University of Sunderland SIM335 Managing Projects Report

This report, submitted by a student, provides a comprehensive overview of project management principles and practices. Task 1 explores core project management concepts, including a quotation analysis, PMBOK functions (communication, risk, and human resources), advantages and disadvantages of project management, network diagrams, critical path analysis, and cost analysis. Task 2 presents a case study on developing a new mining vehicle, examining project management perspectives, required skills and competencies of a project manager, project management processes, and the application of Gantt charts, project management triangle, and critical path analysis. The report emphasizes risk management, communication, and the importance of effective planning and execution in achieving project goals within budget and time constraints. The report also includes detailed figures, tables and diagrams to illustrate the concepts and findings.

Running head: MANAGING PROJECTS
Managing Projects

1MANAGING PROJECTS
Table of Contents
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................2
Task 2: Cast study......................................................................................................................8
Introduction............................................................................................................................8
Skills and competencies required of a PM...........................................................................10
Project management process (PPM)....................................................................................11
Product life cycle stages.......................................................................................................14
Leadership............................................................................................................................16
Problems related managing the life cycle of the project......................................................16
Conclusion............................................................................................................................18
Reference..................................................................................................................................20

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Task 1
Question 1: Explain the quotation by a project management author by the name of G.
Reiss: He says, “Project management is like juggling three balls – time, cost and quality.
Program management is like a troupe of circus performers standing in a circle, each
juggling three balls and swapping balls from time to time.”
According to the G. Reiss, the primary challenges of a project can be managed with
the help of the management of the diverse categories of costs related with the project,
management of the time required in each phase of the project and to make sure the projects
are concluded within the predictable schedule and maintaining the quality of service provided
by stakeholders who are actively involved in the project (Reiss 2002). The researcher tried to
mean that the success of a project can be maintained if each of these three aspects of a project
is maintained in a systemized modus.
Based on the juggling theory, the researcher tried to explain that it is very much
significant for circus performers to juggle three balls at a time which can ensure the success
of a complex project. At the same time, it is also very much significant to maintain time,
quality and cost of a project so that the projects finish in the scheduled time. The concept of
program management can also be understood from this quotation as this concept can be very
much useful to improve the quality of a project. Each of these significant aspects has to be
swapped from time to time in order to address the most common challenges of a projects such
as the management of the resources involved in the project, management of the resources,
accountability issues, fluctuations in the scope of the project, lack of engagement of the
stakeholders involved in the project.
Question 2: There nine project management functions from the Project Management
Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) course material for the Pennsylvania Project

3MANAGING PROJECTS
Management Professional certification. Name three of the functions that form the very
essence of project management and describe each briefly.
There are diverse categories of project management (PM) functions available in the
PMBOK guide such as risk, procurement, quality, human resource, communication, time,
cost and scope. This paper shall be providing a brief description of communication, risk and
human resource which are the three most significant functions among the other PM functions.
 Communication: There are numerous communication challenges in a project due to
the physical distance between the team member, cultural differences, management
issues, inability to focus and substandard communication skills of the members.
Project completion time can get affected due to these communication issues. Thus, it
must be said that the project information must be communicated in a transparent
modus in order to deal with these issues.
 Risk: There are diverse categories of risks related to a project such as the technical
risks, supply chain risks, resource risks, interpersonal risks and integration risks. The
entire procedures which are practised in a project such as the planning phase and
project closure can get delayed due to these risks. Thus, the delays of a project can be
addressed if each of the risks of a project are identified and addressed in a systemized
modus.
 Human Resource (HR): There are diverse categories of HR issues which have a
direct impact on a project such as the motivational issues faced by the team members,
management of the leadership style of the team members and managing the conflict
among the team members. Behaviour and attitude of the project team members can be
affected due to these issues. Thus, the productivity of the resources can be boosted if
each of these HR issues is addressed.

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Question 3: There are many advantages and disadvantages of project management.
Give three (3) of each and explain with examples.
The three examples of the advantages of PM can be understood from the following
tabular description.
Examples Advantages Explanation
Example 1 Enhanced communication Communication issues among the distant
stakeholders of an MNC can be addressed
with the help of the PM concepts.
Examples 2 Greater client satisfaction Expectations of the consumers of an industry
can be understood with the help of multi-
channel support which are created using PM
concepts.
Examples 3 Accurate risk assessment Impact and probability of the probable risks of
a project can be evaluated with the help of a
risk register which is created based on the
concepts of PM.
Question 4: Draw the network diagram of the activities, using the precedence
diagramming method (PDM).
B E F
A C G H
K
D M L
I J
Figure 1: Network Diagram using PDM method
Source: Created by author

