Assignment: Project Management

ByHarsh KaushalyaTSO, Electronics and InstrumentationBARC Training School, IGCARKalpakkam-603102

1. Define projectA project is defined as a combination of inter-related activities all of which must be executed in a certain order for its completion. It is the discipline of planning, organizing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. It is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a new product, service or result.

2. What is project triangle?TheProject Triangleis a model of the constraints ofproject management. It is a graphic aid where the three attributes show on the corners of the triangle to show opposition. It is useful to help with intentionally choosing project biases, or analyzing the goals of a project.It is used to illustrate that project management success is measured by the project team's ability to manage the project, so that the expected results are produced while managing time and cost.

3. What do you mean by success of a project?In a project, performance and quality are of paramount importance. Both of these should be achieved within the time/schedule and cost/budget. Then the project is said to be fully successful.

4. What are the characteristics of a project?The characteristics of a project are -1. Non-repetitive activity and unique in nature2. Low volume and high variety3. Temporary endeavor4. Has start time and a finish time5. Coordinated interrelated activities undertaken by an organization to meet a specified performance objectives within defined schedule, cost and parameters.

5. What are the phases of project? The phases of project are given below-I. SOW(Scope of Work) formulationII. Project ApprovalIII. Project InitiationIV. Project ExecutionV. Project ControlVI. Project Closure6. What are the qualities of a project manager?I. Team leaderII. TechnocratIII. System integratorIV. Decision maker, good listener, communicatorV. Risk takerVI. Result orientedVII. Preferably trained in project management

7. Briefly give the roles and responsibilities of a project manager.I. Defining and maintaining the integrity of a projectII. Development of project execution planIII. Organization for execution of the plan IV. Setting of targets and development of systems and procedures for accomplishment of project objective and targetsV. Negotiation for commitmentVI. Direction, co-ordination and control of project activitiesVII. Contract managementVIII. Non human resource management including fiscal mattersIX. Man managementX. Problem solving XI. Satisfaction of government, customer and publicXII. Achievement of project objectives

8. What are W B S &SOW in a project? Benefits of WBS.Benefits of W B SI. Breaking down of large activities into small manageable unitsII. WBS helps in fixing responsibility for peopleIII. It facilitates financial controlIV. Progressing and monitoring activities becomes easy through logical sequencing V. Role of WBS is to create a linked, hierarchical series of activities forming part of the whole

9. What is project charter?I. CEO issues project charter which contains project goals, scope, name of the project managerII. Project reviewing authority also will be included in the project charterIII. A project manual will be prepared based on these inputsIV. Coordination, communication and direction aspects will be covered in charter10. What are the use of a Gantt chart?I. Tool to manage small projectsII. Prepared in advance to plan the project activitiesIII. What must be done and when it must be done?IV. Start date and finish dateV. Easy to understand and modifyVI. As project progresses the chart is updated11. What are the elements of project feasibility?I. Technical-TRL(Technology Readiness Level)II. Commercial/EconomicalIII. OperationalIV. PoliticalV. LegalVI. EnvironmentalVII. Supplier Base/Industry support

12 .What are pre-project activities to be completed before zero date?a) Identification of projectb) Obtaining the required clearance from authoritiesc) Raw material arrangement and feed stockd) Finance agreement e) Identification of marketf) Plant capacity determinationg) Getting licensedh) Site selectionI) Pre capital cost and investment determinationj) Technology package finalizationk) LOI for projectl) Recruitment of key project personnel and finalization of man power, fabrication and workloadm) Conducting contour survey and benchmarking, survey for ground water and acquisition of land

13.What is zero date?The zero date of a project signals the effective start of the project. It is an important part of the project planning and establishment. The completion of projection will be counted from this point of time. It is important to ensure that all activities that effect project performance likearrangement of finance, infrastructure facilities, formation of new company, division, government and clearance etc. beside time, cost and technical parameters are fully dealt /designed / established / started by this time.14. Distinguish between PERT and CPM.1. The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is a project management technique or tool which is suitable for projects that have unpredictable activities while the Critical Path Method (CPM) is a project management tool which is suitable for projects that have predictable activities.2. CPM uses a single estimate for the time that a project can be completed while PERT uses three estimates for the time that it can be completed.3. CPM is a deterministic project management tool while PERT is a probabilistic project management tool.4. CPM allows project management planners to determine which aspect of the project to sacrifice when a trade-off is needed in order to complete the project while PERT does not.

