Project Management Assignment: Risks, Boundaries, Teams, WBS, Change

This project management assignment delves into the multifaceted challenges inherent in project management, examining various risk factors such as scope, scheduling, resource, and technology risks that can impede project success. It emphasizes the critical role of project managers in navigating these risks and making informed decisions. The assignment further explores the concept of successful project managers operating 'on the boundaries,' highlighting the need for adaptability, strong leadership, and the ability to balance strategic vision with day-to-day operational demands. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is also examined as a key project deliverable, demonstrating its function in breaking down complex activities into manageable tasks. Additionally, the assignment analyzes the importance of project teams, the factors that contribute to their failure, and the significance of team member satisfaction and motivation. Finally, it discusses the role of change management in mitigating resistance and facilitating the successful adoption of project changes, including preparation, management, and reinforcement phases. This assignment provides a comprehensive overview of project management principles and practices, aiming to equip students with the knowledge needed to navigate project complexities and drive successful outcomes.

Project Management

Table of Contents
Answer 1..........................................................................................................................................1
Answer 3..........................................................................................................................................2
Answer 6..........................................................................................................................................3
Answer 7..........................................................................................................................................7
Answer 8..........................................................................................................................................8
References......................................................................................................................................10
1

Answer 1
According to the viewpoint of Heagney (2016), project management is very challenging in
nature. It is because the project management always remains cover with a large variety of risk
factors that may become the reason for the failure of a particular project. In project management,
it becomes the responsibility and duty of the project manager to take care of risk and take
decisions accordingly. The below mentioned are some potential risks that enhance the
complexity of project management:
Scope Risk: The first and foremost risk that enhances the difficulty of project management is
scope risk. The scope statement represents the major deliverables of a particular project. It plays
an important role in a particular project. The scope risk becomes the reason for overall project
failure. The scope risk results in integration issues, change in dependencies, and hardware or
software defects (Larson, 2014). In the presence of scope risk, it becomes difficult for a
particular project to plan its schedule accordingly and take appropriate decision.
Scheduling Risk: The regular scheduling risk also becomes the major factor that increases the
project management challenges continuously. There are a lot of reasons why a particular project
might not proceed in the way it scheduled by the team members. The schedule risk may cause
unexpected delays in natural factors, external vendor, and delays in the acquisition of parts. As a
result, the project management team of different projects utilize the RACI Matrix and Work
Breakdown Structure to schedule the timeline of their projects (Turner, 2014).
Resource Risk: Apart from the scope and schedule risk, resource risk also enhances the level of
difficulties involved in operating project management. The resource risk enhances the difficult of
project management through raising personnel and outsourcing-related issues. A project is a
2

combination of approximately 15 to 100 members. In that situation, there is a high possibility of
great attrition and dissatisfaction rate. Hence, bringing a new employee at a later stage in the
project can significantly slow down the project (Larson, 2015).
Technology Risk: The last and final risk that enhances the complexity of project management is
technology risk. The project management becomes challenging due to failure and defects of any
hardware and software product.
On the basis of the above-mentioned analysis, it can be said that the project management covers
with a lot of uncertainties and risk factors that might become the reason of its complexity in
comparison to other potential solutions.
Answer 3
The statement "Successful project managers must operate on the boundaries" comes with a
significant meaning that becomes the core factor of the best performance of project team
members. In the given statement, the author explained the boundaries as some roles and
responsibilities which should effectively follow by the project manager of a particular project
(Nicholas, 2017). Apart from this, the boundaries in the given phrase also represent some
responsibilities that are not always clearly defined in a project. Hence, it is the responsibility and
duty of a project manager to understand his or her obligations and work accordingly. The
meaning of boundary can easily understand with the examples like being able to solve behavioral
and technical problems, or being a strategic visionary or day to day firefighter. The balanced
between the firefighting and strategic vision represents the main boundary that a successful
project manager should follow effectively. Apart from this, Larson (2014) said that a project
manager should have the sufficient capability to work sometimes in ill-defined situations that
3

