PPMP20012 Term 1, 2018 Online Test

This document contains answers to 5 of the 10 questions from the PPMP20012 Term 1, 2018 Online Test. The questions cover topics such as systems thinking, systems engineering, project management, and physical architecture model development.

PPMP20012 Term 1, 2018 Online Test
Student Name: MOHAMMED ASHFAQ
Student ID: 12052807
Notes:
 Please ensure you also fill in your name and student ID above.
 Upon completion, and within the time 2-hour limit (+15 minutes for reading), you are to submit
this question sheet with answers to 5 of the 10 questions using the assessment submission
link located in the “Review/Exam” Week section in Moodle of this unit.
 You need to answer only 5 questions in this document.
 Each questions that you answer is worth 7% (total max 35% for 5 questions).
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early. You must not use a failure of technology as an excuse for missing the deadline.
Only answer 5 of the 10 questions below:
1. The Prime Minister of Australia knocks on your door and ask you to quickly explain to him in no
more than five sentences “Why should my ministers use systems thinking in managing the
government?” What do you tell him by incorporating the key benefits of systems thinking that
will be gained by those ministers and the country?
Answer to Question 1:
System thinking has formed the principles for the diverse management, engineering, social study,
and physical science. The system thinking would support the utilization of the traditional approaches
in an effective way as the existing methods of top-down or bottom up, linear alignment, and divide
and conquer are not successful (Twisk et al., 2015). The explicit method of system thinking involves
the concept of using a framework for seeking the interrelationship of the things instead of the
patterns. It forms the principles for the diverse management, engineering, social study, and physical
science. The use of the system thinking would be helpful for the execution of the operations by
analysing the situation using the system thinking framework. The use of the system thinking for the
government would be helpful for aligning with the improved functional development (Nordby et al.,
2016). The utilization of system thinking would help the government in,
Harness of Information: The harness of the government information would be eased due to the
implication of the system thinking and utilizing the effective and improved methods of execution of the
operations.
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Cost Management: The process would be helpful for forming some amendments in the activities for
getting the budget reviewed. The ministers would be helpful for achieving the improved methods of
cost cutting with the help of system thinking.
Decision Making: The key decision making would be eased by the use of the system thinking and
the scalability of the information analysis would be improved by the use of the improved functional
analysis for the government processes and development.
2. You have to train project managers in systems thinking. What are the specific ideas, concepts
and methodologies related to systems thinking that you would refer to in training the project
managers?
Answer to Question 2:
System thinking is the concept of using a framework for seeking the interrelationship of the things
instead of the patterns. It forms the principles for the diverse management, engineering, social study,
and physical science (Boehm & Mobasser, 2015). The system thinking has been largely helpful for
the execution of the improved functional and effective alignment of the activities. The system thinking
would support the utilization of the traditional approaches in an effective way as the existing methods
of top-down or bottom up, linear alignment, and divide and conquer are not successful. The specific
ideas, concepts and methodologies related to systems thinking that I would like to incorporate are,
Ideology Concept Methodology
Project modelling, optimisation
and control
Systems thinking across the life
cycle, Concept of rich picture,
Implementation of System
architecture diagrams, and
Analysis of the policy
documents
5 phase thinking model
(Problem Structuring, Causal
Loop Diagram, Dynamic
Modelling, Scenario Planning
and Modelling, and
Implementation)
Systems thinking tools
(Structural thinking tools,
Fishbone Diagram, Computer-
based tools, Casual loop
diagram, and System
architecture diagram)
3. Please explain the following diagram?
Answer to Question 3:
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The above diagram provides an explanation relating to the question whether the project managers
and system engineer are same. It is easily questionable whether the project manager works similar to
the system engineers. Since both have specific job profile and skills they can be differentiated.
However, depending upon the projects or situation, the roles of the project manager and system
engineers can be declared same.
1st Case: It depicts the situation where the project manager’s roles and responsibilities are completely
different from the system engineers. The project managers have different set of roles and the system
engineers have different roles. Their works do not intercept each other i.e. the project manager would
not require any direct communication with the system engineer or interfere in the works of the system
engineer.
2nd Case: It depicts the situation where the project manager’s roles and responsibilities are partially
similar to the system engineers. The system engineer would require the consent of the project
manager while executing any specific responsibility. The situation is same of the project manager
where some of the decisions would require consultation with the system engineer. In this situation at
some point of time, the project manager and the system engineers would require direct
communication with each other.
3rd Case: It depicts the situation where the project manager and the system engineer have to work co-
dependently. The works of the project manager would be similar to the system engineer and both the
roles can be played by a single person. There are many cases where the project manager would
have varied role and in this condition, the system engineer would be responsible for playing the role
of project manager.
4. Why are systems thinking and systems engineering relevant to project, program and portfolio
management?