15. Draw network diagram and find the critical path.TaskABCDEFGHI

Time(Days)810810161718149

PrecedingActivity---AAB,DCCF,G

PathsNo. of days

A---->E24

A--->D-->F-->I44F-->I36

C-->G-->I35

C-->H22

16. There are three estimation times involved in PERT; Optimistic Time Estimate (TOPT), Most Likely Time Estimate (TLIKELY), and Pessimistic Time Estimate (TPESS).In PERT, these three estimate times are derived for each activity. This way, a range of time is given for each activity with the most probable value, TLIKELY.Following are further details on each estimate:1. TOPTThis is the fastest time an activity can be completed. For this, the assumption is made that all the necessary resources are available and all predecessor activities are completed as planned.2. TLIKELYMost of the times, project managers are asked only to submit one estimate. In that case, this is the estimate that goes to the upper management.3. TPESSThis is the maximum time required to complete an activity. In this case, it is assumed that many things go wrong related to the activity. A lot of rework and resource unavailability are assumed when this estimation is derived.

17. Project crashingis a method for shortening the project duration by reducing the time of one (or more) of the critical project activities to less than its normal activity time. This reduction in the normal activity time is referred to ascrashing.Crashing is achieved by devoting more resources, usually measured in terms of dollars, to the activities to be crashed.

18. Three organizational structures:1. Project Structure2. Product structure3. Hybrid structure19. Challenges faced by project manager: Scope changes-QRs are frequently changed by customers Critical components do not come in time Quality issues crop up enroot International competition HR is not in the hands of the P.M No prior experience Learning while doing

21. Who are stake holders in a project?Project stakeholdersare individuals and organizations that are actively involved in theproject, or whose interests may be affected as a result ofprojectexecution orprojectcompletion. They may also exert influence over theproject'sobjectives and outcomes. For Example-

1) Suppliers2) Manufacturers3) Assemblers4) Warehousing/Distributors5) Retail Outlets6) Customers and finally7) Consumers

22. Define quality and reliability?Quality is defined in terms of:-1) Conformance to standards2) Ability to satisfy stated or implied needs3) Fitness for use of a product4) Relative measure of performance5) Totality of features and characteristics of a product or service which satisfy the stated or implied needs

Reliability:-The probability that equipment will perform its intended function for specified duration of time under specified environmental conditions.

23. What are the various costs in a project?1. Cost of Time: Direct input of labor into activity2. Cost of R.M and Consumables3. Capital Equipment including depreciation, plant running costs and maintenance4. Indirect Expenses; Transportation, Training 5. Overheads: Provision of project office, financial and legal support, and other indirect staff

24. What are the three types of tests?1) Reliability Assurance Tests2) Design verification Tests3) Life Cycle Tests4) Product Qualification Tests5) Process Validation Tests6) Stress Screening Tests to remove manufacturing defects

25. Distinguish between QC and QA?QC:-1) Aims at product only2) Finds defects and tries to correct3) Relies more on inspection and testing4) Extensive ESS needed5) No quality audit is done6) Line function and reactive approach7) No focus on quality at any stage of design and developmentQA:-1) Focus on both process and product2) Prevention of defects is the goal3) Proactive approach4) Quality culture exists5) Defining and improving process6) Selection of tools7) Training the people

26. What are the three costs of a quality?The three costs of quality are given below-Failure cost: External failure cost:costs associated with defects found after customer receives the product or service, e.g. customer returns, warranty claims Internal Failure cost:costs associated with defects associated before customer receives the product or service; e.g. re-testing, material review etc.Appraisal cost:Costs associated with measuring, evaluating or auditing products or processes to assure conformance to quality standards;e.g. inspection,testing etc.Prevention cost:cost incurred to prevent (keep failure failure and appraisal cost to a minimum) poor quality; e.g.quality planning, supplier surveys

28. What are the tools for quantifying risks?a) Sensitivity Analysisb) Monte Carlo Simulationc) FMECA: Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysisd) PERTOf these, PERT and sensitivity analysis are more popular and FMECA is used mostly in trouble shooting and problem solving

29. Discuss the various risk mitigation techniques ie risk response.

a) Work around/quick fix (unplanned)b) Avoidance: Eliminate the cause/Alt. Strategyc) Mitigation: Reduction of risk impactd) Deflection: Transfer risk to third partye) Acceptance: Provide contingency/reserve (which is active acceptance) or ignore the risk (passive acceptance)27.What are the risk areas in the project?a) Procurement/contractsb) HRc) Technologyd) Supplierse) Customer side risksf) Financeg) Industry/Govt. policies30. What is RPN?A technique used for analyzing the risk associated with potential problems identified during a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). RPN utilizes three rating scales:1. Severity - rates the severity of the potential effect of the failure2. Occurrence - rates the likelihood that the failure will occur3. Detection - rates the likelihood that the problem will be detected before it reaches the end-user/customerRisk Priority Number = severity x occurrence x detection

