Risk Analysis and Mitigation Plan: Sydney Metro Northwest Project

This project management case study analyzes the Sydney Metro Northwest project, focusing on risk assessment and mitigation strategies. Part A provides an overview of the project, its rationale, key features, funding mechanisms, and stakeholders. Part B delves into a comprehensive risk analysis framework, identifying potential risks such as schedule slippage, stakeholder involvement issues, communication barriers, and improper reporting. The analysis includes a risk matrix to assess the likelihood and impact of each risk. Part C outlines a detailed risk mitigation plan, evaluating each identified risk and proposing specific strategies to minimize their impact on the project. The project covers key construction phases, environmental considerations, and financial aspects, providing a holistic view of project management challenges and solutions. The analysis highlights the importance of effective communication, stakeholder management, and proactive risk planning in ensuring the successful completion of large-scale infrastructure projects.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project management- Case Study: Sydney Metro Northwest
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Table of Contents
Part A: Project overview..................................................................................................................2
A.1 Overview of the project........................................................................................................2
A.2 Overall budget of the project................................................................................................2
A.3 Social and economic rationale..............................................................................................2
A.4 Key statistics.........................................................................................................................3
A.5 Funding mechanism............................................................................................................11
A.6 Key stakeholders.................................................................................................................11
Part B: Risk analysis......................................................................................................................12
B.1 Potential risks......................................................................................................................12
B.2 Risk matrix..........................................................................................................................13
Part C: Risk mitigation plan..........................................................................................................15
C.1 Risk evaluation and risk mitigation strategy.......................................................................15
References......................................................................................................................................26

2
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Part A: Project overview
A.1 Overview of the project
The main focus of the paper is on the construction of “Sydney Metro Northwest” which
will mainly helpful in delivering eight railway stations and around 4000 commuter car parking
spaces. It is found that the train will mainly run in the gap of four minutes and thus it is identified
that the customers does not need to maintain a timetable but they can easily travel without facing
time related issues and challenges. The Sydney was mainly named as the North West Rail link
and it is considered as the first automated metro rail within Australia (Sydneymetro
2019). Further the construction of Sydney metro will be helpful in delivering around reliable
proper public transport within the region that generally consist of highest ownership of car. It is
found that the construction of Northwest Sydney metro has been re-announced in February 2010
and the work of the metro rail will be expected to get completed by May 2019 within the budget
of around $314 million.
A.2 Overall budget of the project
It is found that for constructing the Sydney Northwest metro rail project, it is identified
that around $314 million budget is mainly needed. The construction work will get successfully
completed within the approved budget. The amount that is allocated for completing the
construction mainly includes the execution of each and every activities of the project which are
needed for constructing the metro rail successfully.
A.3 Social and economic rationale
The population of Sydney was growing at an alarming rate and in order to provide proper
travelling experience, the government took the initiative of constructing the Sydney metro

3
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
northwest. It is found that the construction of Metro is considered to be advantageous as the
project that was constructed mainly involve in constructing new stations like Bella vista,
Kellyville and more. It is found that the trains will generally run at the gap of four minutes and
thus the metro will be able to give redundant time table facility to the customers which generally
helps in reflecting that the train will generally arrive shortly. In addition to this, it is found that
the newly constructed northwest metro will generally be able to have the capacity of moving
around 4600 people per hour and thus it is almost double the load that a public transport in
Sydney caries. Moreover, the metro will be helpful in reducing overcrowding on the trains and
will also keep the ever-growing Sydney moving (Sydneymetro 2019). The addition of the fast as
well as reliable train network will further helpful in encouraging the utilization of public
transport which will further helpful in improving the commute for those who already select
public transport. Furthermore, it will be helpful in reducing congestion on the roads.
On the other hand, it is found that the construction of Sydney Metro Northwest also
creates a number of disadvantages in context to social and economic rationale. It is found that if
more existing lines are generally reclaimed and transferred to metro then there is a chance that
large number of staff of railway can be get out of job that generally reflects negative economic
impact. In addition to this, the construction of Northwest Sydney metro is considered to be
incompatible with the existing network.
A.4 Key statistics
Scope and size
The construction of Sydney northwest metro is one of the large project which will helpful
in constructing eight different stations and around 4000 commuter in context to car parking

4
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
spaces and the facility of train running at the gap of four minutes that further helps in reducing
crowding.
The scope of the project includes:
 Excavating the future area for the construction site
 Undertaking the work of tunnel construction
 Undertaking construction work on the precincts and stations
 Undertaking upgradation of the work that is associated with road and footpath
 Installing high voltage of supply
 Undertaking soil removal as well as general civil works for completing the
construction works
Budget and estimated cost
It is identified that for completing the Northwest Sydney metro construction work, it is
assumed that budget of around $ 314 million is generally required as per the assumption. The
amount of money that is set for constructing the project is considered to be appropriate for
successfully executing the project work. The estimated the project budget that is needed is
reflected below:

5
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Figure 1: Budget
(Source: Created by Author)

6
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Time required for the project
The construction of Northwest Sydney metro was re-announced in the year 2010 and it is
assumed that the work of construction will be completed successfully by May, 2019. Thus, it is
analyzed that time period of around 9 years (120.6 months approx.) is required for successfully
executing the construction of Sydney metro Northwest successfully.
WBS Task Name Duration Start Finish
0 Sydney Metro Northwest project
120.6
mons
Wed 10-02-10 Thu 09-05-19
1 Project planning 6.2 mons Wed 10-02-10
Mon 02-08-
10
1.1 Requirement analysis 2.25 mons Wed 10-02-10 Tue 13-04-10
1.1.1 Requirement analysis 20 days Wed 10-02-10 Tue 09-03-10
1.1.2 Project nature analysis 25 days Wed 10-03-10 Tue 13-04-10
1.2 Estimation of resource 22 days Wed 14-04-10 Thu 13-05-10
1.3 Time schedule estimation 20 days Fri 14-05-10 Thu 10-06-10
1.4 Estimation of budget 12 days Fri 11-06-10
Mon 28-06-
10
1.5 Estimation of manpower 13 days Tue 29-06-10 Thu 15-07-10
1.6 Analysis of resources 12 days Fri 16-07-10
Mon 02-08-
10
1.7
Milestone 1:Completion of planning
phase
0 days Mon 02-08-10
Mon 02-08-
10

