QUESTION ONE [65] READ THE ARTICLE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW: For some organisations, project management in times of Covid-19 pandemic can appear as a real challenge. Especially if your company has been forced to experiment with remote work, without preliminary arrangements. It may also look insurmountable if your company deals with big projects, portfolios or programs that involve hundreds of people. However, with the right tools, methodology and organization, it is not that formidable an obstacle. According to Global Workplace Analytics' analysis of 2018 American Community Service (ACS) data, 5 million employees (3.6% of the workforce) currently work-at-home half-time or more and regular work-at-home has grown 173% since 2005. Actually, the ongoing crisis could invite a welcome reality check. As it magnifies all those small issues and inefficiencies that we usually tolerate in our daily work, it can help recognize and understand what could be done better, and it could provide the nudge we need to start solving them, paving the way for tomorrow's better, more efficient project management strategy. Remote project management issues... are no different from usual PM issues. Amidst this madly uncertain context, there are, at least, some familiar faces: your PPM problems. Even if your team is now geographically spread, most of the issues you will encounter are the same old pain points you have been experiencing before. Because, guess what, even in the office, project managers, PMO or program managers just can't be on top of everything, all the time (unless they've got superpowers or something, and if so, don't ever let them go). Sure, you now have a physical barrier, but the issues will remain the same, you just have to learn how to manage them remotely. Source: Sciformar, 2020 1.1 For some organisations, project management in times of Covid-19 pandemic can appear as a real challenge. Especially if your company has been forced to experiment with remote work, without preliminary arrangements. It may also look insurmountable if your company deals with big projects, portfolios or programs that involve hundreds of people. The scenario above indicates that an organisation needs to prioritise among potential projects, especially in context of the global COVID-19 pandemic. 1.1 For some organisations, project management in times of Covid-19 pandemic can appear as a real challenge. Especially if your company has been forced to experiment with remote work, without preliminary arrangements. It may also look insurmountable if your company deals with big projects, portfolios or programs that involve hundreds of people. The scenario above indicates that an organisation needs to prioritise among potential projects, especially in context of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The best way to do this is to determine which projects align best with the goals of the firm. In light of the above, critically discuss: a) the questions the prioritisation efforts should include; as well as b) who is responsible for selecting and prioritising projects. (15) "It may also look insurmountable if your company deals with big projects, portfolios or programs that involve hundreds of people." Analyse the statement and article above and evaluate how a communications plan can engage all the stakeholders. (20) 1.3 "Even if your team is now geographically spread, most of the issues you will encounter are the same old pain points you have been experiencing before. Because, guess what, even in the office, project managers, PMO or program managers just can't be on top of everything, all the time (unless they've got superpowers or something, and if so, don't ever let them go). Sure, you now have a physical barrier, but the issues will remain the same, you just have to learn how to manage them remotely." (Sciforma 2020) As a Project Manager managing a remote team, you have been tasked iating the relevant project during the global COVID-19 pandemic for a multinational organisation within the financial sector. In light of this, develop a Scope Statement for your project. Your answer should be in context of the extract and article above. (30) 1.2