Project Management

This article discusses the implementation plan, management plan, project performance evaluation and project closure in project management. The project aims to bring the Western Australian Storage facility to a required standard. The article also discusses the constraints associated with the project and the techniques used for managing time, cost, resources and project quality. The project performance evaluation process and the steps for project closure are also discussed.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
1. Implementation Plan........................................................................................................2
2. Management Plan............................................................................................................4
2.1. Management of Time................................................................................................4
2.2. Management of Cost.................................................................................................5
2.3. Management of the Resources..................................................................................6
2.4. Management of Project Quality................................................................................6
3. Project Performance Evaluation......................................................................................7
4. Project Closure.................................................................................................................9
References..........................................................................................................................11

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1. Implementation Plan
The project in consideration is particularly complex mainly because of the geographical
location of the tanks. The project aims in bringing the Western Australian Storage facility to a
required standard. The project is of high priority mainly because 30% of the company’s unleaded
petrol storage capacity in Western Australia is bordering to collapse. The problem lies in the fact
that the oil tanks are old and worn out. Therefore several repairing works on the tank is
suggested which is to be implemented as soon as possible. The implementation of the project is
not an easy task as there are several constraints associated with the project. The most significant
constraint of the project is the restricted internal and external access to the site of the project
work. The internal restriction is mainly created by a complex mesh of pipelines. Apart from that
there is a time restriction on the access of the site. Working in the site while the tanks are filling
is not possible because of the highly flammable vapours. The works are needed to be completed
in times when the tanks are not filling. Earlier a schedule has been prepared estimating the time
required to complete the entire project. However, an accurate implementation plan for the project
is needed to be prepared as well in order to ensure that the work will be completed within the
said schedule.
There are certain conditions, fulfilling which will lead to the successful implementation
of the project. Since the site has for geographical and time restrictions, the foremost condition for
successful implementation of the project includes improved collaboration among the team
members. This is one of the significant needs for ensuring successful implementation of this
project (Issa 2013). Improved collaboration among the team members will ensure no
communication gaps thus implementing the project on time.

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Apart from this, another significant factor that will contribute to the successful
implementation of the project is the presence of an appropriate management structure for
effective project monitoring and control (Eadie et al. 2013). For ensuring that, it is recommended
that the project team members will directly report to the project manager about the issues and the
progress of the project. For this a communication plan is needed to be developed that will
ensure an easier information flow among the team members (Kerzner and Kerzner 2017). The
management style that will be followed in this project will be that of a matrix Structure. This is
because a matrix structure ensures easier information flow among the team members (Harrison
and Lock 2017). In this structure, the team members will report to the functional manager of the
project along with the project manager.
Apart from that, a democratic project management style will be followed during the
implementation of this project. Hiring of skilled labourers is essential for this project since it
involves working in heights. The project owner has the authority to authorize the implementation
and the schedule plan for the project and then only the project works will be implemented.
The workers appointed for this task need to possess a good plumbing knowledge as well
and should be flexible in working in adverse condition associated with the highly flammable
vapours of the oil. This is particularly important as although works will never be performed
during the filling hours of the tanks, the project involves the cleaning of the outside of the tank as
well (Heagney 2016). Thus in order to implement the project successfully within the set schedule
and budget, the project ,management team needs to be efficient enough to fight the adverse
conditions associated with this particular project. There are certain characteristics, that the
project team needs to follow, which are as follows-

