Optimizing PRINCE2 Project Management

This assignment involves evaluating the PRINCE2 project management approach for a given institution. You are to identify and discuss its weaknesses, such as unrealistic assumptions and complexity. However, you must also acknowledge its strengths. Propose an improved recruitment strategy that requires new employees to have prior knowledge of PRINCE2 to ensure timely completion within the allocated session.

Project Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK...............................................................................................................................................1
1...................................................................................................................................................1
3...................................................................................................................................................3
4 (a).............................................................................................................................................6
4 (b).............................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................9
.........................................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Every organisation need to upgrade their workplace so they can adopt new changes
which are happening business environment (Braglia and Frosolini, 2014). QA Higher education
(QAHE) is going to refurbish their teaching rooms as well as computing labs in their London
Campus. This institution wants to make radical changes in their learning environment and
installing latest technology in the campus will play crucial role in doing this work. Their are now
only going to install new soft-wares but they are also planning to buy hardware and develop new
network infrastructure. Furniture of this institution is getting old so it will also be replaced at the
time of refurbishment. In present scenario, IT support representative does not have any
permanent place in the Campus. At the time of refurbishment, they will be permanently placed in
the QAHE.
This assignment will include Project initial document (PID). Information about budget,
timescales and stakeholders analysis will get cover in this document. Risk register will also be
made in this project. Gantt chart provide great assistance at the time of moving in right direction.
It will be become significant part of this file. A short report will be made in this assignment
which will discuss about significant of quality risk management planning. It will also cover
explanation about what will happen if the process of risk management is ignored. At the end,
strengths and weaknesses of PRINCE 2 model will be analysed in order to find that whether it
should be used in this project or not.
TASK
1
Title of project – Refurbishment of teaching rooms and computing labs at London Campus
Project sponsor – Managing Director
Project manager – Mike Ross
Estimated budget - QAHE is going require 625000 pounds because they have to buy
extra laptops, manpower and other essential resources like furniture. Most of the funds will be
spend on buying hard-wares and soft-wares of latest technology. Classroom will get smart-
boards and new learning soft-wares. Almost 50% of the budget will be spend on buying these
instruments. Giving a permanent space to IT representative will cost around 15% present of the
present budget. Information support desk is crucial part of this institution so they have to spend
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at-least 5% of the planned expenditure on it. Buying new furniture is another areas where money
will be spent. Saving a significant amount of budget i.e. 5% is necessary for coping up with
various kind of uncertainties which is project team can face at the time of execution of plans.
Some amount will be spent on recruitment of new employees who have knowledge about how to
install latest technology at an institution (Bucero and Englund, 2015).
Timescales - This project will start by conducting market research as it is important to
identify all the essential information which is required for successfully complete the project.
Completing this task will take around 3 days. Once this work is done than next target is generate
the idea about how refurbishment will be done and what can be done for assuring good quality of
work. 3 days is allotted time for this activity and work like generation, evaluation and selection
of idea will be done for completing this task in a successful way.
Development of networking infrastructure and permanent placement of IT support
representative is very important part of this project (Burke, 2013). It requires lot of research &
development and more than two months has to be invested for doing this activity in best way
possible. Testing will be done by asking teachers to teach few students so they can give their
reviews about what changes can be done. IT wing can also test newly installed soft-wares. The
work of testing and product improvement will be done for 4 days and most of the time will be
spent on making necessary improvement. Installation of new technology (products) will be done
in the end. Initially few Smart-boards will be installed in classrooms but in this step all the
purchase Smart-boards will be fixed at decided rooms.
Objectives – To modify learning rooms and computing labs of QAHE London Campus.
Various kind of work like improving latest technology and buying furniture determined and done
in order to attain the aim of developing better learning environment.
Approach – The main approach which will be adopted at the time of completing this
work will be doing all the task in given time. Refurbishment is needed to be done in 15 days so
the tasks relating to buying new technology and furniture will be done in short period of time.
Computing lab will first get few soft-wares, if they accomplish need of IT wing then they will be
bought in bulk. An aggressive and proactive approach will be adopted for assuring fine quality of
work and completing project in given time period (Fleming and Koppelman, 2016).
Stakeholders analysis
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High power, low interest (Administration staff) – Tackling these stakeholders is not very
difficult for project manager and sponsor if they use strategy of ''keep them satisfied'' (Walker,
2015). Administration staff is interested in this project because their work will get easier with but
not in a significant amount. They are not against project manager because they know that he has
managed similar kind of project in past.
Low power, high interest (Suppliers) – Seller of furniture, latest hardware and technology
are interested in project because they want to increase their sales. They are against project
manager because he will buy various gadgets and furniture from different seller as it will reduce
cost of operations (Fortune and et.al., 2011).
High power, high interest (top level management) – Members of the highest level
management team and other senior managers have share in this institution. They are on the side
of project manager because he is responsible for managing whole project. Their views and ideas
will be taken for making any decision during the project.
Low power, low interest (cleaning staff) – This division is interested in project because
they are getting employment because of it. They support project manager because he was the
person
who recruited them. Keeping them informed will be strategy for looking after them (Hanisch
and Wald, 2011).
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WBS
3

