You have read my first assignment because I mentioned their some information about my project.
ENG8208 Advanced Engineering Project Management
Assignment 2 – Semester 1 2018
Date due: 07 June 2018
Weighting: 60% (600 marks)
Special Instructions
1. Answer all questions, and ensure that your answers have the coverage, and are in the format, requested.
2. Present your own ideas.
3. Your answers should be properly referenced and reflect that you have undertaken research outside the study material. You are to use the Harvard AGPS referencing system, information which is available from the USQ Library webpage:
http://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing/harvard-agps-referencing-guide
4. You will require a table of contents for your answers to Question 1(a), and Question 2.
5. You will require an abstract and table of contents for your answer to Question 1(b).
6. You should include a word count for all questions. Word counts exclude the List of References.
7. It is expected that your written answers will be produced using electronic word processing. The ‘.pdf’ format is preferred for written answers.
8. Any calculations should be clearly explained.
9. Assignments will be submitted electronically via the ENG8208 Study Desk.
10. Please note that if plagiarism or cheating is detected in this assignment it will result in no marks for the assignment. Students should ensure they clearly understand the meaning of plagiarism and cheating. In particular, students should understand that while they may collaborate with other students on the conceptual ideas in their assignments, the final written report submitted by each student must be unique, and must not contain the written material of (a) any other student in the course, or (b) by any other person without due acknowledgement. Assignments are expected to be submitted to plagiarism detection software at the time of submission.
For further information refer to the University’s Academic Integrity Policy 13752PL
11. Applications for extensions of assignment submission must be made in writing to the Course Examiner together with accompanying documentation as specified in the Assessment of Compassionate and Compelling Circumstances Procedure. The application and all supporting documentation must be submitted electronically.
An Assignment submitted after the deadline without an approved extension of time will be penalised. The penalty for late submission without a pre-approved extension will be specified in the assignment instructions. The penalty for late submission is a reduction by 5% of the maximum Mark applicable for the Assignment, for each University Business Day or part Business Day that the Assignment is late. An Assignment submitted more than ten University Business Days after the deadline will have a Mark of zero recorded for that Assignment.
Course Examiners may refuse to accept Assignments for Assessment purposes after Marked
Assignments and/or feedback have been released. If Compassionate and Compelling Circumstances appear to exist, Course Examiners must consider these before refusing to accept an Assignment.
See: http://policy.usq.edu.au/documents/14749PL#4.2_Assignments
Question 1 (450 marks total)
Background
Because you have performed very well in your project review task, you have been recently appointed to a position as a program manager in an organisation that provides project management services in planning, designing and implementing engineering projects. The projects for which the organisation provides its services encompass all disciplines of engineering, plus related disciplines like construction and asset management.
Your main responsibility is the management of a program of approximately five (5) engineering projects. You have just taken over this program, and are keen to make a favourable impression to the company’s Board of Directors.
Two (2) of the five (5) projects in this program are progressing well towards a satisfactory result. The remaining three (3) projects, Project A, Project B and Project C require attention.
The information given below about each project is an outline only. You are expected to develop additional details about each project as part of your answer, and for each project nominate an example project (for example, a suitable development project for Project A) on which to develop your answers. Further information is in sub-questions 1 and 2 of Question 1(a).
Project A
Project A is a fairly small (about $3 million in value) but complex internal project that has as its purpose the development of a new asset management information system. It includes a number of small interrelated sub-systems that are mutually dependent, and does not have a well-defined direction. It is currently about 35 per cent complete.
This project is being developed by specialist contractors who are overseen by organisational project management and information technology staff. Significant differences between the staff managing the project and senior organisational management about the direction that the project should take threaten, however, to impact on its successful delivery. Requests by organisational management for scope change are numerous, and change control procedures are poor. To date, the project manager has successfully managed to resolve the differences and manage requests. This may not always be the case.