need a sense of both technical and behavioral issues; when the concentration should be on day-
to-day operational concerns and long-term strategic issues. Also, it is believed that a project
manager must be ease to working with people at the level of a project, understanding his or her
strategies, motivations, and inspiring them to do their part with high-level efficiency. Hence, the
phrase states that a project manager might work in different situations so he or she must not be
hesitated and move backward. It is not sufficient for a particular project manager to become only
technically efficiency but he or she should have great knowledge and understanding about each
important areas like team management, handling, grievance resolution, leadership, and
motivation as well. With the help of vast knowledge, the project managers can give their
significant contribution to each level boundary or come with innovative solutions (Meredith,
2016). Moreover, the statement also stated that the project managers need to take a decision and
manage operations by considering his or her specialization and availability of resources within a
particular project. The decisions as per predetermined limit will become the main reason for
project success and popularity within the existing market. Therefore, it can be said that the
project manager of a particular project works as a guide who leads a large number of team
members in a right direction. So, it is essential that the project managers should have the
capability to perform within the project boundaries and plan project success.
Answer 6
According to the viewpoint of Fleming (2016), work breakdown structure is considered as an
important project deliverable that represents the team's work into the sub and manageable
sections. Moreover, the Project Management Body of Knowledge explained the work breakdown
structure as a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be performed and
handled by a team of particular project. It is an important tool for project management that gives
4

the significant knowledge about map and outline of a particular project. The work breakdown
structure and working can significantly understand through the below-mentioned example:
Example:
The below-mentioned work breakdown structure represents the scope statement of a construction
project (Siami-Irdemoosa, 2015). The work breakdown structure of a construction project can
understand through the following table:
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Dublin City Council Project
of "Modular Houses
Development"
Project Initiation 1.1 Determination of Project
Background
1.2 Project Scope Statement
1.3 Project Planning
1.4 Contract Management
Planning
1.5 Completion of Project
Initiation phase
Planning, Environmental
Clearance, and Real Estate
Acquisition and Relocation
2.1 Planning Studies
2.2 Environmental
Compliance
2.3 Real Estate Acquisition
and Relocation
2.4 Entitlement
2.5 Completion of planning,
environmental clearance, and
5

real estate acquisition and
relocation stage
Project Design 3.1 Design Phases
3.2 Design Management
3.3 Design Reviews
3.4 Third Party Coordination
3.5 Value Engineering
3.6 Peer Reviews
3.7 Constructability Reviews
3.8 Risk Assessment
3.9 Quality Assurance and
Quality Control
3.10 Sustainability Standards
and Design
3.11 LEED Certification
3.12 Completion of Design
Phase
Modular Houses Construction 4.1 Construction
Management
4.2 Third Party Coordination
4.3 Quality Management
4.4 Safety Management
Commissioning 5.1 The Commissioning Plan
5.2 Owner Furnished
6

Equipment
5.3 Integrated Testing and
Start-up
5.4 Safety and Security
Certification
5.5 Operational and
Maintenance Manuals
5.6 Training and Transition to
Operations
5.7 As-Built Documentation
5.8 Warranty Administration
5.9 Completion of
Commissioning Phase
Project Support 6.1 Project Control
6.2 Project Administration
6.3 Procurement and Contract
Administration
6.4 Project Communications
6.5 Records Management
6.6 Completion of Project
Support
Project Closeout 7.1 Administrative Closeout
7.2 Allotment of Modular
7

Houses to families
Purpose WBS Serves
The work breakdown structure of a particular project satisfies a large range of purpose that might
become the reason for project success. At first, WBS reduce complicated activities to a collection
of tasks. With the help of work breakdown structure, a project manager can effectively see the
tasks more effectively than the complex activities. Apart from this, the WBS also satisfies the
purpose of effective cost distribution (Sharon, 2015). It means that WBS tasks are measurable in
nature. Therefore, the project manager can effectively determine the ultimate cost involved in a
particular project. Also, the work breakdown structure represents schedule, scope and different
tasks that guide the particular project in a right direction.
Answer 7
A project team plays an important role in the success of a particular project. It is the project team
that utilizes the available resources in a right direction and bring productive outcomes for the
whole project. Hence, it becomes necessary for the managerial members of a particular project to
take care of satisfaction level of team members. There are a lot of reasons for project teams
becomes failure and ineffective. But the most common problems fall in the below-mentioned
categories:
Leadership Problems: The first and foremost reason for project team failure is leadership
issues. If a project team faces leadership issues, it lost the energy and excitement that produces
high quality and effective outcomes. For example, David had sufficient experience and logical
choice to guide the next team through Team Software Process. He had required technical as well
as behavioral skills, but he did not believe that TSP would improve the team performance (Sage,
8