4

5

Project preparation
 Defining scope ad objective of refurbish teaching rooms project
 identify project team
 identify stakeholders
 Identify project procedure
 System installation
 identify training requirement
 Project drawing
 Conduct meeting with stakeholders
Detailed Designing
 Tender for main suppliers
 Technical infrastructure preparation
 identify improvement areas
 Campus blueprint
Refurbishing implementation
 Identify current designing of the class room
 Define refurbish requirements
 Document blueprint
 Sign off blueprint
 Carry out non destructing testing
Post project or closer phase
 Check deliverables
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 Submit end report
 Approval for closing of the project
7

8

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3
Risk register - It is a tool which is significant part of risk management plan because it assist in
tracking problems and addressing them at the point of their generation. Below is one of the most
important type of risk:
Risk Mitigation
action
Contingency
action
Pre action score
(Out of 10,
where 10 is high
risk and 1 is low)
Post action score
(Out of 10,
where 10 is high
risk and 1 is low)
Employees
holding
significant
position leave
organisation from
immediate affect.
Professors are key
people in the
organisation.
Their subordinate
can be send to
their position and
proper guidance
can be given to
them for initial
period.
A new person
who has done
similar kind of
work can be hired
by paying him/her
more salary.
9 6
Sudden increase
in the price of
gadgets which are
needed for
successfully
completing this
project
A contract can be
signed relating to
the fixing price of
gadget like laptop
and Smart-boards
so the affect of
increment in price
do not affect
project's cost.
Buying second
hand laptops and
Smart-boards is
best option.
7 3
High fluctuation Managing cash is Take short term 8 4
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in cash flow difficult. A
provision can be
created for
assuring smooth
day to day cash
flow.
bank loan for
removing hurdles
relating to
managing cash.
Internet shutdown
due to any
emergency
The work which
is very important
and cannot be
done without
internet, can be
done at initial
stage.
Their are some
activities which
does not require
internet
connection, this
work can be done
for the time being
when technical
fault occurs.
9 6
Change of
demand at QAHE
London Campus
More resources
can be hired by
fulfilling changed
demand.
Minor
modifications can
be done in present
project for
assuring new
demands are met.
6 3
Employees take
more leaves at the
time of testing
Those employees
who do not have
valid reason for
leave can be
warned for their
attitude and
discipline.
Employees who
are not taking
leaves i.e. present
in office can be
asked to
cooperate and
give more time so
the gap created by
absent workers
6 3
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can be filled.
Government
increases tax rate
Provision can be
made for reducing
impact of this
long term risk.
Reduction in cost
of business can
save few money
for reducing
impact on risk.
4 2
High employee
turnover
New employees
may leave
organisation if
they do not fit in
enterprise. 1 year
bond can asked to
sign by new
employees.
New employees
can be recruited
for managing the
problem of high
turnover at the
time of working
on project.
7 3
Failure to find
right set of skills
at desired cost
Assistance from
HR consultants
can be taken for
minimising the
long term risk.
Best candidates
from the available
one can be
selected and then
on the job
training can be
provided to them
for developing
right set of skills
in them.
5 1
Suppliers, with
whom contract
regarding buying
required
resources, deny to
give mentioned
Legal action can
be taken against
suppliers and
provision for it
can be made in
New suppliers
can be find at the
time of breach of
contract.
3 2
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stuff. advance.
4 (a)
Risk management plan is a document which contain details about all the potential risk which
may arises at the time of working on the project. It also contain information about various
approachers and techniques which will be used for minimising and coping up with risk. One can
argue the planning for risk involve addition cost but they should also check the positive
outcomes which it provide to the members of project team (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017). Below
is the importance of quality risk management plan and the impact of ignoring risk management
processes:
Identification of risk – Uncertainties are integral part of every business project. But if
they are identified in advance then QAHE can make necessary preparation for tackling it. If
project team will find all the major and minor risk then they can do various essential activities
which is necessary part of this project in an effective way. This will assure better outcome and
best use of available resources. If plan are not made for managing risk then project team may fail
to complete the project in allotted them and budget also. Uncertainties create unpredictable
challenges which can only be faced in proper way if institution has made a plan for managing
risk (Kerzner, 2013).
Assure high quality work – Main issues regarding risks is that they damage the quality of
work which is done by project team. Risks can increase the time limit of completion of project,
this program is needed to be accomplished in summer break because after this classes of student
will start. A quality risk management plan also give special attention to those activities which are
directly connected with the work that require more financial resources like buying expensive
soft-wares.
Increment in confidence of employees – Confidence is an underestimated feeling. QAHE
