Assignment Task
Knowledge Questionnaire
This assessment task is a written questionnaire with a mix of objective and subjective questions.
This is an open book task – you can use your learning materials as reference.
The questionnaire is designed to meet the knowledge required to meet the individual unit requirements safely and effectively.
The written questions may use a range of ‘instructional words’, such as ‘outline’ or ‘list’. These words will guide you as to how you should answer the question. Some questions will also tell you how many answers you need to give – for example, ‘Describe three (3) provisions of…’.
Your assessor will be looking for demonstrated evidence of your ability to answer the questions satisfactorily, follow instructions, conduct online research and review real or simulated business documentation as instructed.
1. Project governance is a crucial part of project management. Address the questions below:
- What is project governance, and why is it essential in project management?
- Select three (3) different project governance models and structures and outline them.
2. In detail select and describe two methodologies used to break project objectives into achievable project deliverables
3 . To be an effective project manager, you must understand the project life cycle and its components.
- What is the role of the five (5) project life-cycle phases/stages?
- Briefly describe project initiation, planning, execution, finalisation, monitoring, and control.
- Select two (2) project life cycle structures and describe them.
4. Identify and describe two (2) examples of organisational documentation that could be used for recording strategies and goals in the project integration process.
5. Identify and describe three (3) forms/types of project initiation documentation.
6 . Explain how you can monitor and control planned project activities – mention three (3) different tools for monitoring and controlling planned activities in your answer.
7. Outline two methodologies used in project impact analysis.
8. Address the following:
- What is a change request process?
- Outline the key aspects of project change requests.
9 . Describe a project management plan’s key inclusions
10. Describe a project management plan’s key inclusions
- Select 3 communication methods , explain them and describe how they apply to projects.
- Select two (2) communication media , explain them and describe how they apply to projects.
- Identify two (2) effective project management information systems and communication processes and outline how they apply to projects.
11. Select and explain two (2) methods used to evaluate information systems and communication processes.
12. Provide examples to explain how group dynamics can support and hinder team performance. Two examples each.
13. Outline four (4) methods of establishing team activities; at least one must be relevant to communication processes.
14. Outline four (4) strategies that can support team cohesion, participation and performance.
15. Explain three (3) strategies for gaining consensus within a team.
16. Explain three (3) strategies used to resolve team issues.
Think about ineffective communication, productivity, conflicts, lack of skills and knowledge, etc..
Practical Project
This task requires you to plan, execute and finalise three projects focusing on project integration, information and communication and teamwork.
Project Scenario
Insight Academy hired you and the project team to initiate, plan and execute three (3) projects for the school.
The projects support Insight’s commitment to sustainability.
The Project Steering Committee comprises:
- The CEO
- The Marketing Manager
- The Academic Manager
Insight would like your team to initiate, plan, execute and finalise the following projects:
- A website mockup (home page only) to promote one or more of their courses with a sustainability focus to clients who want to progress/change their career in business
- A brochure to promote simple tips about how to live sustainably
- A PowerPoint presentation to explain the three pillars of sustainability to prospective students
- Please note that the combined budget for the projects must not exceed $3,000 (virtual allocation to complete the cost management plans).
- Complete the projects by week 8
- Consult with the Project Sponsor to gather further details and requirements about the projects
When completing this assessment, you will address the following:
- Establish, develop and lead the project team in simulated work conditions.
- Establish, plan, execute and finalise the projects.
- Reflect on the work completed during the term, and provide evidence of project work.
Establish the project and the project team
- Establish three (3) projects:
- Identify, clarify and prepare project initiation documentation
- Identify stakeholders with decision making authority on the project
- Establish client requirements and needs
- Identify the relationship between the project and broader organisational strategies and goals
- Negotiate and document project objectives, outcomes and benefits
- Establish project governance structure with stakeholders and project authority
- Prepare and submit project charter for approval by relevant authorities
- Establish the project team
Establish the projects
Work in consultation with the project team and with the project sponsor in simulated work conditions to:
- Identify, clarify and prepare project initiation documentation
- Identify stakeholders with decision making authority on the project
- Establish client requirements and needs
- Identify the relationship between the project and broader organisational strategies and goals
- Negotiate and document project objectives, outcomes and benefits
- Establish project governance structure with stakeholders and project authority
- Prepare and submit project charter for approval by relevant authoritie
Establish the project team
Work in collaboration with the project team and consultation with the Project Sponsor in simulated work conditions to develop systems, processes and strategies to establish and build team effectiveness.
