SIM335- Managing Projects: A Comprehensive Guide to Project Management Concepts and Techniques

SIM335- Managing Projects
1

Table of Contents
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
1) Define the key characteristics of any project..........................................................................4
2) What is the Scope Statement for a project? What role does the Work Breakdown Structure
(WBS) have in such a statement?................................................................................................5
3) Using the information below, plot out a full project Gantt chart and identify the critical
path. How many days does it take to complete the project?........................................................6
4) What approaches exist to generate a budget for a specific project budget?............................9
5) How can project risk arise? Outline the various responses to risk that may be taken within
project management...................................................................................................................10
6) What quality methods (project evaluation, monitoring and control) would you introduce to
ensure a project is completed successfully?..............................................................................11
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................13
Project Scope Statement............................................................................................................15
Work Breakdown Structure.......................................................................................................16
Project Budget...........................................................................................................................17
Work flow Chart........................................................................................................................18
Gantt chart.................................................................................................................................19
Characteristics and skills of a project manager.........................................................................20
The Project Scope Statement.....................................................................................................21
Project Life Cycle and Stages....................................................................................................22
References......................................................................................................................................25
2

Task 1
Introduction
The task aims at identifying the project concept and its various attributes such as work break
down structure, the scope of planning, budget, Gantt charts, risk management and quality
assurance approaches.
1) Define the key characteristics of any project.
A Project may be defined as a group of various interlinked activities and processes in order to
achieve certain pre-defined derivable. A project may include the following characteristics:
 Temporary- Projects are temporary in nature as they are deemed to be completed within
a specified time period. It has a definite start and end point.
 Budget Specified-The projects are executed under a specified budget and are determined
to be completed under the defined budgets (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017).
 Cross-functional- Projects are identified as a cross-functional group of activities that are
interlinked.
 Consumer-Centric- Projects are consumer-centric processes that are focused towards
accomplishing the needs and objectives of the consumers.
 Resources-Projects requires various types of resources such as financial, human,
technological and raw materials.
3

2) What is the Scope Statement for a project? What role does the Work Breakdown
Structure (WBS) have in sucha statement?
A scope statement for the projectcan be defined as a document which records for the project aims
and objectives, processes, functions, budgets, time schedule period, work breakdown structure
and the project baselines etc. The scope statement is developed to depict the projects objectives
and the outcomes that are to be accomplished through the project activities (Burke, 2013). The
statement document provides with project assumptions and various criteria on the basis of which
the project will be assessed and valued.The statement is developed to aid in the project
management and decision making activities for the project functions and processes.
4

3) Using the information below, plot out a full project Gantt chart and identify the critical
path. How many days does it take to complete the project?
Project Gantt charts and Critical Path are developed for determining the time that will be
undertaken to complete the projects and its various activities. Gantt chart represents for the time
that will be undertaken to complete the various project stages and processes. The critical path is
the scheduled path and flow structure of the project that will be followed throughout the project
life cycle. As per the following time schedule, 26 days will be required to complete the project in
a successful manner.
5

(Figure: Work Breakdown Structure)
(Figure: Critical Path)
6