5MANAGING PROJECTS

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Question 5.1: Calculate the expected duration, the variance and determine the critical
path of the project.
Activity Predecessor Duration Variance
A None 2 0.11
B A 3 0.11
C A 5 1.00
D A 10 1.00
E B 4 0.11
F E 7 0.44
G C 10 1.00
H E 8 1.00
I A 6 0.44
J I 10 1.00
K F,H 9 0.11
L K 10 0.44
M D,G,J,L 11 0.44
Figure 2: Duration and variance
Source: Created by author
B E F
A C G H
K
D M L
I J
Figure 3: Critical path
Source: Created by author

7MANAGING PROJECTS
Question 5.2: What is the probability of the project completed on time if the project is
given a 40-minute deadline?
Activity Predecessor Duration ES EF LS LF Slack Variance Critical variance
A None 2 0 2 0 2 0 0.11 0.11
B A 3 2 5 2 5 0 0.11 0.11
C A 5 2 7 21 26 19 1.00
D A 10 2 12 26 36 24 1.00
E B 4 5 9 5 9 0 0.11 0.11
F E 7 9 16 10 17 1 0.44
G C 10 7 17 26 36 19 1.00
H E 8 9 17 9 17 0 1.00 1.00
I A 6 2 8 20 26 18 0.44
J I 10 8 18 26 36 18 1.00
K F,H 9 17 26 17 26 0 0.11 0.11
L K 10 26 36 26 36 0 0.44 0.44
M D,G,J,L 11 36 47 36 47 0 0.44 0.44
Total Time of the Project 47 Project 2.33
Std. Dev 1.53
-4.583
0.000
z-value for completion in 40 min
Probablity of Completion in 40 min
Figure 4: Probability of the project
Source: Created by author
Question 6: Prepare a CPM/Cost analysis for each of the following three points in time,
for each case, show the percent overrun or underrun for the project to date and indicate
any corrective action that should be undertaken.
Activity Budgeted
Cost
Actual
Cost
Cost overrun/underrun Action Required
A 2 2 Budgeted cost is utilized. No actions required
B 1 3 Cost overrun Agile project
management (PM)
has to be
incorporated.
C 2 5 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
D 15 10 Cost under run Project planning
must be improved.
E 6 4 Cost under run Project planning

8MANAGING PROJECTS
must be improved.
F 3 7 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
G 3 10 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
H 2 8 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
I 5 6 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
J 2 10 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
K 6 9 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
L 1 10 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
M 3 11 Cost overrun Agile PM has to be
incorporated.
Table 1: Action required for each activity
Source: Created by author
i) At the end of 20 minutes
Activity Budgeted
Cost
Percent
Completed
Value
Completed
Actual Cost to
the Minute
Cost Overrun
A 2000 80% 1,600.00$ 3000 1,400.00$
B 1000 50% 500.00$ 3000 2,500.00$
ii) At the end of 40 minutes

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Activity Budgeted
Cost
Percent
Completed
Value
Completed
Actual Cost to
the Minute
Cost Overrun
A 2,000.00$ 100% 2,000.00$ 7,000.00$ 5,000.00$
B 1,000.00$ 100% 1,000.00$ 2,000.00$ 1,000.00$
C 2,000.00$ 33% 660.00$ 2,000.00$ 1,340.00$
D 15,000.00$ 80% 12,000.00$ 12,000.00$ -$
E 6,000.00$ 100% 6,000.00$ 7,000.00$ 1,000.00$
H 2,000.00$ 25% 500.00$ 1,000.00$ 500.00$

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Task 2: Cast study
Introduction
Project Management perspectives are defined as the type of perspective which are
very much beneficial for the project managers to achieve a specific goal (Zore et al. 2018).
The selection of the PM perspectives is very much essential to address the diverse categories
of project management perspectives. The point of view of the project manager (PM) can be
understood with the help of the PM perspectives (Chen, Hung-Baesecke and Kim 2017). The
PM perspective deal mainly with the schedule and the scope of a project and the role of a PM
is very much significant in the selection of the PM perspectives.
Mining Vehicles are defined as the type of vehicle which is very much valuable for
the stakeholders of the metal machining industry to enhance the efficiency of the stakeholders
involved in this industry. A huge amount of regenerative energy has to be captured in the first
place so that the mining vehicle can operate in adverse environments (Yahaya and Ebrahim
2016). These vehicles are very much significant for the commercial industries as significant
business decisions are taken by these vehicles.
There are diverse categories of factors which play a huge role to successfully manage
a project such as defining the objective and scope of a project to each stakeholder involved in
a project, defining the deliverables of the project to the team members, making the schedule
of the project is such a modus so that it can get completed within the estimated deadline,
tracking and reporting the progress of a project, creation of a change management and risk
management plan. This section of the paper will be very much significant for the readers to
understand the activities required to develop a new mining vehicle in a period of eight
months from the PM perspective within $5M Uzbekistan soʻm.

