Unit title & code

BSS049-6 ProjectManagement Practice

Assignment number and title

2 – Project Management Portfolio

Assignment type

Individual Report

Weighting of assignment

60%

Size or length of assessment

3500 words +/- 10%

Unit learning outcomes

1. Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

MSc Project Management

• Demonstrate a depth of knowledge, systematic understanding and critical evaluation of project management theories, methodologies, and tools and techniques in different contexts.

MSc Events Management

• Demonstrate a depth of knowledge, systematic understanding and critical evaluation of project management theories, methodologies, and tools and techniques in different contexts (including events management)

2. Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

• Apply and synthesise project management knowledge and understanding, to work in a team, to plan, communicate, implement, control and evaluate a real project for a client, including management of stakeholders, risks and issues that arise in order to present a successful client project.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

Assignment: This assessment accounts for 60% of the total grade.

For this assignment you are required to work in groups, your group (3-4 students will be decided during your sessions) will be required to produce a project management plan for a suitable project. You must agree on the project title and scope with your tutor.

The Project Plan will include the use of Project Management tools and techniques studied and discussed in class. 

This project plan assessment contains two parts:

The Project Plan will include the use of Project Management tools and techniques studied and discussed in class. 

2A - Group presentation (Formative)

The group presentation will take place on the stipulated submission dates and needs to reflect how far your group have gone with your project and convey confidence to the client that the deliverables will meet the brief’s objectives.  

2B – Individual PORTFOLIO report (Summative)

You are required to produce an individual report covering the delivery of a project for a given / chosen project. The chosen project should be agreed with your tutor before you proceed. Your 3,500 words report should include the following:

• Business case 

• Scope statement

• Time management (Work Breakdown Structure; Activity List; Gantt Chart in MS Project; Network Diagram and Critical Path)

• Budget (cost)

• Risk Log / Register

• Quality Plan

• Critical discussion of Lessons Learnt from the project

Example of projects that might be considered:

• The implementation of a sales force CRM solution in a cloud infrastructure.

• A team of students creates a smartphone application and sells it online

• A small software development team adds a new feature to an internal software application for any department in an organisation.

• An organisation upgrades its technology infrastructure to provide wireless Internet access across its branches in various locations. 

Note:

The highest levels of presentation are expected for all assignments and poor presentation will be penalised. The ‘Harvard’ system of referencing should be used in your work.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

• Evidence an attempt to critically analyse a client’s project and apply appropriate project management theory, tools and techniques to manage the project

• Effectively work as part of a project team and present your solutions.

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

We will be filling this section in together in class onClick or tap to enter a date.make sure you have downloaded/printed out the Assignment Brief and bring it to the session with you.

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

The assignment requires you to apply knowledge and understanding developed from sessions and resources (available on BREO) taught during the first 5 weeks of unit delivery.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.

Pass – 40-49%

Pass – 50-59%

Commendation – 60-69%

Distinction– 70%+

Business Case (20%)

Acceptable definition of most of:

Executive Summary;

Reasons;

Options;

Benefits Expected;

Risks;

Estimated Cost;

Estimated Timescale;

Investment Appraisal.

Acceptable definition of all of: Executive Summary;

Reasons;

Options;

Benefits Expected;

Risks;

Estimated Cost;

Estimated Timescale;

Investment Appraisal.

Strong Business Case with all elements completed to a good standard 

Excellent Business Case with all elements completed to a high standard with a high level of critical analysis demonstrated

Scope Statement (20%)

Acceptable definition of most of:

Objectives;

Product Deliverables; 

Acceptance Criteria;

Exclusions;

Constraints;

Assumptions.

Acceptable definition of all of:

Objectives;

Product Deliverables; 

Acceptance Criteria;

Exclusions;

Constraints;

Assumptions.

All elements completed to a good standard

All elements completed to a high standard with a high level of critical analysis demonstrated

Time Management (15%) 

Some questionable logic on Activity List. 

Gantt Chart acceptable but contains mistakes.

Network Diagram contains some anomalies;

CP largely correct.

Activity List satisfactory. Lack of minor resources. 

Largely correct Gantt Chart. Network Diagram done in Excel, or by hand and shows the activity node values;

Network diagram largely correct. 

Well considered Activity List. 

Gantt Chart correct, resources not shown. Resources identified. Network Diagram done in Excel, or by hand and shows the activity node values;

Network Diagram good. 

Good consideration of Activity List. 

Gantt Chart correct, readable and well analysed.

All resources identified for each activity. 

Network Diagram neat and correct.

Cover any time management issue.

Budget (costing) (10%)

Project budget contains some anomalies;

Calculations largely correct; Project budget presented in tabular format

Project budget is done in Excel, and shows the cost breakdown values;

Project budget largely correct. 

Project budget is done in Excel, and shows the costing values;

Project budget is good and correct.

Project budget  is done in Excel, and shows the activity node values;

Project budget is neat, appropriate & correct.

Risk Register (10%)

Risks identified, initial analysis conducted

Risks identified and analysed, attempt made at planning responses.

Risks identified and analysed, detailed responses planned. 

Risks identified and analysed, detailed responses planned, with proximity of risks. 

Quality Plan (10%)

Acceptable list of quality responsibilities, quality criteria and quality methods, though lacking any detail

Good specification of quality responsibilities, quality criteria and quality methods

Quality responsibilities, quality criteria and quality methods completed with details which are logical & consistent

Quality responsibilities, quality criteria and quality methods completed to a high standard, with systems described for tracking and updating

Critically discuss the Lessons Learnt from the project (15%)

Any lessons learnt or recommendations given are weak and not explained well.

Student describes in limited detail what they have learnt wrt. at least one of:

“Hard” skills such as Prince 2 and Project  Management tools and techniques

“Soft” skills such as Group-working or Leadership.

Transferrable skills such as presenting or research

-  However, no real reflection on their strengths and weaknesses in these areas or how they could be improved.

At least one appropriate lesson learnt is explained or at least one suitable recommendation for future projects is given.

Student describes well what they have learnt wrt. at least one of:

 “Hard” skills such as Prince 2 and Project  Management tools and techniques

“Soft” skills such as 

Group-working or Leadership.

Transferrable skills such as presenting or research

-  However, no real reflection on their strengths and weaknesses in these areas or how they could be improved.

A few lessons learnt and a few recommendations for future projects are given. However, several of these are not explained and/or justified well.

Student describes well what they have learnt wrt. at least two of:

 “Hard” skills such as Prince 2 and Project  Management tools and techniques

“Soft” skills such as Group-working or Leadership.

Transferrable skills such as presenting or research

-  However, only limited reflection on their strengths and weaknesses in these areas or how they could be improved or updated in their CV (resume)

Several insightful lessons learnt and several strong recommendations for future projects are given. However, not all of them are explained and/or justified well.

Student describes well what they have learnt wrt. at least two of:

 “Hard” skills such as Prince 2 and Project  Management tools and techniques

“Soft” skills such as Group-working or Leadership.

Transferrable skills such as presenting or research

-  Some good reflection on their strengths and weaknesses in these areas or how they could be improved or updated in their CV (resume).