Answer to Question 4:
System engineering is a set of pattern that combines with the study of the project management
principles for ensuring that the effective and improved execution of the project activities can be
achieved. The system engineering utilizes some stern activities that are helpful for development of
the final project results (Rabbi et al., 2018). System thinking is the concept of using a framework for
seeking the interrelationship of the things instead of the patterns. It forms the principles for the
diverse management, engineering, social study, and physical science. However, the system thinking
and system engineering not only helps in developing effective system design and development. It
also provides scope for the execution of the effective project, program and portfolio management.
The relevance of the system thinking and system engineering with project, program and portfolio
management are,
Similar Functions: The system engineering has functions like Integration Management, Risk
Management, Quality Management, process management, and requirement management that can be
used for the proper execution of the project, program and portfolio management. The use of these
elements is prominent for the development and execution of the improved communication process.
Application of Programmatic: The concept of programmatic has been helpful for the execution of
the effective project, program and portfolio management. The programmatic involves the analysis of
the non technical considerations and aligning it with the improvement of the operations for successful
completion. The programmatic has been taken from the concept of system thinking where the
analysis of the concept is being executed.
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5. In the SEBoK it states that an effective systems engineering approach includes a disciplined
process for change control as part of the larger goal of configuration management. The
primary objective of configuration management is to track changes to project artifacts that
include software, hardware, plans, requirements, designs, tests, and documentation. Please
explain this approach by using an example of a project that you have studied?
Answer to Question 5:
6. Please explain the following diagram?
Answer to Question 6:
7. What are PPPM manual and electronic application systems and how to they help towards
project realization? Also discuss the advantages and limitations of both types.
Answer to Question 7:
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8. The SEBoK contains a Generic Life Cycle Model and also states that there are many
organizational factors that can impact which life cycle processes are appropriate for a specific
system. In addition, technical factors will also influence the types of life cycle models
appropriate for a given system. Please provide an example of a technical factor?
Answer to Question 8:
9. Describe fundamentals and the key components of Physical Architecture Model Development?
Answer to Question 9:
The physical architecture of the model is referred to as the concept of developing the views and
models for the architecture diagram to be processed (Lee, Bagheri & Kao, 2015). The model is also
helpful for the deployment of the sub procedures that are helpful for the execution of the final design
development. The model development involves the analysis of the final view and model that would
support the logical systems. The model diagram is bounded by the ISO/IEC/IEEE 26702 (ISO 2007)
standards so that the model can support the physical interface. The model is supported by the
consideration of the physical elements converging to form the final logical view of the diagram. The
functions of the model would help in executing the functionality of the system.
The key components of the system are hardware parts, database, operator role definition, software
programs, IT components and corporate directions. All these key components would be helpful for the
execution of the final Physical Architecture Model Development. The physical components would be
supported by the implication of the activities developing for the analysis of the key components for the
deployment of the design development.
10. Please explain the following diagram?
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Answer to Question 10:
References:
BKCASE Editorial Board. 2017. The Guide to the Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge (SEBoK), v. 1.9.
R.D. Adcock (EIC). Hoboken, NJ: The Trustees of the Stevens Institute of Technology. Accessed 31 May
2018. www.sebokwiki.org.
Twisk, D., Commandeur, J. J., Bos, N., Shope, J. T., & Kok, G. (2015). Quantifying the
influence of safe road systems and legal licensing age on road mortality among young
adolescents: Steps towards system thinking. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 74, 306-313.
Mutale, W., Balabanova, D., Chintu, N., Mwanamwenge, M. T., & Ayles, H. (2016). Application
of system thinking concepts in health system strengthening in low‐income settings: a proposed
conceptual framework for the evaluation of a complex health system intervention: the case of
the BHOMA intervention in Zambia. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice, 22(1), 112-121.
Roychoudhury, A., Shepardson, D. P., Hirsch, A., Niyogi, D., Mehta, J., & Top, S. (2017). The
Need to Introduce System Thinking in Teaching Climate Change. Science Educator, 25(2), 73.
Nordby, A., Øygardslia, K., Sverdrup, U. & Sverdrup, H., (2016). The art of gamification;
teaching sustainability and system thinking by pervasive game development. Academic
Conferences and Publishing International Limited.
Boehm, B., & Mobasser, S. K. (2015, May). System thinking: educating t-shaped software
engineers. In Proceedings of the 37th International Conference on Software Engineering-
Volume 2 (pp. 333-342). IEEE Press.
Rabbi, S. M., Tighe, M. K., Flavel, R. J., Kaiser, B. N., Guppy, C. N., Zhang, X., & Young, I. M.
(2018). Plant roots redesign the rhizosphere to alter the three‐dimensional physical
architecture and water dynamics. New Phytologist.
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Lee, J., Bagheri, B., & Kao, H. A. (2015). A cyber-physical systems architecture for industry
4.0-based manufacturing systems. Manufacturing Letters, 3, 18-23.
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