Advance Project Management:

 Your CEO at Telkom has appointed you as the lead project manager. For the duration of the project, your CEO wants you to report directly to him so that he can acquire first-hand information on the project as it progresses. The minister of telecommunications has given your CEO an ultimatum to deliver the project within 6 months. The scope of the project is to provide internet connectivity to KwaMashu, Kwa-Zulu Natal. Due to the large number of students that have to work from home in order to continue their studies, during COVID-19, the unavailability of internet connectivity has affected the students' ability to access study content online, which has been escalated to the minister. Your job as the project manager is to ensure that the planning of the infrastructure (fibre) is undertaken, and then the installation is completed within the 6 month period, including the closure of the project. You will handle the full life cycle of the project and you will provide the necessary reports to the stakeholders as per the plan.  

Answer ALL the questions in this section.

Question 1 

According to Clements & Gido (2017), a project is an endeavour to accomplish a specific objective through a unique set of interrelated task and the effective utilization of resources. Explain to your CEO the key characteristics of your project. Your discussion with him should include the pertinent associated theory.

• Discuss the 3 key characteristics of a project
• Discuss the main attributes
• Apply the above to the project

Question 2 

In managing the scope of your project you have realised that if it is ill-defined, the team could misinterpret their tasks and will lead to missed milestones. Discuss with your project team the scope management process that will be undertaken for your project by referring to the relevant theory that you have studied.

Discuss the 6 steps in the scope management process

Plan scope management

Collect requirements

Define scope

Create WBS

Validate scope

Control scope

Apply these steps to the project

Question 3 

In managing your project, there are costs that the project manager needs to be cognisant of. Elaborate to your project finance manager the various project cost types that you will be managing for which the finance department needs to provide the project team support on.

Discuss the 11 project cost types

Fixed

Variable

Direct

Indirect

Recurring

Nonrecurring

Regular

Expedited

Reserves

Management reserve

Contingency reserve

Apply these to your project

Question 4

At a meeting with your project team, the numerous risks have been discussed. Use the fishbone analysis to identify the project risks for your project. Also, discuss mitigation against these risks.

Provide the fishbone diagram with all the risks of your project Discuss the mitigation of each risk

Question 5 

The quality control manager has attended a project team meeting. He wants assurances on how your team will ensure that the quality of the project will be managed well. Use the six sigma themes to explain to the quality manager how your team will ensure that the quality of the project meets the predefined standards.

Discuss the 5 six sigma themes

Customer focus

Fact-driven management

Process management and improvement Goal setting

Project management roles

DMAIC process

Apply each theme to your project