Managing Project: SIM 335 Module - Report on Wind Turbine Project

This report, submitted as part of the SIM 335 module, delves into the intricacies of project management, using a wind turbine project as a case study. Task 1 examines different project types (change, market, and crisis-driven) and essential concepts like scope management, including tools such as Gantt charts and critical path analysis. The report also details project success factors, the quadruple constraint (time, budget, performance, and client acceptance), and strategies for managing project changes. Task 2 applies these concepts to the wind turbine project, discussing the project lifecycle phases (conceptualization, planning, execution, and termination). It explores scope definition, team formation, leadership, budget management, risk mitigation, communication strategies, and project control mechanisms, including monitoring and control, emphasizing the importance of effective communication, contingency planning, and change control procedures to ensure project success.

MANAGING PROJECT
NAME: JOHNSON JEFF
SOLOMON
STUDENT NO:
139017773
MODULE CODE: SIM 335
MODULE TUTOR: PETER
COLEMAN
WORD COUNT:
TASK1- 660 WORDS
TASK2- 2200 WORDS
solo

TASK 1
1. Projects are usually characterized by three types:
 Change driven: The necessity to alter operations to compete with the
business environment.
 Market driven: creating a new product in reaction to latest business
requirements. For instance, BMW uses managing project procedure to
carry out its new technique.
 Crisis driven: Generally a reaction to a critical condition.
Examples of each type of projects –
 Change driven: A telecommunication firm wishes to advance its consumer
service by streamlining its services by forming a more flexible arrangement
able to manage forthcoming development.
 Market driven: A research department in a chemical organization assign time
to discovering the opportunities to evolve innovative goods with the recent
polymer. ( Coleman, 2014)
 Crisis driven: A Charity working in the under developed countries may find out
in discussion with indigenous people that a well is needed. This includes
consultation with them of a good place to have the well and discussing with a
hydrologist and controlling manual labour and supplies to execute the work.
(Field and Keller, 1998)
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2(I). Scope management includes the actions and procedures that enable the project
manager to ensure that the scope of the project comprises all the work to realize the
project targets. (Pinto, 2013)
2(ii). Scope management is a plan that comprises of the organizational structure for
the team handling the project, the strategies and process the team members are
meant to work with and task description for each team members. (Burke, 2013)
2(iii). There are many tools to subdivision of the work of scope which include Product
Breakdown Structure, Transport breakdown structure, Location breakdown structure,
Systems breakdown structure. (Burke, 2013)
Tasks precednce time Days 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
A - 5days 5 DAYS
B - 4days 4 DAYS
C A 6days 6DAYS
D B 2days 2DAYS
E B 5days 5DAYS
F C 6days 6DAYS
G F 4days 4DAYS
H F 5days 5DAYS
3(ii) Critical path- A, C, F, H
3(iii) Duration- 22 days
3(iv). Advantages of Gantt charts are:
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 They are very straightforward to make and comprehend.
 It recognises the system of the project with its plan.
 It keeps people informed and controls the project.
 It is beneficial for recognizing the resources you need to
assign tasks to people. (Pinto, 2013).
4. Project success is determined by the quadruple constraint which includes:
 Time: Projects are controlled by a definite time frame in
which the project should be finalized.
 Budget: Projects must conform to budgeted allowances
which ensure resources are used more proficiently.
 Performance: Projects are improved for the purpose of
meeting the technical requirements for the project as
specified.
 Client Acceptance: Projects main focus is their clients or
customers who they want to give maximum satisfaction.
(Pinto, 2013).
5. To make sure you keep alterations to project under control take the subsequent
actions:
 Initiate a procedure for submitting, appraising and approving
alterations to plan of the project.
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 Explain guidelines so that the group members know exactly
what slight alterations are suitable and what alterations need to
be put through the change control procedure.
 Evaluate change requests with team members.
 Contemplate the influence of the alterations, recognize causes
of modifications and determine if these effect on other areas of
the project.
 Look at the other activities and decide their influence on the
project.
 Support or refuse alterations and communicate alterations to
every individual.
 Document and trace alterations, writing their consequence in the
project. (Coleman, 2014).
6. Project quality management is the method of recognizing requests of quality and
standards for the projects, deliverables and recording the project comply with the
quality requests.
PQM are subdivided into four components:
 Quality planning- This includes recognizing the requirements for
quality for the project and product and recording the project
conforms to the quality necessities.
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 Quality Assurance -This involve substantiating that the project
activities are appropriate which ensures the project deliverables will
be of good quality.
