MSc Project Management Report: AF PLC Case Study, Risk & Planning

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of a project management case study centered around Automation Futures (AF) PLC. It begins with an executive summary and introduction, followed by a detailed exploration of project definition, risk assessment, planning, and cost management. The report delves into fixed costs, timeframes, and scope, along with a risk register identifying potential threats and mitigation strategies. It then examines project planning tools like network diagrams and Gantt charts, along with cost estimation and net profit calculations. Furthermore, the report presents an earned value analysis and discusses project acceleration techniques. The report concludes with a reflective essay analyzing the challenges encountered throughout the project and provides references. This analysis is designed to help companies achieve their strategic goals effectively and efficiently.

Fundamentals of
Project Management

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report summarised the structured and detailed project management consult which
discusses important aspects of the project and associated topics. The entire research is focused on
potential case study of Automation (AF) PLC to help companies accomplish their strategic target
in a designed way. This article further includes an extensive summary of the difficulties and
obstacles faced by the project manager and they ensure that they will fulfil the assessment
criteria regarding the success of project.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
PART A...........................................................................................................................................1
1. Project definition and risk........................................................................................................1
2. Planning and cost.....................................................................................................................7
3. Managing progress and spending..........................................................................................10
4. Earned Value Analysis and Acceleration..............................................................................15
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20
Reflective Essay.........................................................................................................................21

INTRODUCTION
Project management depends on the cooperation and control of the assets of the company in
order to promote forward the execution of a specific project, task or work (Abyad, 2018). It
could be used for one time or continuing operation project which involving staff, budgets
allocation, facilities, that also devices for managing property rights. This is often associated with
the areas of architecture and building and, more specifically, health care and information security
(This), which typically involve a complicated range of tasks that need to be completed and
assembled in order to produce a functional object in a specified way. This report is based on the
case study of Automation Futures (AF) PLC, which is a organization focused on software and
hardware components and they partner with TTF Plc for manufacture energy communication
devices. This evaluation includes many issues such as project definition, cost of preparation, risk
log, budget of the project, control and management etc. In addition, this report also include the
reflective essay contain the overall analysis and challenges which encountered throughout this
assessment.
MAIN BODY
PART A
1. Project definition and risk
The project plan is intimately linked to the ability of a proposal to obey all potential
drawbacks (Anbari, 2018). Some of the drawbacks are iron triangles in the design process is the
time, expense and efficiency of the implementation project for the TTF PLC system. Immediate
steps must take place to complete a mission as per the plans. For example, the characterization of
the company determines company costs, time and usability. Cost, schedule, and complexity are
linked to achieving the project's TTF PLC limits. There are other things in the project that
needed fulfilment for the completion of the whole project to for the organization to accomplish
its goals. All the discussion is as below:
Fixed cost: Cost estimation will be made for available in a reasonable period to
accomplish project goal (Chandra, 2020). In the context of AF PLC, they must carry out a
customer-dependent preference test. Conducted activities in small bits to be registered and
distributed on schedule.
1

Fixed period: Time period must be fixed, the function must be carried out in the context
of consumer demand as consumers choose to launch a commodity. The time is used for passing
the job done.
Fixed scope: Research is to be done everywhere and anywhere, manufacturing time and
expense must be fixed and effectively. This is the situation for trying to achieve improved
results.
Fixed cost and scope: In context of organization, suppliers think that fixed costs and data
are sufficient. In the above example, there is more likelihood of unexpected circumstances.
Fixed expense and timeframe: The operations can also be updated in this situation if the
plan is to achieve a fixed time and cost. Such projects are constrained for both project time and
expense.
Fixed time and scope: A certain number of simulations should be made accessible
during only a specified amount of time, where it would be acceptable. In fact, neither is the
funding to cover for both of the projects really a restriction. Organization need to formulate
policies to reduce and evaluate unexpected system costs. The plan is developed to be
implemented.
Risk register:
It is a risk management database, and managers need to take actions for controlling risk.
The Risk Register is necessary for effective risk assessment (Dwyer, Liang and Thiessen, 2020).
These are agreed to sign onto the register since there are risks and action is implemented to
protect the risk. The table below provides 10 threats which can be recognized in this proposal
and these are discussed below:
Risk Assessment Response Monitoring & Control
Ris
k
Even
t Cause Effec
t
Pro
bab
ility
Imp
act
P
x
L
Strate
gy Trigger Action
Responsi
ble
person/s
Revi
ew
Freq
uenc
y
Status
date
and
genera
l notes
1 Lack Limite Plan 5 5 2 Attract Project Business Project Mon 23/11/1
2