will recruit new employees in order to complete this project in less time and in effective way.
These new worker would lack confidence at initial stage because they are new in the
organisation. A sound risk management plan pour confidence in workers who are working on
this project. Even if things would not go according to their planning then they have various tricks
and strategies to manage upcoming uncertainties (Meng, 2012). These tactics are prime reason
behind confidence. Strategy may not work at the time of execution but the assurance of having a
plan will make a positive impact on the performance of workers. Risk management plan will
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assure them that even if they will make mistakes then it would not affect project in a significant
way because mistakes can be corrected by doing proper planning. If quality risk management
process is ignored then employee may fail to give their best.
4 (b)
PRINCE 2 approach is used by many companies at the time of working on a project. It
mainly concentrate on three areas i.e. organisation and controlling of all the events at the starting,
middle and end of the project (PRINCE2 Courses and Certification for Project Management,
2017). This approach is considered as very effective because it raises key question like what the
project want to achieve, when will it start and is their any need of external support etc. Strengths
and weaknesses of PRINCE 2 methodology for this project as follows:
Strengths
 It is predictable – This method contain different steps. They are followed in particular
sequences and this make this approach predictable (Burke, 2013). One of the many
advantage of predictability is that it does not allow project to get out of control.
 Standardisation – If an approach is failing to ensure quality of project then it should be
used. PRINCE 2 is a methodology which concentrate on standardisation as it is essential
for reducing the probability of misdirection and miscommunication. Time and cost effective – PRINCE 2 is a very popular approach and QAHE does not
need to invest any extra time of providing training to new employees about how to work
and what to do (Meredith and Mantel Jr, 2011). In this method, risk is identified in the
beginning. This save time and money of project team as they do not have to make and
implement new plans for dealing with unexpected risks.
Weaknesses
 Complex – Adopting PRINCE 2 is not easy because it is a difficult approach. If someone
has no idea about this method then he/she need a special training otherwise they would
fail to understand this methodology.
 Not realistic – Their are many steps in this approach which are unrealistic like find all the
risks at the starting of project. This is not possible because something new situation arises
in middle of the project, they are completely unpredictable (Ramazani and Jergeas,
2015).
Recommendation
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If QAHE could complete this project without increasing their manpower then PRINCE 2
may not be so important for them but in present scenario, they cannot ignore the merits of this
approach. One may find many weaknesses of this approach like unrealistic and complicated but
they cannot ignore its strengths. At the time of recruiting new employees, QAHE can add an
important requirement about the job that if a person is not aware about it then they would not be
selected. They can hire those people who experience or knowledge about it. This will overcome
the shortcoming of PRINCE 2 and it ill make it perfect for this project. This institution has to
make sure that they finish the project is allotted time because it after starting of session they
cannot do the work of refurbishment. The most important part of this programme is completing it
in time, appointing new employees who in project team who already have information about
PRINCE 2 approach will assure optimum utilisation of this (time) resources.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Braglia, M. and Frosolini, M., 2014. An integrated approach to implement project management
information systems within the extended enterprise. International Journal of Project
Management. 32(1). pp.18-29.
Bucero, A. and Englund, R.L., 2015, October. Project sponsorship: Achieving management
commitment for project success. Project Management Institute.
Burke, R., 2013. Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
Fleming, Q.W. and Koppelman, J.M., 2016, December. Earned value project management.
Project Management Institute.
Fortune, J. and et.al., 2011. Looking again at current practice in project
management. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business. 4(4). pp.553-
572.
Hanisch, B. and Wald, A., 2011. A project management research framework integrating multiple
theoretical perspectives and influencing factors. Project Management Journal. 42(3).
pp.4-22.
Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H.R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning,
scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Kerzner, H., 2013. Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and
controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Meng, X., 2012. The effect of relationship management on project performance in
construction. International journal of project management. 30(2). pp.188-198.
Meredith, J.R. and Mantel Jr, S.J., 2011. Project management: a managerial approach. John
Wiley & Sons.
Ramazani, J. and Jergeas, G., 2015. Project managers and the journey from good to great: The
benefits of investment in project management training and education. International
Journal of Project Management. 33(1). pp.41-52.
Walker, A., 2015. Project management in construction. John Wiley & Sons.
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