Faculty of Business and Law

This is an individual assignment – complete both tasks 1 and 2
Background: The assignment is intended to bring out the benefits and limitations of different approaches to project planning and control by relating these to the circumstances in the cases outlined. It is also intended to allow students to demonstrate their learning and competence in respect of the management of resources generally, but in particular elements of scope, schedule, quality, and cost.
Case 1: Vobien Ltd is an organisation which provides consultancy advice to the service sector. Consultancy the company provides includes advising upon: process and product innovation, automation of work design, and selection and use of social media. As part of your job as the Vobien Ltd special projects manager you have produced a list of activities that need to be addressed to source a technological solution for monitoring access and egress within a local authorities library service. The details are shown in the table provided. Please note: You must use the methodology detailed above table 1 headed “essential methodology”.
Task 1 (40% marks)
1) Draw the network diagram (use activity on the node). (8 marks)
2) Explain how you determined the timing of activities and the total float. (6 marks)
3) Explain how you determined the project duration and the critical path. (6 marks)
4) If the project
, what is the earliest date it can be completed using a 5 day working week? Assume no other holidays (explain how you calculated the figure). (4 marks)
5) If the following happened what would be the effect on the duration of the whole project? Explain the reasons. (6 marks)
a) Activity E is delayed 1 day.
b) Activity P is delayed 2 days.
c) Activity Q is completed 1 day early
6) Explain the limitations of Network diagrams. (10 marks)
Essential methodology (activity on the node):
• All the timings (i.e. earliest start, earliest finish, latest start, latest finish, total float, duration and activity) must be included within each node of your diagram. This essential methodology is detailed in the text: Project Management, Field and Keller (2007. p. 197,p.198 & p. 391)
• All timings must be in days – not dates
• To complete your network diagram assume that:
o If task A has a duration of 4 days (task A, earliest finish would be day 4), therefore, task B earliest start time will be day 4.
• This essential methodology is detailed in the text: Project Management, Field and Keller (2007. p. 197,p.198 & p. 391),
Table 1

Activity (Tasks)
Duration (Days) Preceded By
A 4 –
B 3 A
C 7 B
D 2 B
E 5 B
F 3 C, D, E
G 9 F
H 3 F
I 2 F
J 3 F
K 3 G, H, I, J
L 5 K
M 3 L
N 3 M
O 5 N
P 2 N
Q 2 O,P
R 3 Q
Case 2: Dennis Ltd is a consultancy company specialising in the sport and physical activity sector. The organisations they are commissioned by includes: local authorities, charities, and private sector organisations. The company was founded in 1999 and has shown steady growth over the past thirteen years. They trade from office accommodation (80 square metres) in a major city in England. At present the company employs 1 General Manager, 5 Lead Consultants, 3 Administration staff, and 2 Marketing Officers.
Dennis Ltd has provided a project manager – to a local authority – relating to a one off special project. This project is concerned with the ensuring the initial opening and operational requirements of the new leisure facility are identified. Please note this new leisure facility will already be built to a 21st Century standard. The provision includes: swimming pool, sports hall, dry and wet changing facilities, two dance studios with additional health and fitness provision in the form of a state of the art fitness centre.
Task 2 (60% marks)
As Project Manager you are responsible for the ensuring the initial opening and operational requirements of the new facility are identified. You are required to prepare a report concerning the main issues to be addressed from a project management perspective (2,000 words). From a project management perspective outline the activities required to successfully implement this new initiative, ensuring that it can open on-time, and within budget. Again you should note that you are taking possession of a purpose built building and have to address the issues that would allow the building to be operated by your client. You should note that the emphasis should be concerned with you communicating your knowledge of project management.
The analysis should include the skills and competencies required by the Project Manager, along with the project management process. Use examples of the concerns, stages, processes, leadership, administration and control problems associated with managing the lifecycle of this major project.
Assignment presentation and assessment
The answers to both tasks are independent and should be addressed separately.
Task 1 (i.e. the network diagram information – (600 words) – completed as an individual task
Task 2 a report that is produced for task two (2000 words) – completed as an individual task
For your convenience both tasks should be submitted as one document, which contains both individual tasks.
The criteria for assessing the first task – the network diagram tasks – are detailed on page 6.
The criteria for assessing the task two report will be:
Report presentation (20%) (12 marks)
The extent to which the assignment represents an effective report. This will be judged on:
Appearance: Is a word count included at the end of the report? Is it within the specified amount? Is the text double spaced?
Structure: Does the report follow the conventions of the format? Does it have a clear introduction, explaining how it answers the questions? Do the sections of the report develop ideas in a logical sequence? Are diagrams or other subsidiary information shown in appendices?
Spelling and grammar: Are all words spelled correctly and is the meaning of sentences clear?
Referencing: Have appropriate references been included in the report. Has a recognised referencing system been used for notation? (see relevant section in the Guide to Basic Study Skills)
Use of relevant theory (40%) (24 marks)
Has the right theoretical content been chosen as the basis for answering the questions? Is there evidence of the use of course notes and books? Is the theory that is selected significant to the questions?
Analysis (40%) (24 marks)