of
finan
ces
d
funds
may
affect
the
execut
ion of
project
activiti
es
will
be
delay
ed
due to
insuff
icient
mone
y
5 investo
rs
financers
are still
unable
to
guarante
e
adequate
funding
till the
proposed
plan is
consider
ed.
should
find
another
source of
financial
services
for raising
funds or
enabling
them to
carry out
their task.
Taking the
views
even from
main
stakeholde
rs.
Manager thly
basis
6 revise
list.
2 Risk
relate
d to
budge
t
Requir
ed
effecti
ve
analysi
s at
large
scale
The
outco
me
may
be
affect
ed by
poor
pay or
inade
quate
figure
4 6 2
4
Estima
tion
need to
be
realisti
c
Budget
forecast
will be
done by
the
inexperi
ence
project
director
Estimation
should be
based
realistic
and logical
facts
Project
manager
On
mont
hly
basis
27/11/1
6
3

s.
3 Time
estim
ation
Not
the
sequen
ce of
planne
d and
awaite
d
progra
ms.
Finan
cial
crisis
in
projec
t
finish
ing
proce
ss.
5 4 2
0
Effecti
ve
analysi
s
The
planner
provides
false
estimate
s to be
done
project.
Every
procedure
needs to
be timely
and
accurately
checked.
Project
manager
At
end
of
proc
edur
e
29/11/1
6
4 Unfor
eseen
event
s
Situati
ons
usuall
y
aren't
expect
ed.
Diver
sion
of
projec
t
6 6 3
6
Minim
ise the
impact
Managin
g a
project
fails to
forecast.
Take
appropriat
e measures
to
minimize
any
adverse
consequen
ces.
Plan
planner,
and squad
members.
Whe
n
requi
red
02/12/1
6
5 Uncer
tain
claim
The
project
is
uncert
ain or
incom
plete.
Empl
oyme
nt
effici
ency
is
comp
romis
ed.
5 4 2
0
Perfor
m
highly
dedicat
ed
project
Director
has
difficulti
es when
it comes
to
determin
ing fair
project
specifica
Situation
required
immediate
updates
Team
control of
project
For
risin
g
oper
ation
02/12/1
6
4

tions.
6 Misc
onduc
t
Limite
d time
for
project
Impac
t
overal
l
projec
t
4 4 1
6
Immed
iate
action
require
d
These
staff
members
are not
focussin
g
immedia
tely on
their
roles.
Project
must be
conducted
in keeping
with the
timeline
and goals.
Project
manager
After
ever
y
task
05/12/1
6
7 Tech
nical
issues
Ineffic
ient
techno
logy.
Not
compl
eted
or
devel
oped
over
time.
6 5 3
0
Techni
cal
feasibi
lity
researc
h
The
project
planner
provides
inaccurat
e risk
control
for the
plan.
Planning
interventio
n quickly
and type
of
network.
Risk
manager
On
mont
hly
basis
07/12/1
6
8 Incre
ase in
cost
Poor
estima
tion
High
invest
ment
and
extra
funds
requir
ed.
6 4 2
4
Project
Qualit
y
The
manager
fails to
carry out
similar
assessme
nts.
Consider
sufficient
funding
and a
shared
handling
of the
budget.
Project
managem
ent
On
quart
erly
15/12/1
6
9 Imme
diate
Effecti
ve
Huge
varian
6 6 3 Imple
mentin
Leading
to
Make sure
that time
Project Mon
thly
25/12/1
5