11MANAGING PROJECTS
According to Wu et al. (2017), gnatt charts are very much useful for the team
members of a project to understand the time frame of each of the activities related to a
project. The researchers added that the dependencies of the project can also be understood
using a gnatt chart. Communication plan and the risk management plan are also created by
the project managers in this phase of the project. The details of the enactment and closure
phases can also be understood from the planning phase. The Gnatt chart of the project is
illustrated below.
ID Outline
Number
Task
Mode
Task Name Duration Start Finish PredecessorsResource Names Cost
0 0 Project on Development of
Mining Vehicle
40 days Thu 2/27/20 Wed 4/22/20 $4,345,200.00
1 1 Planning 2 days Thu 2/27/20 Fri 2/28/20 $150,800.00
2 1.1 Initial meeting 1 day Thu 2/27/20 Thu 2/27/20 Architectural Design planner,Project Manager$64,000.00
3 1.2 Development of initial
project plan
1 day Fri 2/28/20 Fri 2/28/20 2 Project
Manager
$32,000.00
4 1.3 Discussion on budget 1 day Fri 2/28/20 Fri 2/28/20 2 Facility Manager,Project Manager$54,800.00
5 1.4 Approval over plan and
budget
0 days Fri 2/28/20 Fri 2/28/20 3,4 $0.00
6 2 Build-up 6 days Mon 3/2/20 Mon 3/9/20 $1,490,400.00
7 2.1 Defining plans for vehicle2 days Mon 3/2/20 Tue 3/3/20 5 Architectural Design planner,Automobile Engineer,Project Manager$184,000.00
8 2.2 Architectural build-up of
vehicle structure
4 days Mon 3/2/20 Thu 3/5/20 5 Architectural
Design
planner,Project
$256,000.00
9 2.3 Approval over vehicle
design plan
0 days Thu 3/5/20 Thu 3/5/20 8,7 $0.00
10 2.4 Procurement of materials2 days Fri 3/6/20 Mon 3/9/20 9 Materials[1],Facility Manager$995,600.00
11 2.5 Hiring of vehicle
manufacturers and
automobile experts
1 day Fri 3/6/20 Fri 3/6/20 9 Facility
Manager,Project
Manager
$54,800.00
12 3 Enactment 28 days Tue 3/10/20 Thu 4/16/20 $2,576,000.00
13 3.1 Development of the
vehicle
22 days Tue 3/10/20 Wed 4/8/20 10,11 Architectural
Design
planner,Automobile
$2,024,000.00
14 3.2 Initial testing 3 days Thu 4/9/20 Mon 4/13/20 13 Architectural Design planner,Automobile Engineer,Project Manager$276,000.00
15 3.3 Approval for next phase 0 days Mon 4/13/20 Mon 4/13/20 14 $0.00
16 3.4 Field Testing 3 days Tue 4/14/20 Thu 4/16/20 15 Architectural Design planner,Automobile Engineer,Project Manager$276,000.00
17 3.5 Approval for vehicle
launch
0 days Thu 4/16/20 Thu 4/16/20 16 $0.00
18 4 Project Closure 4 days Fri 4/17/20 Wed 4/22/20 $128,000.00
19 4.1 Documentation over the
project
2 days Fri 4/17/20 Mon 4/20/20 17 Project
Manager
$64,000.00
20 4.2 Making of payments 1 day Tue 4/21/20 Tue 4/21/20 19 Project Manager $32,000.00
21 4.3 Handover of
documentation
1 day Wed 4/22/20 Wed 4/22/20 20 Project
Manager
$32,000.00
22 4.4 Project End 0 days Wed 4/22/20 Wed 4/22/20 21 $0.00
Architectural Design planner,Project Manager
Project Manager
Facility Manager,Project Manager
2/28
Architectural Design planner,Automobile Engineer,Project Manager
Architectural Design planner,Project Manager
3/5
Materials[1],Facility Manager
Facility Manager,Project Manager
Architectural Design planner,Autom
Architectural Design planner,
4/13
Architectural Design plan
4/16
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Manager
4/22
T S W S T M F T S W S T M
Feb 23, '20 Mar 8, '20 Mar 22, '20 Apr 5, '20
Figure 1: Schedule of the project
Source: Created by author
As elaborated by Wright and Lawlor-Wright (2018), project management triangle
has to be maintained in the first place in order to complete a project within an estimated