FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT $1[100$ MARKS$]$

Read the case study below and answer ALL of the questions that follow

In $2017,$ Police Scotland launched a project to replace its aging policing information management system $($PIMS$).$ The project, called i$6,$ was expected to cost $180$ million and be completed in $2020.$ However, the project quickly ran into problems. One of the biggest problems was poor scheduling. The project was initially scheduled to take three years, but it quickly became clear that this was unrealistic. The project team underestimated the complexity of the project and the amount of work that needed to be done. As a result, the project schedule slipped, and the project costs started to spiral out of control.

Another problem was poor controlling. The project team did not have a good system in place for tracking progress and managing changes. This led to a lot of rework and delays. In addition, the project team did not have a good way of communicating with stakeholders, which led to a lot of frustration and confusion. As a result of these problems, the i$6$ project was a failure. The project was delivered three years late and $200$ million over budget. The project also failed to meet its original objectives. Police Scotland was forced to abandon the i$6$ system and start over with a new project.

The i$6$ project is a cautionary tale about the importance of good scheduling and controlling in project management. When these two elements are weak, projects are more likely to fail. Here are some lessons that can be learned from the i$6$ project:

$$ It is important to carefully estimate the time and cost of a project before it starts.

$$ It is important to have a good system in place for tracking progress and managing changes.

$$ It is important to communicate effectively with stakeholders throughout the project. $$ It is important to be flexible and adaptable when things go wrong.

By following these lessons, organizations can increase their chances of success in project management.

Question $1(50$ Marks$)$

With reference to the above case study, analyse the key factors that you consider important for the successful scheduling of the I$6$ project.

Question $21(40$ Marks$)$

A project manager can use a burndown chart to identify potential problems with the project schedule by comparing the planned work remaining to the actual work remaining. If the actual work remaining is increasing, it is a sign that the project is falling behind schedule. Assuming that the graph provided below represent data obtained from the I$6$ project.

$2\mathrm{.}1$ Provide a detailed analysis of the report and justify your answer.

$2\mathrm{.}2$ What assumptions can be made when reading the burnt down chart?

$2\mathrm{.}3$ Discuss how a project manager can use a burndown chart to identify potential problems with the project schedule and track the progress of the project.

$2\mathrm{.}4$ Given the challenges faced by the i$6$ project in using MS Project as a scheduling tool, advise project managers on how to prevent future risks.

$2\mathrm{.}5$ Propose to future project manager about the value of incorporating Earned Value $($EV$)$ report in monitoring a project.