chang
es
requir
e in
opera
tions
estima
tion
regardi
ng
time is
require
for
each
activit
y.
t
spectr
um.
6 g succ
ess and
develo
pment
strateg
y.
incorrect
forecast
the
executiv
e team is
not
functioni
ng as
intended
.
period
drives
prediction
s.
Leader basis 6
10 Risk
due
to
ineffe
ctive
com
muni
cation
Insuffi
cient
comm
unicati
on
channe
l.
Variat
ions
in the
actual
and
requir
ed
perfor
manc
e
5 4 2
0
Need
to use
effecti
ve
comm
unicati
on
channe
l
Software
does not
allow
any
point of
service
to
provide
direct
contact.
Take the
required
steps to
successfull
y complete
the
communic
ation
network.
Between
project
manager
and team
members
At
ever
y
stage
of
proje
ct
25/12/1
6
Above identified risk help the project manager to take necessary actions to mitigate the
potential risk and it will leads towards project failure (Galli, 2018). In addition, risk register are
used to identify high-risk behaviours, as well as prioritizing intervention or study actions. Instead
they are being used to indicate that appropriate steps are taken to track and retain control from
over danger established. Risk ratings as well help to decide which power structure to use when
trying to mitigate or attempting to control the risk, i.e. eliminating, replacing, isolating,
engineering or organizational. Managers should analyze and even re - examine the threat here,
incorporate external personnel, measures or adjustments, recognise current or ongoing patterns
and incentives for improvement, as well as delegate close-out or disciplinary steps.
6

2. Planning and cost
Network diagram:
It is graphic representation project which includes multiple set of activities that required
completing the tasks and further it helps in implementing the process effectively. This also
utilizes as a representation a series of arrows and pictures (Haq And et.al., 2018). The method
and task process of the project is planned, and its progress can be tracked and accomplished
during each involves step. The project spectrum of the network diagram could be drawn, since it
includes any specific project operation and real outcome. This shows the role of the AF Plc in
executing the initiative supported by TTF PLC. Program administrators should be involved in
different activities of delegation process. That graph includes a list of structures for defining and
listing events that use the designation set for such procedures. Inside this network diagram it is
possible to determine the range of tasks that determine the time required to complete a project.
Gantt chart:
This shows specifically the specifics of each operation that illustrates the whole function
of a project, and in an organized manner that shows the activities to a time scale. This provides
them with a simple overview of a schedule along with associated operations, including the time
taken to accomplish these tasks.
The period of time each phase will have to complete would be defined in the TTF PLC
process. In the end, this could help to determine the beginning date for or not completing the
endeavour, as AF PLC would begin the execution schedule on July 8, 2019 and July 6, 2020
7

(Hargaden And et.al., 2019). That was also last day for this process of the meeting, which
arrives with a timetable of 25 September 2020 to pass. This seeks to assess if the work is done
within time specified that will include an early start incentive for progress. Below mentioned
Gantt chart shows each and every activity along with specified time to complete.
8

Net profit for the project:
Throughout the estimation techniques the overall operating costs of every task are
determined for the allocated costs. If the project is done during the contract periods, and then
bonuses are given to AF Plc. A sum of £ 50,000 will be spent on a regular basis and paid as
compensation as defined in the agreement, before the construction is finished just after end date
of project. AF Plc is no able to complete the work during the project life cycle, as these needs
much more than the estimated cash amounts for the corporation. That interest would be income-
related by calculating the current amount of revenue the project gets (Heigermoser And et.al.,
2019). This is accepted that by finishing the tasks in 81 days even before final project delivery
date specified in the contract, the calculation of a net income now to £13.85M. The subsequent
output increases profits for the companies and generates higher levels of performance.
Calculation:
Items Amount
Budgeted Project Cost £...58.5...
Profits before the completion the project deadline £...4.05...
Revenue £...62.55...
Less: Project Cost £...48.7...
9