 Quality Control- Quality Control substantiate that the product
conforms to the quality necessities.
 Continuous improvement- Continuous improvement is used by
businesses to describe how data provided by quality assurance and
quality control processes are used to enhance productivity.
(Knowledge.apm.org.uk).
Task 2
Introduction
A project can be defined as an order of arranged events targeted at a clear objective
that preferably has to be accomplished given the limited funds assigned. (Pinto,
2013). when handling a project like setting up new wind turbines, factors like the
mission, scope, aims, deliverables, project limitations are deliberated by the project
manager who should have essential skills such as leadership, team building,
integrative thinking, organization skills, decision making which are essential for a
project manager to be effective in order to stimulate change and accomplish
organization aims. This report applies managing projects concept established in the
course which are scope of the project, team formation, and leadership. This report
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will use project Life cycle to structure the wind turbine project which discusses
stages in a project growth which are significant because they decide the logic that
direct a project and the life cycle aid to develop a plan for the wind turbine project
with its four types of phases which are conceptualization, planning, execution,
termination. (Burke, 2013).
BODY- WIND TURBINE PROJECT
The Conceptualization stage is phase where the scope of the work is decided,
essential resources are recognized, and skills, policies and significant organizational
stakeholders are signed on. A project manager needs to use the project initiation
document because it communicates information to the stakeholders and team
members and pledge their support for the project and they obtain their approval for
the next phase.
The Development phase is the stage where the comprehensive specifications,
schematics, and policies are developed. In the stage, the key team members are
appointed and the scope baseline is developed for the wind turbine project. (Burns
and Sinfield, 2003).
The scope of a project is defined as the planning of a detailed project it take account
of a definite list of project deliverables, responsibilities and targets which are evident
in appendix 3. (Maylor, 2010). In order for scope to be recognized there must be
enquiry into the phase of planning, including the new team members, ignore time
impending on the creation of work breakdown structure, pre-planning benefits and
simplicity within portfolios and programme. The scope documentation of the project
is termed scope statement which is well-known to allocate duties to members of the
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team which also show how finished work is completed and accepted and which will
help teams to concentrate, if there are deviations to be made during the project
(Richman, 2002).Project management tools such as milestones, Gantt chart, critical
path, network diagram to plot and manage a project competently. The project scope
can be designed and supervised using a Gantt chart which is easy to comprehend
but its downside is its lack of devotion to budgets. However, Gantt charts make
evident the start and finish of project terminal elements when handling a project.
Network diagrams institutes the common-sense connection between the activities.
Nevertheless, project managers can use straightforward messaging method like
notice boards or to-do list. (Maylor, 2010). The project manager needs to use distinct
project management technique like the work breakdown structure which proposes to
give an enhanced control of scope and it gives an established strategy for the
project. The central aim of a budget is the need to substantiate, instead of
contradicting with the project's objectives and the schedule that allows an
organization to accomplish these aims which are evident in appendix 5. The project
budget must be synchronized with the project actions defined in the WBS, as the
WBS establishes the project plan and the budget allocates the essential resources to
maintain the plan.
Top-down budgeting will be necessary for a project like the wind turbine project
because it involves immediate contribution from the stakeholders but it criticisms are
it causes frictions between departments because of fighting for the largest share of
the budgets within departments. (Pinto, 2013).
Dealing with the risk that will be instigated by the setting up of the wind turbine
project by the project manager is of very vital significance since it assists the
manager of the project to oppose the diversity of diverse threats a project is
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vulnerable to. Nevertheless, the risk from the wind turbine projects needs to be
controlled using the stages of systematic risk management like risk identification
which determines the specific threats which can influence the project and analysis of
probability which has an influence when they occur and risk mitigation which are
ways to reduce the influence of threats that can derail the project and finally
organizing and recording which creates information for upcoming project. The risk of
the wind turbine projects can be addressed by accepting, minimizing, sharing and
transferring the risk which are evident in appendix 4. (Boddy, 2002).
The cost for the wind turbine project may be £1million but the sum is not necessary
at the start of the project since the economic team needs to be aware of the need for
cash possibly in monthly or quarterly periods. Administration is crucial to the
accomplishment of a project, particularly a big one. Occasionally this is the work of
the project manager, but for projects like the wind turbine it is suitable and well-
reasoned to have a full-time administration and have project file custodian whose
work is to keep track of documents and have a project structure which include an
accountant, engineer, transport person to integrate each other skills for the project of
the wind turbine to be effective. The project manager must have regular meetings
with snowball ltd so he can be acquainted with their feedback in order for the project
not to be a problem. (Field and Keller, 1998).
