer: Project Management supports effectiveness by making sure there is a clear
agreement on the desired results across the team, and that individuals from across an
organization work together to share expertise and insight.
Project Management also supports the efficient use and allocation of resources by considering
what each team will need before they can start work so there is more likely to be a steady flow
of work rather than peaks and troughs of demand. The Project Manager/Director can also
support efficiency by exploring different courses of action (activities) and selecting the most
cost-efficient one(s) to achieve the desired results and objectives.

b. Give two differences between functional activities and Project work.

Answer: Functional activities have consistent objectives. They are part of the day-to-day
operations of an organization. However, project deliverables are unique, with each project
having specific objectives
Functional activities are part of the status quo – they don't generate change. On the other
hand, project activities do generate change.

c. What is the main challenge of project managers in successfully leading projects?

Answer: The main challenge of project managers in successfully leading projects is carefully
balancing four key project parameters: project scope (objectives, activities), project duration
(time), project resources (cost), and project quality. (1/2)

d. How do we keep a healthy balance in projects if one element is restricted by an urgent

deadline?
Answer: We can manage this by either reducing the scope of our project so there's less to do
or by increasing our budget so we can pull in more resources to help.

e. Give two ways to avoid common Project Management challenges.

Answer
 Define, document, and control the scope when someone requests an additional task
to be included in the project
 Be clear, concise, and have good communication so that there are no
misunderstandings between team members
f. Give two benefits of using the Project Lifecycle.
Answer

 Breaking down the work to be done into smaller chunks makes it easier to plan
and manage

 Having defined phases with specific objectives helps structure the work and
Using standardized Project Management processes ensures consistency

g. Identify the steps in the introduction of metrics as a tool for project management.
Answer

 Defining “what” to measure. Measures that provide the maximum insight into the
objectives and bear the maximum correlation with the objectives should be used

 Define the measurement framework. This involves deciding the tools used, the
frequency at which the observations will be pooled, and assigning responsibilities for
measurement and presentation.

 Collection and presentation of data. This is getting down to the brass tacks, where
project controllers collect the information and present it to management in an easy-to-
digest format.
 Analysis of the data and initiating corrective action where necessary.

 Review the effectiveness of the measurement and take corrective actions by

comparing “before” and “after” numbers. This is critical to ensure that the measurement
is not merely an “overhead” activity.

h. Table 1 below shows a project with five activities (A through E)with each activity's
minimum, most probable, and maximum duration. Estimate the expected duration and
confidence level of each activity.

Answer
Table 1
 Predec b (worst- E SD ( standard
Activity essor a (best-case) m (most likely) case) (expected) deviation)
A 10 13 17 13.17 1.17
B A 8 9 13 9.5 0.83
C A 6 7 12 7.67 1.00
D D 14 15 17 15.17 0.5
E B, C, D 4 8 13 8.17 1.5

E = (a + 4m + b)/6 …………….1
SD = (b – a)/6 …………………..2
Activity (A)
a = 10
b = 17
m = 13
Substituting the values of a, b, and m into equations 1 and 2 gives the following:

E = (a + 4m + b)/6
E =(10+4(13)+17)/6 =79/6 = 13.17
SD = (b – a)/6
SD = (17-10)/6 =7/6 = 1.17
The same procedure applies to activities B, C, D, and E.

i. If the progress of installing 100 light fixtures was measured at 25% complete and the
total value for all the light fixtures was $35,000 when complete, determine the earned
value at 25%.
Answer:
Earned Value (EV) = Percent Complete × Maximum Budget
Earned Value (EV) = 0.25 × $35,000 = $ 8,750

j. Table 2 below shows the subtasks required in forming a concrete foundation wall. The
percentage applied to each sub-tax is given in terms of quantity. Use the information
to calculate the percentage variance of each sub-task, and the percentage of total work
completed to date.
Table 2
 Unit of Quantity Quantity Variance Total work
Sub-task Date Measure Total to date % completed %

Layout foundation walls -50 50

on footings 04/04/2020 % 200 100
Erect inside wall panels - 100
and brace 11/04/2020 % 100 100
Set horizontal/vertical - 100
rebar in formwork 18/04/2020 % 100 100
Erect outside wall -12 88
panels and brace 25/04/2020 % 84 74
Plumb and align 02/05/2020 % 659 250 -62.1 37.9
Place and finish -737 0
concrete in formwork 09/05/2020 % 737 0

Answer:
Sub–tax: Layout foundation walls on footings
Variance % = (100 – 200)/200 * 100
= -100/200 * 100 = -0.5*100
= - 50%
Total work completed % = (100/200)*100 = 50%
The same procedure applies to the remaining sub-tasks

Section C
1 (a) Please give a detailed explanation of developing the following documents:
I. project initiation document
II. project planning document
(b) Identify and provide a detailed description of the tools used in the project planning
process.