If the new system achieves its desired goals, the organisation would be expected to achieve considerably improved asset management, and also implement advanced asset monitoring systems, that are likely to save millions of dollars over the lives of its main assets. However, the completion of the system is threatened unless all parties involved successfully resolve their differences about the direction of the project and the number of change control requests.
Project B
Project B is the development of a facility in a remote area, of about $8 million in value, with a planned duration of two (2) years. It is 25 per cent completed. Earned Value analysis shows that the project is not achieving its planned cost or progress targets.
Some of the specialised major components used for this project must be ordered from international suppliers. There has been a delay in ordering these components, a number of which may not be manufactured and transported by sea in time for the project to be completed on schedule. The land transportation of these components, which has to be booked several months ahead, has not been arranged.
There are also a number of other risks associated with this project. It has not been budgeted well and there are a number of gaps in the project charter, including a project purpose that is not well defined, a lack of risk assessment and a quite poor definition of expected project outcomes. Labour is expensive and difficult to obtain. The volatile financial climate has resulted in exchange rate risks. There is also the potential for significant penalties to be levied if the project it is not completed on time.
Project C
Project C is a planning, design and implementation infrastructure development project (about $20 million in value and expected to take about four years from the start of planning to completion), which is well advanced in its planning. While the project is progressing well in terms of schedule, cost and quality, it does not have a stakeholder management plan. This is a significant concern, as there are number of sustainability and stakeholder management issues with the project, and in particular with the development of a critical component of it, which is being developed in an environmentally sensitive area.
The residents of this area are concerned with the impact of the project on this unique environment, which has one of the last known populations of a rare marsupial specials and hosts a rare slow growing orchid that has potential medicinal value. In particular, the residents are concerned that a thorough environmental impact assessment has not been undertaken, and that therefore there is imminent danger to this environment. They are also concerned that completion of the project, through providing the basis for significant property development and destruction of bushland, will forever change the social fabric of their region. They have formed a Citizens Action Committee, which is determined to prevent the project from succeeding, is well funded and is ready for any court battle. The delays caused by the actions of this group have the potential to threaten the completion of this project satisfactorily.
There is an alternative, less controversial route for the infrastructure being developed. This route is acceptable to the Citizens’ Action Committee. It will, however, cost an addition $3 million to use this route, which will result in a six month delay to delivery of the project. The client is not inclined to spend this additional amount.
Your Organisation
The Board of Directors of your new organisation has recently changed. The new Board has decided that the organisation should develop a more focused strategic direction, and wishes to focus on projects with strong business cases, well defined project charters and very clear objectives that must be agreed to by key stakeholders. All projects must be very closely aligned to the engineering disciplines represented in the organisation. There is a strong focus on minimising risks to the organisation, on good stakeholder engagement practices, and on project completion within estimated timeframes. It is also committed to sustainable project management practices.
At the same time, the Board is committed to completion of existing projects, and will provide the necessary resources to complete these projects in order to maintain and build its client base. In doing so, it wants to build a platform for a successful future.
The Board therefore urgently requires that you review these projects and present a report on what steps you will take to ensure that all three projects that require attention will be completed on time and to the required quality. Losses are to be minimised. Internal projects are to be carefully scrutinised to see whether they should be continued.
You are accordingly required to undertake a review of all three (3) projects to ascertain whether they fit the organisation’s new strategic direction and what action should be taken given the potential risks associated with them.
Your Task
Question 1 (a) (4000 to 5000 words) (300 marks)
Analysis of Performance of the Selected Projects
1. Nominate three (3) example projects for discussion. (30 marks – 10 marks per project)
Nominate an organisation of your choice, and the engineering discipline or disciplines in which it is operating.
Nominate three (3) suitable projects to use as examples for your discussion.
These projects should be consistent with the type of engineering disciplines in which your organisation operates.