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1. The project team should work on clearly defined gaols and roles throughout the
implementation phase.
2. The team members should ensure smooth information flow to project and the
functional manager in order to felicitate efficient decision making (Huczynski, Buchanan and
Huczynski 2013).
3. The team members should ensure balanced participation as a rotational shift will be
followed during project implementation for safety purpose of the workers and team members.
4. The Project Manager should show democratic leadership.
Thus it can be concluded that the implementation of the entire project will follow a
planned and structured approach for successful project completion.
2. Management Plan
On evaluation of the difficulties and the constraints associated with the project, it is
observed that the project needs appropriate management of few of the most important factors
associated with the project to ensure its successful completion. These factors include time, cost,
resources and qualities. The plan, tools and techniques that will be used for controlling the four
important factors associated with the project are elaborated in the following sections.
2.1. Management of Time
Almost 30% of the unleaded petrol storage capacity in Western Australia is on a verge of
collapse mainly because of the age old condition of the tank. In order to prevent any further
losses of the company by paying a fine of $20,000 per month, the project is marked as high
priority project. Thus time management is an important factor associated with the

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implementation of the project and therefore, development of a time management plan is utmost
essential.
One of the suggested techniques of time management in planning the schedule of the
project linked with accurate resource requirement (Teller, Kock and Gemünde 2014). This
project has already developed realistic schedules with the help of scheduling tools that includes
Gantt Chart. As per the scheduling plan, the activities associated with this project have been
correctly sequenced in the planning stage so that the team has an idea of the expected project
deliverables (Burke 2013). Followed by that, the duration of each project activity is identified
that ensures successful completion of the project. For accurate time management in the project,
the critical chain method will be used for scheduling the critical tasks (Leach 2014). Prior to that
identification of the critical path in the project is necessary which is needed to be performed in
the planning stage.
2.2. Management of Cost
One of the most significant success criteria of the project includes completion of the
project within the set budget. A budget has been already prepared for this project based on the
schedule and the resources needs. Effective project monitoring and control is needed to ensure
that the project will be delivered within a estimated and allocated cost for the project.
Accurate cost estimation is one of the techniques that is generally used of management of
the costs associated with a project (Fleming and Koppelman 2016). A cost baseline is to be set
that will help in accurate estimation of the required project cost. The Budgeting of the project
should follow the cost aggregation process so that the cost of the project can be calculated on
basis of the work process.

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After accurate cost estimation and budgeting, the project and the function manager
should ensure accurate cost control. This is concerned with cost variance that the project might
expect (Bryde, Broquetas and Volm 2013). Calculation of cost variance is essential in order to
ensure that the project cost is monitored and controlled in the implementation phase of the
project. An independent cost management service can be implemented for ensuring accurate
monitoring and control of the costs that has been allocated for each of the work activities in the
project.
2.3. Management of the Resources
Apart from the time and cost, resource management in a project is necessary as well.
Resource management is an important aspect of this project mainly because of the time
constraint and the increasing complexity. While scheduling the project, resources has been
allocated according to the work activities and allocated time. It is the responsibility of the project
manager to ensure continuous resource availability throughout the implementation of the project
(Mir and Pinnington 2014). There are certain software as well that makes the process of resource
management in a project a lot easier. Furthermore, it is recommended for the project manager to
develop a resource plan in the planning phase of the project that will ensure no resource is over
allocated or there is no resource shortfall in the implementation phase of the project.
2.4. Management of Project Quality
A project is successful only if a project is delivered according to the standard quality.
This is a high priority project and therefore quality check is an important need for this project. In
order to ensure that the project follows a standard quality, it is recommended to appoint a quality
assurance manager who will be responsible for monitoring the quality standard for the project.