Answer:
I. Steps in developing a Project Initiation Document PID.
1. Project Title
1.1. Background
 The background should highlight the reasons you are embarking on the project. For example,
recite details or statistics from recent reports, identify problems that need to be addressed, or
build off of recommendations or feedback you received during previous research or project
work.
1.2. Goal
Goals should focus on the big picture of your project. List the desired outcome of your project.
Keep it broad; for example, aim to launch a new product, complete a research paper, or learn
more about writing.
1.3. Objectives
Objectives should be specific and tangible. In other words, you should be able to check these
off your list when you accomplish them. For example, in marketing and increasing product
sales, finding people to interview for your research paper would make a good objective.
Many projects break down objectives into short-, middle-, and long-term objectives if they vary
significantly. For example, a company's short-term goal to increase viewership by 30% in three
months may vary significantly from its long-term goal to strengthen brand visibility in social
media outlets over the next year.
Objectives are generally written in the active voice and use action verbs with specific meanings
(e.g. "plan," "write," "increase," and "measure") instead of verbs with vaguer meanings (e.g.
"examine," "understand," "know," etc.).
Consider ordering your project by "SMART" objectives. SMART is an acronym used by
individuals searching for more tangible, actionable outcomes in projects.
Specific. What exactly are we going to do for whom? Lay out what population you are
going to serve and any specific actions you will use to help that population.
Measurable. Is it quantifiable and can we measure it? Can you count the results? Did
you structure the project so that "the sales of your product would increase in 2025?".
Remember that a baseline number needs to be established to quantify change.
Achievable. Can we get it done in the time allotted with the resources we have available?
The objective needs to be realistic given the constraints. Increasing sales by 500% is
reasonable only if you're a small company. Increasing sales by 500% if you dominate the
market is nearly impossible.
Sometimes, an expert or authority may need to be consulted to determine if your
project objectives are achievable.
Relevant. Will this objective affect the desired goal or strategy? Although it's
probably important for the overall Launch of a product, does planning directly lead to launching
a product? Make sure your objectives and methods have a clear, intuitive relationship.
Time bound. When will this objective be accomplished, and/or when will we know we
are done? Specify a hard end date for the project. Stipulate which, if any, outcomes would
cause your project to come to a premature end, with all outcomes having been achieved.
1.4. Identify the Activities
1.5. Determine the Timelines
2. Identify dependencies and inter-relationships of the activities
 Dependencies are logical relationships between phases, activities, or tasks that influence how
the project must be undertaken. Dependencies may be either internal to the project (e.g.
between project activities) or external to the project (e.g. a dependency between a project
activity and a business activity). There are four types of dependencies:
I. Finish-to-start (the item this activity depends on must finish before this activity can start)
II. Finish-to-finish (the item this activity depends on must finish before this activity can finish)
III. Start-to-start (the item this activity depends on must start before this activity can start)
IV. Start-to-finish (the item this activity depends on must start before this activity can finish).
Example: List any key dependencies identified by completing the following table:
Activity Depends on Dependency Type

3. Assumptions: List any planning assumptions made. For example: It is assumed that:

 The project will not change in scope

 The resources identified will be available upon request

 Approved funding will be available upon request.
4. Constraints: List any planning constraints identified. For example:
 The project must operate within the funding and resource allocations approved

 Staff must complete the project within normal working hours

5. Prepare the Project Cost/ budget
6. Prepare the business case

II. Steps in developing the project plan

The Project Plan is the central document by which the project is formally managed. A Project
Plan is a document that lists the activities, tasks, and resources required to complete the
project and realize the business benefits outlined in the Project Business Case. A typical
Project Plan includes:

 A description of the major phases undertaken to complete the project

 A schedule of the activities, tasks, durations, dependencies, resources and timeframes

 A listing of the assumptions and constraints identified during the planning process.