This task focuses on the following:
- Identify team purpose, roles, and responsibilities according to organisational and task objectives
- Develop performance plans with expected outcomes, key performance indicators (KPIs) and goals for the project team
- Support team members in meeting expected performance outcomes
- Develop strategies for facilitating team member input into planning, decision making and operational aspects of team tasks
- Develop or modify policies and procedures for promoting team member accountability for personal work and team tasks
- Develop processes for identifying and addressing issues, concerns and problems identified by team members
- Encourage team members to participate in and to take responsibility for team activities
- Support the team in identifying and resolving work performance problems
- Promote work team collaboration through individual behaviour
About establishing the project and the team
This task focuses on the following:
- Reflection on team leadership
- Provide feedback to team members on team effort and contributions
Reflect of the work completed in collaboration with the team in Task 2.1.1 and 2.1.2.
Address the following:
1. Reflect on your role as Project Manager and leader of the team:
- Identify what you did well and what you could improve as a Team Leader (Project Manager
- Outline how you supported the team in resolving work problems/challenges. Provide an example in your discussion.
- Outline how you led by example to promote team collaboration. Provide an example in your discussion.
- Outline how you inspired/encouraged the team members to take responsibility for the team activities. Provide an example in your discussion.
- Outline how you supported team members during the tasks. Provide an example in your discussion.
- Outline how you facilitated team collaboration. Provide an example in your discussion.
- Provide feedback to the team members about their work in Task 2.1.1 and Task 2.1.2, focus on their effort and contribution. Provide feedback about what they did well and what they could improve.
2. Send an email to each team member with your feedback and copy and paste the screenshot of the emails in the space provided below.
Project Planning
Work in consultation with the project team and the Project Sponsor in simulated work conditions to develop three (3) project plans.
This task focuses on:
- Establish project objectives
- Identify project stages and key requirements for stage completion against client requirements and project objectives
- Analyse project management functions to identify interdependencies and impacts of constraints
- Identify and analyse information requirements of the project
- Develop a communication management plan according to project objectives
- Establish a designated project-management information system
- Develop performance plans with expected outcomes, key performance indicators (KPIs) and goals for the project team
- Develop a project management plan that integrates all project-management functions with associated plans and baselines
- Establish tools to monitor and control planned activity
- Negotiate approval of project plan with relevant stakeholders and project authority
Project Plan Approval
Present the plans to the project board (project steering committee) played by classmates. This is a Role-Play in simulated work conditions.
The trainer and assessor will validate the session and provide feedback on the marking sheet.
If you are absent from class, you are responsible for making alternative arrangements with the trainer and assessor to perform the Role-Play.
Before the presentation
- Make sure to have prepared the draft of the three Project Plans
- Prepare to present: receive and ask for feedback; respond to questions and negotiate the content of the plans
During the presentation
- Present the project plans
- Respond to questions from the project board
- Provide and ask for feedback and inputs
- Negotiate and agree on the key content of the plan
- Obtain approval from the project board
Project Execution
Work in collaboration with the project team to execute the three (3) projects. Consult with the Project Sponsor as needed.
This task focuses on:
- Implement and monitor project according to project scope, time and budget
- Resolve conflicts affecting attainment of project objectives with relevant stakeholders
- Confirm project records are updated against project deliverables at required intervals
- Analyse and submit status reports on project progress and identify issues with relevant stakeholders and project authorities
- Analyse and submit impact analysis of change requests for approval
- Maintain relevant project logs and registers for project audit
- Establish a designated project-management information system
- Manage generation, gathering, storage, retrieval, analysis and dissemination of information by project staff and stakeholders
- Implement, modify, monitor and control designated information validation processes
- Implement and maintain communication networks
- Identify and resolve communication and information-management system issues
- Establish and maintain open communication processes with relevant stakeholders
- Communicate information from line management to the team
- Communicate and follow-up unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by team members with line management
- Address unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by stakeholders
Project Communication
1. Project communication tool
Set up Slack and provide the following screenshots
- Invite sent to a team member.
- People page with the team members
2. Project information and communication
Use the tool (Slack) to consult the team about a work performance issue or a project item.
Provide a screenshot of the conversation as evidence of the consultation:
Attach the meeting procedures, agenda and meeting minutes template (you can find it in the policy and procedures folder) to one of your Slack messages to the team. Provide the screenshot of the message with the attachments:
Take a screenshot of the Files page where the meeting documents are now saved for the team to find.