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This project will be of appropriate quality only if the leakages are perfectly fixed along with the
accurate installation of the anchors and steel patches. The cleaning and re-painting works are
needed to be perfect as well. If the leakages in the tank are fixed as required, the project will be
considered to be successful or else the project will fail.
3. Project Performance Evaluation
The performance evaluation of the project will mainly be based on the fact that the
project has been successful in achieving the set goals of the project. The project aims in repairing
three fuel tanks in order to prevent leakage, environmental damage and huge losses. The project
is quite complex and therefore the entire project is divided into certain deliverables. The three
major deliverables of the project includes Completion of work on Tank1, completion of work on
Tank 2 and completion of the repairing works on tank 3. Performance evaluation is to be done on
the project to ensure that the said deliverables of the project is perfectly met. The performance
evaluation of this project will be based on certain important steps or stages of the project which
are as follows-
1. The very first and the most significant technique of performance evaluation that will be
followed in this project are taking the feedback. After completion of the repairing works on all
the three tanks, feedback from the Health Safety and Environment department will be taken. If
they approve the repairing done and accept that the leakage problem has been eliminated, then
only the project will be considered as successful (Serra and Kunc 2015). Thus, there is no scope
for any errors in the implementation of the project considering the fact that the relationship with
Health and Safety Environment manager is tarnished from a previous disagreement. Thus, this

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technique can be considered as one of the most significant techniques for ensuring whether the
objectives of the project are met.
2. The second step of performance evaluation of this project is to thoroughly check
whether any part of the tank or the site is damaged while repairing the other parts of the tanks.
This is an important consideration mainly because of the fact that the tanks are quite old and any
small damage in any part of the tank can cost a huge to the owners or can multiply the already
existing problem.
3. A risk assessment will be performed in order to evaluate whether the repairing works
in the tank is giving rise to any new risk. One of the major risks that are associated with the
project is schedule risk. One criterion of successful project completion is completion of the
project within the set schedule since it is a high priority project (Kerzner 2017). Thus if it is seen
that the project could not be completed in a set schedule, it will be considered as a failure on
basis of the basic performance evaluation that will be done after the completion of the repairing
works (Todorović et al. 2015). Furthermore, the project should be completed with the allocated
resources. Resource risk is another risk that the project might face and in that case, the project
will be considered as a failure.
4. In the project performance evaluation, the profitability of the project will be checked.
This includes calculation of ROI and NPV (Nas 2016). The calculation will be based on the net
project cost and the investments. A positive ROI will ensure that the project is successful. Along
with that the payback for the project should be less than three years to consider the project as
successful. This process is known as cost benefit analysis of the project and it is an important
tool for measuring the success of the project (Landry 2016). Thus, the cost benefit analysis of the

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entire investment in the project is considered as an important technique of performance
evaluation.
The above discussed points give an idea of the project performance evaluation process
that will be followed for successful project completion and project sign off.
4. Project Closure
Successful project closure is considered to be an important process of project
management as it ensures that all the objectives of the project are met and the project is
completed within a set schedule (Besner and Hobbs 2013). Certain steps will be followed for the
close off of this particular project. The various steps that will be followed in the project close of
phase are as follows-
1. In the very first stage of project closure, it will be ensured that the project works are
done as per requirements of the project. If the project meets the identified objectives within the
timeline set for the project, it will be considered as successful and the project will be ready for
closure.
2. In the second stage of the project closure, the project manager will ensure that the
procurement closure is appropriately done (Martinelli and Milosevic 2016). This includes
completion of all the payments that are needed to be done such as payments for the cranes hired,
payment for the suppliers of the resources and workers. On successful procurement closure, the
client can be signed off and the project can be closed.
3. The project closure stage further includes gaining the formal acceptance of health and
Safety Environment Department regarding the quality of the project (Besner and Hobbs 2013). A

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written document is needed to be provided by the Health and Safety Environment Department in
order to ensure that the project is accepted prior to the project closure.
4. Documenting the project work and final reporting is the next stage of the project
closure. The entire project is needed to be correctly documented in order to ensure that the
project is completed within the set project budget (Crawford 2014). On successful
documentation and reporting the documentation, the project will be considered ready for a
closure.
5. After successful documentation, the records in the project is needed to be archived.
This is one of the significant stages of project closure. With the finalization of the corrected
documents, the documents that are not needed should be archived.
6. The final stage of project closure is resource release. With the approval from the
Health a Safety Environment Department, it is needed to release all the resources associated with
the project. With this the project will be completed successfully.

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