To create a Project Plan, the following steps are undertaken:

1. Reiterate the project scope
Reiterate the scope (activities/tasks) of the project here as defined in the PID
2. Identify the project milestones, phases, activities and tasks

Milestones
A milestone is “a major event in the project” and represents the completion of a set of
activities.
Examples of milestones include:
 Business Case approved

 Feasibility Study approved

 Project Charter approved

 Project Team appointed

 Project Office established.
List and describe the key project milestones within the following table:
Milestone Description Delivery Date
Business Case The Business Case has been documented xx/yy/zz
Approved. and was approved by the Project Sponsor.

Phases
A phase is “a set of activities which will be undertaken to deliver a substantial portion of the
overall project”. Examples include:

 Project Initiation

 Project Planning

 Project Execution
 Project Closure.

List and describe the major project phases within the following table.
Phase Description Sequence
Project Initiation Defining the project by developing a Phase # 1
business case, feasibility study, and
Project Charter as well as recruiting the
project team and establishing the project
office.

Tasks
A ‘task’ is simply an item of work to be completed within the project. List all tasks required to
undertake each activity, within the following table:
Phase Activity Task Sequence
Project Develop Identify Quality Targets 1st
Planning Quality
Plan Identify Quality Assurance Techniques 2nd
Identify Quality Control Techniques 3rd
Document Quality Plan 4th

3. Allocate project resource

For each task identified, list the resources allocated to complete the task
4. Construct a project schedule
Provide a summarized schedule for each of the phases and activities within the project. This
is done using a Gantt chart as shown below:
 5. List any planning dependencies, assumptions, constraints
‘Dependencies’ are logical relationships between phases, activities, or tasks that influence
the way a project must be undertaken. Dependencies may be either internal to the project
(e.g. between project activities) or external to the project (e.g. a dependency between a
project activity and a business activity). There are four types of dependencies:

I. Finish-to-start (the item this activity depends on must finish before this activity can start)
II. Finish-to-finish (the item this activity depends on must finish before this activity can finish)
III. Start-to-start (the item this activity depends on must start before this activity can start)
IV. Start-to-finish (the item this activity depends on must start before this activity can finish).

Example: List any key project dependencies identified by completing the following table:
Activity Depends on Dependency Type
Set-up Project Appoint Project Team Finish-to-start
Office
In the example given above, the activity ”Appoint Project Team” must finish before activity
“Set-up Project Office” can start.

Assumptions
List any planning assumptions made. For example:
It is assumed that:
 The project will not change in scope

 The resources identified will be available upon request

 Approved funding will be available upon request
Constraints
List any planning constraints identified. For example:

 The project must operate within the funding and resource allocations approved

 The project team must deliver the software with no requirement for additional hardware

 Staff must complete the project within normal working hours

6. Budget, Risks, and Change Management
Project Budget
List the task and how much the labor and materials necessary to execute it will cost. Then add
your budget to the appropriate column and the actual spend to the next column to track
planned costs against actual costs.

Example:
WBS Task Labor Materials Budget Actual
1 Blueprints $100 $200 $300 $250
Risk Log
Identify risks to the project and list them here. Include the impact, response, level of risk, and
who on the team will own the response if the issue arises.
ID Risk Impact Response Risk Level Risk Owner
1 Supply delay Schedule Backup High Daniel
Supplier Johnson

Change Management
When a change request is made, use the table below to track its impact, response, and
whether the change control board has approved it or not.
Date Request Impact Approval Date Started Date
Identified Completed
1/2/2024 Add spackle Schedule Yes 1/20/2024 1/30/2024

7. Appendix
Attach any documentation you believe is relevant to the Project Plan. For example:

 Detailed Project Schedule (listing all project phases, activities, and tasks)

 Other documentation (Business Case, Feasibility Study, Project Charter)

 Other relevant information or correspondence.

(b) Identify and provide a detailed description of the tools used in the project planning
process.
Answer
I. Gantt chart
II. Work Breakdown Structure WBS
III. Critical Path Analysis CPA
IV. Project Evaluation and Review Technique PERT