Ask your team members to upload the following documents from the policy and procedures folder to Slack (ask them to upload one or two each):
- Information Management Policy
- Communication Policy
- Project Management Policy
- Social Media Policy
- Stakeholder engagement policy
Take a screenshot of the Files page once all the documents have been uploaded:
Ask the team to choose and retrieve one of the policies they have uploaded and discuss the selected policy content in Slack. Would they add anything to the policy? What are the key parts of the policy? Are they clear about the policy?
Provide a screenshot of the conversation in Slack:
Add the Polly app to Slack.
The Project Sponsor asked you to run this poll with the project team:
What equipment do you need most for the project team?
- More laptops
- Paid version of Slack
- Microsoft Projects
- Company’s mobile phones for the project team
Prepare and send the survey out to the team using Slack. Provide a screenshot of the Poll Results :
Communicate with project stakeholders
Analyse the poll results and write an email (Template 3) to the Project Sponsor and the Steering Committee informing them about the results and asking for the team’s equipment.
Project Communication – problem-solving
Scenario 1
The project team is frustrated with one of the sponsor’s decisions.
Scenario
One of the team members sends an email out, in error, to all stakeholders in the project email address book expressing his opinion on the decision and using rude language. Moreover, his email contains some sensitive information that should be kept confidential by the project team.
Determine the key issues associated with this incident, identify the impact on the project and outline your actions to resolve the situation
Scenario 2
Some of the data provided by your team in their project progress reports are not accurate.
Outline your actions to improve the information-validation process to optimise the quality and accuracy of the data reported.
Scenario 3
The team provides the following feedback: they are receiving too much communication from different departments in the sponsoring organisation. The inconsistent information makes it difficult for the team to sort the data effectively.
Outline your actions to filter and centralise the information from different departments in the sponsoring organisation.
Project Progress and monitoring
For each project, complete the following tasks:
- Complete a progress report at 50% or 75% timeline (Template 9).
- A Risk Assessment Form, assuming that one of the highest risks identified in the risk plan, occurred at 50% or 75% timeline (Template 10)
- A Change Request form to address the issues identified in the progress report and the risk assessment form (Template 11)
- Write a brief email (Template 3) to the project sponsor and request approval for the change/s listed in the change request form.
- Detail what monitoring and control activities were used when executing the project and summarise the outcome of the monitoring activities in the issue log (Template 12) – 2-3 issues/project.
Managing and leading the team
This task is a Role-Play that requires you to:
- Meet with the Project Sponsor (played by the trainer and assessor in a simulated work environment) to discuss team performance issues and teamwork.
Discuss your solutions to improve team performance and achieve team goals. During your consultation:
- Discuss the issues, concerns or problems regarding work performed during the project initiation and execution
- Suggest formal and informal learning opportunities to support the team and individual team members
- Provide feedback from the team to the Project Sponsor
After your consultation with the Project Sponsor, meet with your team to resolve performance issues as discussed with the Project Sponsor and communicate information from management to your team.
The trainer and assessor will validate that the meeting took place on the Marking Sheet.
Write an email to the Project Sponsor (Template 3) about the resolution of team performance issues:
- Describe how you maintained an open communication process between stakeholders (the Project Sponsor, team).
- Explain the implemented solutions regarding the issues, concerns or problems discussed with the Project Sponsor and further discussed in your team meeting.
- Report back to the Project Sponsor about any further issues or problems that have arisen or any issues that remain unresolved.
Project Finalisation
Conduct project finalisation activities relevant to project integration, information and communication, and teamwork.
Work in consultation with the team and the Project Sponsor to seek feedback on project work. Please note that the trainer and assessor will confirm that consultation occurred on the marking sheet.
This task focuses on:
- Identify and allocate project finalisation activities
- Confirm project products, and associated documentation are prepared for handover to the client promptly
- Finalise financial, legal and contractual obligations
- Seek feedback from relevant stakeholders and project authorities on project implementation, management and integration
- Finalise and archive records according to agreed project information ownership and control requirements
- Review project outcomes for the effectiveness of management information and communication processes and procedures
- Develop and document recommended improvements for application in future projects
- Document feedback received to improve future projects
- Address unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by stakeholders
- Provide feedback to team members on team effort and contributions