31. What are the activities done in cleanup phase (Project closing) Handing over of Product/System Documentation Changes and fine tuning Technology transfer ATP/QTP Manufacturability Assessment Training to both Production Agency and customer

32. What are the essentials of an effective communicationSimple language Accurate message-figures and facts Important points in paragraphs Clarity of information Use consistent grammar33. What are the elements of a communication? Ans- Business letters Reports-Technical and others Meetings Minutes of the meetings Contracts Technical Manuals34. What are the Principles of purchasing? Maximization of CompetitionSpecifications are written to allow the purchasing process to be as open as possible to a number of qualified vendors. Equal and Fair CompetitionEach vendor is provided the same information regarding product or service needs/specifications. Best Value at the Lowest PriceThe purchase must be made at the lowest price for the product or service that best meets the needs of the requisitioner.

36.What is RFP?ANS. While many projects are completed using internal resources there are often times when an organization needs to reach out for additional resources. In this case they often issue a Request for Proposal (RFP). Although each RFP is unique, they should all contain enough information so that bidders can fully understand what is required and expected. In the RFP it is helpful to include information about your organization, relevant information for the project, the project scope, bidder qualification requirements, timeline and guidelines for the proposal. Our Request for Proposal Template provides you with a good starting point for developing your project specific Request for Proposal.

37.What are the roles of purchase manager?ANS. a) Ensure the item is essential for projectb) Check fund availabilityc) Check product specificationsd) Prepare RFP/Tender enquirye) Carry out tender evaluation-technical and commercial aspectsf) Do proper price negotiationg) Place supply order/sign contracth) Contract monitoring

38.Discuss ethics in purchase and contracts management?ANS. Ethics in purchase-a)Wise spending and companys reputation b)Higher moral standardsc)Accepting gifts from vendorsc) Corruptiond)Social rules and honestye)Awareness of business lawsf)Co-operation with vendorsg)Good relationship with vendorsEthics in contracts management-a) RFPb) Receipt of tendersc) Techno-Commercial Evaluationd) Short listing of vendorse) Price negotiationf) Contract/Supply Orderg) Follow up till deliveryh) Inspection, Acceptance & Payment 39. Discuss project execution planTheproject execution plan(PEP) is the governing document that establishes the means to execute, monitor, and controlprojects. The planserves as the main communication vehicle to ensure that everyone is aware and knowledgeable ofprojectobjectives and how they will be accomplished. Theproject execution planmight include: Project definition and a summary of thestrategic briefor later theproject brief. Drawingsinsofar as they are developed at this stage. Project programme. Cost plan,cost managementand accounting procedures. Contracting andprocurement strategy. Roles, responsibilities and authorities. This might be set out in aresponsibility matrix(or project roles table), supplemented by acontractual treeand then used to develop aschedule of servicesfor each appointment. Monitoring and reporting strategies. Potential consultations /stakeholder management. Communications strategy and standards. Technology strategy. Risk assessmentand risk allocation. Strategy for obtainingplanning permissionand other permissions. Health and safetystrategy. Sustainabilitystrategy Quality assurance strategy. Soft landings strategy, including business change and staff training requirements, commissioning, handover, migration, aftercare andpost occupation evaluationstrategy. Operational strategy. Equipmentrequirements (inside or outside of thebuilding contract). Unusual or long-lead items.It is likely to be presented as a report, however, where possible, information and requirements should be scheduled in a database or spreadsheet format that will be easy to expand and will be easy to use to test whether proposals satisfy requirements later in the projectThe progress of the project should be assessed against theproject execution planthroughout the project and theproject execution planshould be amended and developed as necessary.40. Close monitoring and control of project is essential for achieving the project goals. Discuss.The project is observed and measured regularly against the project plan to ensure that the project is within acceptable variances of cost, schedule and scope, and that risks and issues are continually monitored and corrected as needed. The main purpose of monitoring and controlling activities is to be proactive in finding issues ahead of time and taking corrective action. Corrective action can require revisiting Planning Process Group and updating the Project Management Plan as needed with the ultimate goal of bringing the project back in line with project objectives and constraints and improving future execution to avoid repeating the same issues.