Assessment Task 1: Virtual Project Teams
Assessment Format
Due: Week 4
Word Length: 1500 words
Value: 20% of overall grade (for both modes)
Format: Report
Learning Outcomes: 3, 4 & 5
Task Description
Read the Directed Reading ‘The Virtual Project: Managing Tomorrow’s Team Today’, Chapter 5 of Meredith, Mantel & Shafer (2014). This mini case study describes the challenges of operating a project
with geographically distributed teams.
In the reading a range of communications technologies are discussed as they assist to bridge the tyranny of distance where distributed teams tend to operate. No doubt that technology does help
improve project communications but it isn’t the complete answer.
Question 1: Knowing the need to be inclusive in bringing the remote working team members together as one project team, what types of activities might you suggest to the Project Manager to make this
happen? How would you then go about developing, documenting and implementing the communications and team-building strategy? What activities would you have the PM be responsible for? What aspects
are better leveraged from the main organisation? (500 Words)
Question 2: Projects distributed or otherwise are hosted through an organisation and must report their delivery status and performance to the parent business. In contrast to a ‘local’ project team
what reporting aspects are unique to a geographically distributed project? What role will technology play in information collection and report generation? (500 Words)
Question 3: Select any two issues from those listed in the “Virtual Project Management Suggestions” section in Chapter 5 of Meredith, Mantel & Shafer (2014) and describe a personal ‘project
management’ experience dealing with each. (500 words)
Assessment Criteria:
Academic Grading Criteria
Format (30%)
Presentation and report format to prescribed AIM standard.
Demonstration of wide reading and inclusion of requisite references in Harvard reference style.
Academic writing appropriate to postgraduate level of study. Clearly articulated. Within required word count.
Well structured, logical flow to argument
Concepts (20%) Demonstration of knowledge of concepts.
Concepts support the argument or recommendations being made.
Practical Application (20%) Demonstrates practical application of concepts
Workplace-related examples support the argument or recommendations made.
Analytic Thinking (20%)
Demonstration of analytical thinking in relation to concepts.
Demonstration of analytical thinking in relation to workplace examples
Reccomendatio ns (10%)
Recommendations well articulated and clearly drawn from analysis.
Total
Assessment Task 2: Project Crisis Management
Assessment Format
Due: Week 8
Word Length: 2500 words
Value: 35% of overall grade (for both modes)
Format: Report
Learning Outcomes: 3, 6 & 7
Task Description
Read the Directed Reading at the end of Chapter 6 titled ‘Planning for Crises in Project Management’, in Meredith, Mantel & Shafer (2014).
On occasion we view a crisis unfolding on the worlds stage and you may have noted how the media pumps it up to further engage the TV news and current affairs audience. For those who have the
hapless task of managing the crisis this media attention often adds to their stress and ultimately increases the public driven pressure upon their decision making process. The BP Deepwater Horizon
oil platform disaster (discussed earlier in Chapter 6 of the text) was a good example of how this happens.
Reflect on the importance of making key decisions in times of crisis and what the critical success factors are in framing well-reasoned, timely and effective decisions to bring things under
control. What support might the manager of a ‘crisis event’ project be able to draw from their host organisation; i.e. provide resources (tools, modelling, meetings etc.) to assist the PM. Provide
a brief list of the project artefacts that might be made available to sort the crisis. What business rules might you frame to handle the communications involving the key stakeholders, government
parties and the media? (1500 words).
Describe a crisis you experienced or observed in the workplace where the Project Manager was required to resolve the conflict. What were the lessons learned from it? Would you have done it any
differently at the time i.e. your thoughts as it was happening rather than your thoughts with the benefit of hindsight?
(Total 500 words).
Assessment Criteria:
Academic Grading Criteria
Format (30%)
Presentation and report format to prescribed AIM standard.
Demonstration of wide reading and inclusion of requisite references in Harvard reference style.
Academic writing appropriate to postgraduate level of study. Clearly articulated. Within required word count.
Well structured, logical flow to argument
Concepts (20%) Demonstration of knowledge of concepts.
Concepts support the argument or recommendations being made.
Practical Application (20%)
Demonstrates practical application of concepts
Workplace-related examples support the argument or recommendations made.
Analytic Thinking (20%)
Demonstration of analytical thinking in relation to concepts.
Demonstration of analytical thinking in relation to workplace examples
Reccomendatio ns (10%)
Recommendations well articulated and clearly drawn from analysis.
Total
Assessment Task 3: PMO Implementation
Assessment Format:
Due: Week 11
Word Length: 3000 words
Value: 40% of overall grade (35% online mode)
Format: Group Presentation and Report
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2 & 7
Task Description
You are required to prepare a feasibility study/report for the Executive Leadership Group of your organisation addressing the factors that must be considered and likely impacts to introduce a
Project Management Organisation (PMO) into the operation.
For the purposes of this exercise, you will need to name your organisation and state what it does. You can assume that your organisation does have experience in using project managers to deliver
internal and/or external projects and are now contemplating the next maturity step. Your brief and report are to be the catalyst to this change.
Conditions for Face-To-Face Mode:
As a syndicate your team has been asked by the Executive to prepare and deliver a group oral presentation, complemented by a group report, on the results of your study into what it would take to
implement a PMO. At the conclusion of the activity your group will deliver the brief (involving each member in the presentation) as well as submit the report.
1) Each team participant will contribute approximately equal share toward the complete assignment; ordinarily, the final grade will apply to each participant;
2) Each team is to prepare and deliver a 30-minute oral presentation to ‘the Executive’. Presentations will be defended (by questioning) and not to exceed 35 minutes.
3) Each team is to prepare a complementary 2000-word report
4) Process and presentation content must, wherever practicable, focus upon project management model/s and approaches in accordance with information contained within Meredith, Mantel & Schafer
(2014) and or other credible reference/s.
Conditions for Online Mode:
As you are working in isolation, draft a dot-point briefing document that would then be handed to the PM who would in turn engage the Executive. (500 words) Also write a more detailed report (2500
words) that address the 10 key areas of the Project Management process e.g. scope, schedule, risk, quality…
Without limiting content, it is expected the presentation and report will:
a) Discuss the principles, skills and techniques required for the management of projects and the integration of a project management model within an organisational environment;
b) Discuss quality principles and how they relate to the management of projects;
c) Analyse the risk associated with projects and the development of contingency plans;
d) Evaluate the importance of teamwork, leadership and the practical application of skills in managing human resources within a project environment;
e) Evaluate and discuss conceptual and philosophical basis of design of emerging project based organisations; and
f) Address role of management and leadership in changing organisational model.
Assessment Criteria:
Academic Grading Criteria
Format (30%)
Presentation and report format to prescribed AIM standard.
Demonstration of wide reading and inclusion of requisite references in Harvard reference style.
Academic writing appropriate to postgraduate level of study. Clearly articulated. Within required word count.
Well structured, logical flow to argument
Concepts (20%) Demonstration of knowledge of concepts.
Concepts support the argument or recommendations being made.
Practical Application (20%)
Demonstrates practical application of concepts
Workplace-related examples support the argument or recommendations made.
Analytic Thinking (20%)
Demonstration of analytical thinking in relation to concepts.
Demonstration of analytical thinking in relation to workplace examples
Reccomendatio ns (10%)
Recommendations well articulated and clearly drawn from analysis.
Total
