Assessment Part 1
For part 1 of the assessment you must complete the following tasks and questions. Read all the
questions before you commence the tasks. The schedule is to be developed in an appropriately
named Microsoft Project 2013 or 2016 file format (see below) and the questions are to be answered in
an accompanying Microsoft Word document. As stated above, any assumptions must also be listed at
the beginning of the Word document.
1. Mr. Marketing has asked you to use Microsoft Project to develop the project schedule. Note
that he has also asked you to include the milestones at the end of the task list in your
schedule.
Based on the information in the case study description above, use Microsoft Project to
produce a “Part 1” schedule. Make sure that you:
a) Include the milestones at the end of the task list.
b) Include the resource allocation details on the schedule.
c) Have an appropriate project name as the top of the task list and have all other tasks
indented below this heading.
d) Make sure that the holidays described in the “general information” are not included in
the available working days for your project.
e) Use the Microsoft Project software to make sure that the critical path(s) are
automatically highlighted as red bars on the Gantt chart view of your schedule.
At this point there may be resource over allocation issues. Do not attempt to resolve these
issues. Save this version of your schedule in EagleEyePart1.mpp. You will be required to
submit this file as part of your assignment submission.
Assessment Part 2
Create a copy of EagleEyePart1.mpp and rename the copy to EagleEyePart2.mpp. Use the
EagleEyePart2.mpp file to answer the “Assessment Part 2” questions.
1. If there are any resource over-allocation issues, then resolve these in this new
EagleEyePart2.mpp file. Note that you must resolve any resource over-allocation issues
without the addition of any additional resources. Save the “modified” version of
EagleEyePart2.mpp. You will also be required to submit this file as part of your assignment
submission.
2. Answer the following questions on resolving resource issues in a Microsoft Word Document.
a) How did you/would you resolve any resource over-allocation issues without adding
additional resources?
b) What impact did the resource constraints have on your schedule?
c) List any tasks that have changed on the critical path.
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3. The project booking for the prototype builds (tasks 1.5.5 and 1.6.5) will have to be made six
(6) weeks in advance of the prototype builds. This is the lead time required to include new
builds in the manufacturing’s master production schedule.
The booking of the Regulatory Approval (RA) test house (task 1.4.7) must be made eight (8)
weeks prior to Regulatory Approval testing.
Include these booking dates as additional “milestones” (milestones have a 0 duration) in your
schedule to show the latest date when you need to contact:
a) the production manager to ensure that the facilities are booked for the two prototype
builds.
b) the RA test house to ensure that the facilities are booked for testing.
c) According to your schedule when is the latest date that you need to contact:
 The production manager to book the facilities for the two prototype builds?
 The RA house to book the facilities for the RA testing?
Note that these additional milestones should be listed at the end of the milestones list and
should be highlighted in yellow using the “background colour” icon on the task ribbon. This
is to allow your marker to locate them easily.
4. Write a memo to the director of product development, Ms. Engineer outlining:
a) the expected completion date of the project and the total project duration;
b) an explanation of the main factors that cause the project to require that length of time
and suggest which tasks you would target to reduce the project duration;
c) the estimated labour cost of the project after the S1 concept review. Present the costs
in a table showing the costs for the following:
 Electronics
 Software
 Mechanics
 Verification
 Prototype 1 build
 Prototype 2 build
 Documentation
 Production ramp up to 100 units
 Total for the Project
Assume that you will send the project schedule as an attachment to the memo.
5. Risk management planning
a) Develop a risk assessment matrix for this project. You may use a table format similar
to the table provided below. (maximum 4 risks. Do not use the examples provided in
the text book)
Risk Impact Likelihood of
occurrence
Degree of
impact
Action
trigger
Responsibility Response
plan
b) Actions to manage risks can be assigned into three categories. Describe these
categories and provide an example for each. (maximum 500 words)
6. Communication is an essential component of project management and you have been asked to
provide guidelines on the different meeting types and how to run effective project meetings.
a) Explain the purpose of the different meeting types often found in project
management. (maximum 500 words)
b) Describe the process of how to run an effective meeting. (maximum 500 words)
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7. You have been asked to recommend an organisational structure for the new company.
a) Compare the advantages and disadvantages of each organisational structure type
(You may use a table format similar to the table provided below. I have started you
off with some project characteristics and feel free to add your own for comparison.
You may need to conduct a bit of research to understand the differences between
weak, balanced and strong matrix organisation structures);
Organisational Structures
Functional
Matrix
Project characteristics Weak Autonomous
Matrix
Balanced
Matrix
Strong
Matrix
Project manager’s
authority
Resource availability
Who controls the
project budget
Project manager’s role
Project management
administrative staff
b) Select a structure you would recommend for your company and explain why you
selected this structure. (maximum 500 words)
8. Organisational culture is very important for project success. What steps would you take to
create a company culture that promoted project success? Provide examples of your solution.
(maximum 500 words)
Assessment Part 3
Ms. Engineer reviews your project schedule and requests that participation of one engineer from each
of the following functions is required at the P1 and P2 builds: production, electronics, software and
mechanics. These additional resources will not change the task durations. You will have to update
your schedule as you agree with this proposal.
You are now 1 week after the S1 milestone and the Chinese mechanical servo supplier for task 1.5.3
has had to revise the delivery time. The delivery time has now greatly increased to 8 weeks, which is
longer than the time required for the other components in the P1 build.
In addition, the mechanical engineer has reviewed the mechanical design specification and suggests
the estimated time for the “P2 mechanical modifications” must be revised. This task is now
estimated to require an extra two weeks.
Based on the additional information given above complete the following tasks:
1. Create a copy of EagleEyePart2.mpp and rename the copied file to EagleEyePart3.mpp.
Amend the project schedule in EagleEyePart3.mpp incorporating the requests from Ms.
Engineer, the change to the delivery time for the servo and the new estimated times for the
software tasks. If necessary, resolve any resource over-allocation issues without adding any
resources. You will also be required to submit this file (EagleEyePart3.mpp) as part of your
assignment submission.
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2. Describe the impact(s) of each of the following on the project schedule:
a. The additional resources required for the prototype builds.
b. The change in duration of the delivery time for the servo component.
c. The change in time for the P2 mechanical modifications.
Explain your answers.
3. Describe the impact(s) of each of the following on the project budget:
a. The additional resources required for the prototype builds.
b. The change in duration of the delivery time for the servo component.
c. The change in time for the P2 mechanical modifications.
Explain your answers.
4. These changes may have increased the total project budget. Are there any ways that the
overall budget of this project can be reduced without removing any tasks or reducing product
quality? (Justify your answer. Be specific and describe any tasks that you would target and
what you might do that could reduce the cost of the project.) (Provide a minimum of two
suggestions using a maximum of 500 words)