Reference no: EM132932480

BSBPMG531: Manage Project Time

ASSESSMENT TASK 1:

Questions
Provide answers to all of the questions below:
1. Explain each of the following estimating techniques, and how each can be used to determine task duration and resource effort within a project.
a. Analogous Estimating
b. Parametric Model Estimating
c. 3 Point Estimating
d. Expert Judgment Estimating
e. Vendor Bid Analysis
f. Reserve Analysis
g. Bottom Up Analysis

2. Describe what the critical path of a project is, and explain the steps used to identify it using the Critical Path Method.

3. Explain the concept of a project baseline.

4. Explain the procedure for establishing project baselines.

5. Explain how to manage adjustments to a project baseline due to a major change to scope or cost.

6. Explain how project variance is most effectively managed.

7. Summarise the project life cycle phases and describe each phase.

8. Summarise the following key tools for project scheduling.
a. Schedule Network Analysis
b. Critical Path Analysis
c. Schedule Compression

9. Explain three best-practice time management methodologies. For each, summarise their capabilities, limitations, applications and outcomes.

10. Explain how a work breakdown structure is used to create project schedules.

ASSESSMENT TASK 2: PROJECT PORTFOLIO

Activities
Complete the following activities:
1. Carefully read the following:
This project requires you to develop and manage a Project Schedule (PS) on two separate occasions.
You can do this for two real projects at your workplace, for two projects associated with a start-up business you are working on yourself or you can use the Simulation Pack provided.
Vocational education and training is all about gaining and developing practical skills that are industry relevant and that can help you to succeed in your chosen career. For this reason, basing your project on real relationships with classmates or work colleagues will mean that you are applying your knowledge and skills in a relevant, practical and meaningful way!
If you use your own business or workplace, you should have sufficient numerical information to determine timing, cost and resource requirements for each PS. Also make sure that once your PSs have been implemented, at least one change early on in the project lifecycle is required (see steps 8 and 9 for more details). Speak to your assessor to get approval if you want to base this on your own business.
If you are basing this assessment on the case study business, read through the Simulation Pack in preparation for this assessment. All the information needed to complete this assessment is contained in the Simulation pack.
You will be collecting evidence for this unit in a Project Portfolio. The steps you need to take are outlined below. Before you begin, complete page 57 of your Project Portfolio. You must describe the organisation you are basing this assessment on and provide a short description of two projects for which you'll manage the time.

SECTION 1: DETERMINE PROJECT SCHEDULE

Review and summarise information and examples related to Project Schedules (PS) by accessing the links provided in step 2 of your Assessor marking guide.

PROJECT 1: Include name of the Project
Develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) that includes enough details for the effective planning and control of the project.

Create a PS that covers all of the tasks in your WBS.
Use any applicable digital technology tool (e.g. MS Excel).
Use any appropriate project management method/technique (e.g. Gantt chart)
Attach your draft PS to this section of your portfolio.
Establish the PS's requirements and potential impact
What are the resource requirements (at least three)?
Which costs should be considered or accounted for?
Which project time management activities are necessary (e.g. scheduled meeting etc.)?
What risks are associated with the PS timing (at least three)?
How do you plan to respond to the risks?

PROJECT 2: Include name of the Project
Develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) that includes enough details for the effective planning and control of the project.
Create a PS that covers all of the tasks in your WBS.
Use any applicable digital technology tool (e.g. MS Excel).
Use any appropriate project management method/technique (e.g. Gantt chart)
Attach your draft PS to this section of your portfolio.
Establish the PS's requirements and potential impact
What are the resource requirements (at least three)?
Which costs should be considered or accounted for?
Which project time management activities are necessary (e.g. scheduled meeting etc.)?
What risks are associated with the PS timing (at least three)?
How do you plan to respond to the risks?

2. Review information and examples related to Project Schedules.
Summarise the information contained in the following links.

Your summary may be in appropriate format (e.g. mind map, bullet points, written paragraph). You will use the information contained in the articles to help you complete this assessment.

3. For each project, create a draft Project Schedule (PS).
Before you start on your PS, develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) that includes enough details for the effective planning and control of the project.
Separate WBSs are required for each project. The WBS may be in the form of a diagram or a list of activities.
Use any applicable digital technology tool (e.g. MS Excel) and an appropriate project management method/technique (e.g. Gantt chart) to create a PS that covers all of the tasks in your WBS.
For each task, estimate its duration and effort, then work out the sequencing and the dependencies between tasks.
Separate PSs are required for each project.
You may use the Project Schedule Template for this task, or any other software template used, recommended or prescribed by your business.
Keep in mind that this will be a draft version only, and the baseline PS can only be established after you have incorporated the input from the rest of the project team.

4. For each project, establish the PS's requirements and potential impact.
Identify the PS's:
• resource requirements (at least three)
• costs
• project time management activities (e.g. scheduled meeting etc.)
• risks, including:
o a description of at least three risks associated with the PS
o potential responses to the risks associated with schedule changes.
Make sure you have answered all questions in Section 1.
You are required to attach certain documents as part of your evidence - review the documents you need to attach as outlined in Section 1 of the Project Portfolio.
Submit Section 1 to your assessor.