The Execution phase is where the system is improved or the product is formed. The
undertakings of a project manager throughout a project execution may be reflected
under the subsequent headings which are initiating, planning, monitoring, directing,
and communicating which are evident in Appendix 2. (Weiss and Wysocki, 1992).
When managing project like the wind turbine project, effective communication is very
important because it is a means to attaining team member’s commitment,
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extraordinary team member’s performance and project accomplishment which
supports the effectiveness of the organization and success of the project. (Champ,
2013). Team members are more dedicated when there is easy access to
information and team members know the organization resolutions and project
actions that affect their works. (Wright, 2009). However, Verghese (2012) states that
reduced communication are an obstacle to team member’s performance and
commitment. Additionally, reduced communication between the project manager of
the wind turbine and Snowball ltd could lead to the let-down of the project but this
can be averted by improving communication in the wind turbine project in form of
joint communication which are written and non-written and an all inclusive feedback
structure should be incorporated within the culture. (D`Aprix and Fagan-Smith,
2011).There are usual difficulties a project manager can face during a project which
are equipment estimation more than what expected, a supplier can go bust and new
law may prohibit a scheduled course of action which requires project manager to
have a contingency plan so that the project can be brought back under control.
(Boddy, 2002). The core activities in the execution stage of a project are monitoring
and control and these depend on the communication system used by the project
team. There needs to be a recognized change control procedure to deal with
deviations to the plan which is essential to control the possible effect on the project
whatever alteration you make; there will be a knock-on effect on the project financial
plan, schedule or scope. (Coleman, 2014). The control of a project can be likened
to a feedback control loop which requires both a definition of the plan and also a
measurement of the actual status. The wind turbine project status may be measured
with techniques such as periodic reports, milestones and inspections which are
evident in appendix 6. (Field and Keller, 1998). Leadership is a responsibility of
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interpreting the objectives and values of the organization, dealing with change and
setting direction. Management is an all inclusive activity which helps to achieve
organizational objectives through effectiveness from team members. (Dalakoura,
2010). However, if the project manager of the wind turbine is short of vital skills like
inspiring and constructing teams, having a vision and communicating then the
sustainability of the project will not be sustained and the organizational objectives will
not be realized. (Field and Keller, 1998)
Project managers need to be able to motivate teams to work well in order for the
project to be finalized. The project manager of the wind turbine could deliberate
using the theory of vroom expectancy which inspires the workforce which states that
performance is as a consequence of conscious choices whose drive ensures
optimization of satisfaction and decreasing soreness. (Rafiq and Mahmood, 2010).
The work force effectiveness is centred on separate factors which include
understanding, character and competence. Vroom proposes that determination,
incentive and behaviour are related to one’s motivation. But the expectancy theory
has its disapproval which are the theory can be very deceptive. (Vroom, 1964). The
team members when fully motivated can take accountability of executing
responsibilities and producing deliverables as intended in the plan of the project
which is controlled by the manager of the project which will make the project
prosperous. (Johnson and Scholes, 1999).
To decide the suitable style for leadership for any project, the project manager has to
consider the separate team member’s levels of proficiency and commitment. For
this one-off special project of the wind turbine a change of leadership style to a
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democratic style of leadership is required for the project manager but this style of
leadership has its drawbacks which are that the decision making process is time-
consuming and it can affect project performance. (Tyssen et al, 2014).
Fig 1- The model of John Addair 1990
This leadership style substantiate the model of john addairs which proposes that for
a leader to be effective he has to concentrate on the individual, task ahead and team
members. (Kissi et al. 2013). The project manager could also imitate the theory of
Locke goal-setting, which requires that requirements for team members to achieve
difficult goals and effective reaction is specified which makes team members feels
satisfied with the remuneration and incentives which influence team members to
accomplish additional demanding objectives. (Dinh et al, 2014)
Furthermore, for the wind turbine project to succeed the project manager needs to
achieve needs with rewards and the project manager must be able to quantify efforts
towards the anticipated result, concentrating on the quantifiable and reported results.
Project managers should make sure to reward workers for their hard work by public
recognition, promotion or higher salary. (Field and Keller, 1998).
A Team are a combination of different people who unite to accomplish
organizational objectives. (Goleman, 2002). There are various benefits of teams in a
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