2014). As he said, they are in a hurry and don't have time to spend on the satisfaction level of
team members. As a result, David kind of leaders becomes failure to turn the team members to
produce high-quality and superior outcomes.
Impossible Goals: The second and important reason that turns the team into failure is impossible
goals. In spite of hard work, if the team becomes a failure in attempting the determined goals,
they call it impossible objectives. As a result, they ignored extra efforts and objectives as well
(Shepherd, 2014). Therefore, the presence of impossible goals becomes the foremost failure
factor of the team that leads demotivation among team members.
Moral Problems: The final reason behind the project team failure is moral issues. Satisfaction
and motivation play an important role in encouraging the spirit of an individual. The high
satisfaction and motivation will lead improved performance and effective outcomes in exchange
of efforts of a particular project managerial team members (Kendrick, 2015). When team
members of a particular project are frustrated about their roles and responsibilities, thinking that
the project is badly managed by team members and they get upset. Hence, the dissatisfied
behavior may cause performance problems.
Hence, it can be said that the team member's satisfaction should be the foremost priority of a
particular project. In the absence of positive contributions from team members, a project will
become a failure in getting productive outcomes.
Answer 8
According to the viewpoint of Cameron (2015), change management is defined as a process,
technique, and tool to manage the people side of change to attain the predetermined outcomes
and ultimate corporate objectives. Also, it can be said that the change management is a
9

combination of a large variety of organizational tools that can be used to help individuals make
effective personal transitions resulting in realization and adoption of change. Change
management comes with a lot of supportive initiatives that helps a project management team in
managing the current scenario of a particular project. It is the change management that prevents
the change resistance within a particular project. Apart from this, the change management also
helps employees to understand change requirement in best context and give their active support
for implementation. As a result, change management creates open-minded and open to change
the environment within a workplace.
Moreover, Hornstein (2015) said that a change management program is a combination of
different components that ensure the best implementation of project processes. The first and
foremost component of change management program is preparation for change. At this level, the
project management team define their change management strategy and develop sponsorship
model accordingly. The second component is managing change. According to managing change
component, the project team develop change management plans and take action for
implementation. The last and final component is the reinforcement of change. It is one of the
important and recognized components of change management program. At this level, project
management team of a particular project collect and analyze feedback, diagnose gaps, and take
corrective actions on an immediate basis. All components collectively generate fruitful outcomes
for a particular project (Kuipers, 2014). So, it can be said that the change in management is one
of the crucial activity of a particular project. It does not only administer the latest features among
project processes but also generate productive outcomes to get a competitive edge in near future.
10

References
Cameron, E. and Green, M., 2015. Making sense of change management: A complete guide to
the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers.
Fleming, J.F. and Poole, K.W., 2016. NASA Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Handbook.
Heagney, J., 2016. Fundamentals of project management. Amacom.
Hornstein, H.A., 2015. The integration of project management and organizational change
management is now a necessity. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2), pp.291-
298.
Kuipers, B.S., Higgs, M., Kickert, W., Summers, L., Grandia, J. and Van der Voet, J., 2014. The
management of change in public organizations: A literature review. Public administration, 92(1),
pp.1-20.
Kendrick, T., 2015. Identifying and managing project risk: essential tools for failure-proofing
your project. Amacom.
Larson, E.W., Gray, C.F., Danlin, U., Honig, B. and Bacarini, D., 2014. Project management:
The managerial process (Vol. 6). Grandview Heights, OH: McGraw-Hill Education.
Larson, E.W. and Gray, C.F., 2015. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge:
PMBOK (®) Guide. Project Management Institute.
Meredith, J.R., Shafer, S.M., Mantel Jr, S.J. and Sutton, M.M., 2016. Project management in
practice. Wiley Global Education.
11