SECTION 2: IMPLEMENT AGREED PROJECT SCHEDULE
PROJECT 1: Include name of the Project
Summarise the meeting with the project team to agree on the PS.
Who attended the meeting?
Summarise the agreed project schedule information and baseline.
Attach proof of your stakeholder meeting (unless already viewed in person by your assessor).
Update your draft PS to incorporate the input provided by the project team during your meeting.
Highlight any changes you've made.
Change the version number of the PS.
Attach your updated PS to this section of your portfolio.
Develop at least one mechanism you will use to measure, record and report on the progress of project activities.
When/how will you project team meet (e.g. list of team meeting dates, calendar invite to team etc)?
How will you remind team members about due dates (e.g. generic draft email)?
How will you manage PS changes (e.g. discussion with CEO)?
If required, attach proof to this section of your portfolio.
Draft email to confirm the agreed project baseline and explain the reporting mechanism developed in the step above.
Attach your draft email to this section of your portfolio.

PROJECT 2: Include name of the Project
Summarise the meeting with the project team to agree on the PS.
Who attended the meeting?
Summarise the agreed project schedule information and baseline.
Attach proof of your stakeholder meeting (unless already viewed in person by your assessor).
Update your draft PS to incorporate the input provided by the project team during your meeting.
Highlight any changes you've made.
Change the version number of the PS.
Attach your updated PS to this section of your portfolio.
Develop at least one mechanism you will use to measure, record and report on the progress of project activities.
When/how will you project team meet (e.g. list of team meeting dates, calendar invite to team etc)?
How will you remind team members about due dates (e.g. generic draft email)?
How will you manage PS changes (e.g. discussion with CEO)?
If required, attach proof to this section of your portfolio.
Draft email to confirm the agreed project baseline and explain the mechanism developed in the step above.
Attach your draft email to this section of your portfolio.

5. For each project, meet with the project team to agree on the project schedule baseline.
Use the work done in steps 3 and 4 to help you prepare for the meeting. Make sure you have a copy of your PS available to refer to at the meeting.
Meet with at least two project team members. The meeting's objective is to establish an agreed schedule baseline using contributions from your team members.
At your meeting:
• summarise the contents of your proposed PS as well as the associated time management, resource requirements, cost and risks.
• seek feedback from stakeholders on your estimates of each task's duration and effort, sequencing and the dependencies.
• ask each team member to estimate the risks involved with them completing their tasks on time, and what provisions should be made to allow for this (e.g. finding alternative activities, or sequencing changes)
• agree on a baseline schedule.
Meet separately with the project team for each project.
Take notes at the meeting, as you will be required to adjust your PS to include the input from the other team members.
Each meeting should take 20 minutes. This will either be attended in person by your assessor or they will attend online. If you are in the workplace, you may like to video record the session for your assessor to watch later (attach proof to Section 2 of your portfolio). Your assessor can provide you with more details at this step. Make sure you follow the instructions above and meet the timeframes allocated.
During the meeting, you will need to demonstrate effective communication skills including:
• speaking clearly and concisely
• using non-verbal communication to assist with understanding (e.g. nodding)
• asking questions to identify required information
• responding to questions as required
• using active listening techniques to confirm understanding.

6. For each project, implement the agreed PS and communicate the project monitoring requirements to the project team.
Update your draft PS to incorporate the input provided by the project team during your meeting.
Highlight any changes you've made to your draft PS (e.g. using a different colour text or a highlighting tool). Make sure you have at least one change.
Change the version number of the PS.
Develop the mechanisms you will use to measure, record and report on the progress of project activities (e.g. list of dates for regular project team meetings, draft due date reminder emails, PS versioning etc.).
You have already outlined time management activities in Section 1. Develop at least one mechanism.
Draft an email to the project team to:
• confirm the agreed project baseline
• explain the mechanism(s) that will be used to measure, record and report on the progress of project activities.
Separate emails are required for each project.
Assume that your PS is attached to the email.
The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.
If you are basing this assessment on Manager Networks, the email should be addressed to Donna Chisholm, Dan Streep, Edith Partridge and Erin O'Donnell.
Make sure you have answered all questions in Section 2.
You are required to attach certain documents as part of your evidence - review the documents you need to attach as outlined in Section 2 of the Project Portfolio.
Submit Section 2 to your assessor.

SECTION 3: MONITOR AND REVIEW PROJECT SCHEDULE

Review and summarise information and examples related to project reporting and review by accessing the links provided in step 7 of your Student Assessment Tasks.

PROJECT 1: Include name of the Project
Initial project review (a short period of time has passed and project activities have commenced)
Write a report on the project's initial progress.
Attach your report to this section of your portfolio.
Summarise the meeting with a relevant stakeholder to agree on PS changes.
Who attended the meeting?
Summarise the agreed project schedule changes.
Attach proof of your stakeholder meeting (unless already viewed in person by your assessor).
Make changes to the PS.
Highlight changes to make them obvious.
Change the version number of the document.
Attach the updated PS to this section of your portfolio.
Draft email to implement the new PS.
Attach your draft email to this section of your portfolio.
Further project review (a further period of time has passed but the project has not yet been completed)
Summarise the progress of the project further along the project's lifecycle.
How does the progress of activities measure up to the agreed PS?
Analyse the Project baseline.
 
