Module: SIM335 Managing Projects

Contribution to module assessment: 100%
This is an individual assignment – complete both tasks 1 and 2
Background: The assignment is intended to bring out the benefits and limitations of different approaches to project planning and control by relating these to the circumstances in the cases outlined. It is also intended to allow students to demonstrate their learning and competence in respect of the management of resources generally, but in particular elements of scope, schedule, quality, and cost.
Task 1 (40% marks) 700 words (+/- 10%) each short answer question requires a response in a few sentences (paragraph) for the questions awarded up to 6 marks and two-three paragraphs for questions awarded up to 8 marks.Project is a series of activities leading to a specific goal that ideally has to be completed given the resources allocated.
1) What are the core principles/characteristics of any project and why are they important? (7 marks).
2) How would you define the scope of a project? (6 marks).
3) Using the information below to provide the following answers
3a) draw the network diagram (6 marks)
3b) list the network paths (8 marks)
3c) determine the critical path (3 marks)
4) What method(s) would you employ for cost management and why? (5 marks).
5) How would you assess and manage the risks of a project? (5 marks).
Activity Duration Dependency
Start 0 days
A 5 days Start
B 2 days Start
C 3 days A, B
D 5 days Start
E 6 days Start
F 4 days D, E
G 2 days C, F
H 5 days G
I 7 days G
J 3 days H
Finish 0 days I, J
Task 2: (60% marks)
Superfine is a newly formed manufacturer of face masks in Hong Kong with 150 employees, among them 110 being workers. Currently, Superfine owns one factory in Hong Kong. In the first half of 2020, business has been good with tremendous demand for face masks both in Hong Kong and overseas. By August, there is a clear trend that market demand for its face masks is getting weaker. The senior management of Superfine recognizes the need to develop new face mask products. Because of that, the CEO of Superfine, Jackie Mak, has just employed you to be the project manager to work on a new product development project to develop fashion face masks for the Hong Kong and overseas markets. You soon realize that: (a) most of the office staffs of the company are young (around 35 years old) and inexperienced, and (b) though the company is financially healthy, it has very little knowledge of the fashion face mask markets in Hong Kong and overseas. Now, you are required by the CEO to produce a management report (in 2,300 words) to examine the following project management topics, with some preliminary planning figures and recommendations on these topics, so as to inform subsequent discussion on how to actually launch this new product development project:
1. Project objectives
2. A project plan with milestones
3. Project financial appraisal
4. Project team formation and team-building
5. Project quality monitoring
Assignment presentation and assessment
The answers to both tasks are independent and should be addressed separately.
Task 1 answers to six questions–(700 words) – completed as an individual task
Task 2 a report that is produced for task two (2300 words) – completed as an individual task
For your convenience both tasks should be submitted as one document, which contains both individual tasks.
The criteria for assessing the task tworeport will be:
Report presentation (20%) (12 marks)
The extent to which the assignment represents an effective report. This will be judged on:
Appearance: Is a word count included at the end of the report? Is it within the specified amount? Is the text double spaced?
Structure: Does the report follow the conventions of the format? Does it have a clear introduction, explaining how it answers the questions? Do the sections of the report develop ideas in a logical sequence? Are diagrams or other subsidiary information shown in appendices?
Spelling and grammar: Are all words spelled correctly and is the meaning of sentences clear?
Referencing: Have appropriate references been included in the report. Has a recognised referencing system been used for notation? (see relevant section in the Guide to Basic Study Skills)
Use of relevant theory (40%)(24 marks)
Has the right theoretical content been chosen as the basis for answering the questions? Is there evidence of the use of course notes and books? Is the theory that is selected significant to the questions?
Analysis (40%)(24 marks)
This measures the extent to which students develop a structured argument for the points they make, by combining relevant theory with the information provided in the questions.