7
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
2 Initiation phase 18.9 mons Tue 03-08-10 Thu 12-01-12
2.1 Procurement of fund 20 days Tue 03-08-10
Mon 30-08-
10
2.2 Appointment of stakeholders 25 days Tue 31-08-10
Mon 04-10-
10
2.3 Arrangement of meetings 30 days Tue 05-10-10
Mon 15-11-
10
2.4 Financial management arrangement 35 days Tue 16-11-10
Mon 03-01-
11
2.5 Workers appointment 30 days Tue 04-01-11
Mon 14-02-
11
2.6 Blueprint preparation 45 days Tue 15-02-11
Mon 18-04-
11
2.7 Land area procurement 30 days Tue 19-04-11
Mon 30-05-
11
2.8 Legal notice release 25 days Tue 31-05-11
Mon 04-07-
11
2.9 Allocation of budget 30 days Tue 31-05-11
Mon 11-07-
11
2.10 Procurement of resources 30 days Tue 12-07-11
Mon 22-08-
11
2.11 Time division 25 days Tue 23-08-11 Mon 26-09-

8
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
11
2.12 Allocation of duty\ 28 days Tue 27-09-11 Thu 03-11-11
2.13 Risk analysis 27 days Fri 04-11-11
Mon 12-12-
11
2.14 Risk mitigation plan 23 days Tue 13-12-11 Thu 12-01-12
2.15
Milestone 2: Completion of initiation
phase
0 days Mon 12-12-11
Mon 12-12-
11
3 Execution phase
120.6
mons
Wed 10-02-10 Thu 09-05-19
3.1 Preparation of land 1 mon Tue 13-12-11
Mon 09-01-
12
3.2 Construction in tunnels 20 mons Tue 10-01-12
Mon 22-07-
13
3.3
Installation of track slab as well as
installation of railway tracks
5 mons Tue 23-07-13
Mon 09-12-
13
3.4
Installation of cable and equipment
including communication and signlling
7 mons Tue 10-12-13
Mon 23-06-
14
3.5 Construction above ground 4 mons Tue 24-06-14
Mon 13-10-
14
3.6 Ongoing construction of the sky train 5 mons Tue 14-10-14
Mon 02-03-
15
3.7 Construction work related with stations 6 mons Tue 03-03-15 Mon 17-08-

9
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
and precincts 15
3.8 Road and footpath upgrade works 10 mons Tue 03-03-15
Mon 07-12-
15
3.9
Construction of new road with
pedestrian bridges
8 mons Tue 08-12-15
Mon 18-07-
16
3.10
Installation of rail track with Sydney
metro train facility
13 mons Tue 19-07-16
Mon 17-07-
17
3.11 Installation of high voltage power supply 12 mons Tue 18-07-17
Mon 18-06-
18
3.12 Station construction 5 mons Tue 19-06-18
Mon 05-11-
18
3.13 Stabling facility construction 6 mons Tue 06-11-18
Mon 22-04-
19
3.14 Testing and commissioning 13 days Tue 23-04-19 Thu 09-05-19
3.15
Milestone 3:Completion of execution
phase
0 days Wed 10-02-10
Wed 10-02-
10
4 Closure phase 1.55 mons Wed 10-02-10
Wed 24-03-
10
4.1 Sign off stakeholder 12 days Wed 10-02-10 Thu 25-02-10
4.2 Review of post project 19 days Fri 26-02-10
Wed 24-03-
10
4.3 Milestone 5: Completion of closure 0 days Wed 24-03-10 Wed 24-03-

10
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
phase 10
Key construction phases or elements
The key construction phases that is associated with the construction of Northwest Sydney
metro rail is generally listed below:
1. Initiation phase
2. Planning phase
3. Execution phase
3.1 Completion of construction of tunnels
3.2 Completion of construction above ground
4. Closure phase of the project
Environmental costs or benefits
It is found that the construction of Sydney metro northwest generally has very much clear
vision and therefore they are capable of delivering proper infrastructure that helps in
demonstrating the social, economic as well as environmental improvements within the entire
lifecycle of the project. It is found that the sustainability generally helps in properly measuring
the project that has generally been properly established for achieving efficiency of water,
biodiversity conservation as well as waste management as well as integration.
A.5 Funding mechanism
It is found that the government of Australia provides funding of around $314 million in
order to undertake the work of construction for effectively constructing the Sydney rail

11
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
northwest. It is necessary for the construction team to execute the project within the amount of
budget that is funded.
A.6 Key stakeholders
The key project stakeholders who are involved with the construction of Sydney metro
Northwest are generally listed below:
 Project manager
 Project planner
 Contractor
 Sub-contractors
 Workers
 Architectural designer
 Construction team
 Financial manager
 Human resource manager
 Civil engineer
Part B: Risk analysis
B.1 Potential risks
The potential risks that are generally identified by utilizing both qualitative as well as
quantitative risk measures within the Sydney Rail Northwest project in context to PMBOK
principles.
Schedule of slippage: It is found that due to some political issue, the project manager
faces a number of issues and challenges in completing the project initial stage and thus the initial