Project review (at completion)
Summarise the time management performance of the project.
Which records (e.g. various project schedule versions, emails or minutes of meetings) have provided information?
Identify time management issues experienced during the project.
Make recommendations for future improvements to project time management.

PROJECT 2: Include name of the Project
Initial project review (a short period of time has passed and project activities have commenced)
Write a report on the project's initial progress.
Attach your report to this section of your portfolio.
Summarise the meeting with a relevant stakeholder to agree on PS changes.
Who attended the meeting?
Summarise the agreed project schedule changes.
Attach proof of your stakeholder meeting (unless already viewed in person by your assessor).
Make changes to the PS.
Highlight changes to make them obvious.
Change the version number of the document.
Attach the updated PS to this section of your portfolio.

Draft email to implement the new PS.
Attach your draft email to this section of your portfolio.
Further project review (a further period of time has passed but the project has not yet been completed)
Summarise the progress of the project further along the project's lifecycle.
How does the progress of activities measure up to the agreed PS?
Analyse the Project baseline.

Project review (at completion)
Summarise the time management performance of the project.
Which records (e.g. various project schedule versions, emails or minutes of meetings) have provided information?
Identify time management issues experienced during the project.
Make recommendations for future improvements to project time management.

7. Review information and examples related to project reporting and review.

Your summary may be in appropriate format (e.g. mind map, bullet points, written paragraph). You will use the information contained in the articles to help you complete the remainder of this assessment.

8. For each project, review the initial project progress and make required changes.
Assume that a short period of time has passed and that project activities have commenced (but the project has not yet been completed).
If you are basing this assessment on the case study, this is one month.
Write a report on the project's initial progress. In your report, include:
• a review of how the progress of activities measures up to the agreed schedule.
• a summary of any changes required to the project schedule (at least one change).
• a forecast of the impact of any changes to the baseline PS.
• any baseline PS variance(s).
• your proposed responses to the changes, and how these will maintain the project objectives
Separate reports are required for each project.
You may use the Progress Report Template (in the Simulation Pack) for this task, or any other template used, recommended or prescribed by your business.
The text of the report should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.
If you are basing this assessment on the case study, the report is for the CEO.
Meet with a relevant stakeholder who can approve changes to the PS. In your discussion, summarise the contents of your Progress Report and seek their feedback and approval to move forward with the project.

Assume that your Progress Report has already been viewed by the stakeholder you are speaking to.
The meeting should take 10 minutes. This will either be attended in person by your assessor or they will attend online. If you are in the workplace, you may like to video record the session for your assessor to watch later (attach proof to Section 2 of your portfolio). Your assessor can provide you with more details at this step. Make sure you follow the instructions above and meet the timeframes allocated.
During the meeting, you will need to demonstrate effective communication skills including:
• speaking clearly and concisely
• using non-verbal communication to assist with understanding (e.g. nodding)
• asking questions to identify required information
• responding to questions as required
• using active listening techniques to confirm understanding.
If you are basing this assessment on Manager Networks, you should interact with the CEO of the business.
Make the approved changes to the project schedule.
Highlight any changes you've made to your PS (e.g. using a different colour text or a highlighting tool). Make sure you have at least one change.
Change the version number of the PS.
Draft an email to the project team to implement the changes. In your email, include specific information about the response to the changes.
Separate emails are required for each project.
Assume that your revised PS is attached to the email.
The text of the email should be in grammatically correct English, written in an appropriate (polite, business-like) style.

9. For each project, review further project progress and the PS baseline.
Assume that a further period of time has passed but the project has not yet been completed. Assume that no changes to the PS are required and no baseline variances.
Review the progress of the project further along the project's lifecycle. As part of your review, summarise:
• how the progress of activities measures up to the agreed PS.
• an analysis of the PS's baseline.

10. Review project time management activities.
Assume that the project has been completed.
If you are basing this assessment on the case study, the conference took place four weeks ago, and it was a great success. All tickets were sold out three weeks prior to the conference beginning, and it generated a profit for Manager Networks of 25% of income through ticket sales, as projected.
Due to your early intervention, new speakers were identified and contacted within days, and the marketing material could be delivered only one week later than the baseline project schedule.
If you are basing this assessment on your own business or workplace, make sure you have sufficient information available to evaluate the time management activities associated with your project.
Review any relevant time management performance records (e.g. various project schedule versions, emails or minutes of meetings) to identify and any time management issues related to the project and make recommendations for future improvements.

11. Submit your completed Project Portfolio.
Make sure you have completed all sections of your Project Portfolio, answered all questions, provided enough detail as indicated and proofread for spelling and grammar as necessary.

Attachment:- Manage_Project_Time.rar