2. Define key characteristics of each project nominated. (75 marks – 25 marks per project)
For example:
• Fit with current organisational strategic direction
• Estimated cost
• Estimated duration
• Expected quality of deliverables
• Current expenditure, percentage complete, quality standard achieved
• Key stakeholders
• Main risks
• Impact on the environment and society – short term and long term
• Complexity
• Other factors (for example, human resource, communications, procurement)
• Project integration factors
• Any other significant factor impacting on the project
3. Review each of the projects nominated in the background with respect to their alignment with corporate direction and the principles of good project and program management.
(105 marks – 35 marks per project)
Areas to consider in this review include, but are not limited to:
• Project charter and plan
• Business case for the project in accordance with the new strategic direction of your organisation
• Identification of project stakeholders and their role in the project
• Potential to be completed within the constraints of time, cost and quality
• Likelihood of the project’s scope being changed as a result of stakeholder issues and requirements
• Change control requirements
• Potential human resource, communications and procurement issues that may impact on delivery of the project
• Potential risks in delivering the project and subsequent to delivery of the project
• Sustainability of the project and its outcomes
• Other matters considered important to the achievement of these objectives
4. Develop a plan to manage each of the projects to achieve project objectives.
(90 marks – 30 marks per project)
This plan should take into account each of the issues described above, and summarise the following points:
• Summary of issues for each project as determined by analysis
• Fit of the project with corporate direction
• Consequences of not completing the project within key performance indicators
• The best approach for managing the project, with particular focus on the key issues with the project
• Whether the organisation should undertake any future projects of the type of project that is being reviewed.
SUB- TOTAL 300 MARKS
Question 1 (b) (1000 to 1500 words) (90 marks) Report to Board of Directors
Write a report to the Board of Directors of your organisation that:
• Summarises your analysis of each of the three (3) projects you have been asked to assess.
(30 marks – 10 marks per project)
• Describes your proposed solution for each project, including the feasibility of implementing it. (30 marks – 10 marks per project)
• Discusses, from an overall program management perspective, how projects within your program can be better assessed, before their acceptance by the organisation, for feasibility and alignment with the Board’s strategic direction for your organisation.
(30 marks)
SUB- TOTAL 90 MARKS
Written Communication for Question 1 (60 marks)
Abstract (Question 1b only) and tables of contents (both parts of Question 1) (10 marks)
Structure (10 marks)
Language, style, spelling (10 marks)
Completion in within word count (10 marks)
Setting out and referencing (20 marks)

SUB- TOTAL 60 MARKS
TOTAL MARKS FOR QUESTION 1 450 MARKS
Question 2 (150 marks total)
Write a 2000 to 2500 word essay to discuss the following questions:
• What in your opinion are the three (3) main issues that engineering project managers are likely to face in the next 20 years? Justify your answer, giving examples of the way in which changes in these issues will impact on the project management process.
• Using example engineering projects to illustrate your answer, explain how changes in each of these issues may impact on engineering project execution and delivery.
• Discuss what additional knowledge and skills an engineering project manager may need to develop in order to effectively manage projects in the future as a result of the expected changes in each issue that you have selected.
You will need to provide references for the discussion of each issue.
At least two (2) of the references for each issue that you discuss should be from sources other than the Study Material or the Course Readings that are available on the Study Desk.
Marking for Question 2 Identification of issues, discussion, analysis (120 marks)
Identification and explanation of each issue (10 marks per issue) (30 marks)
Using example engineering projects, explanation of how each issue may impact on engineering project
execution and delivery (15 marks per issue) (45 marks)

Discussion of the additional knowledge and skills an engineering project manager may need to
develop in order to effectively manage projects in the future as a result of the expected changes in each selected issue (15 marks per issue) (45 marks).
SUB- TOTAL 120 MARKS Written Communication (30 marks)
Structure (abstract, introduction, body, conclusion) (10 marks)
Language, style, spelling (10 marks)
Setting out and referencing (10 marks)
SUB- TOTAL 30 MARKS
TOTAL MARKS FOR QUESTION 2 150 MARKS