Project Performance Measurement
For this Short Answer Assessment, you will answer a series of short answer items to demonstrate your understanding of how to assess project performance against agreed-to criteria using qualitative and quantitative methods. This Assessment is based on Part 5 of the St. Dismas Assisted Living Facility Case Study. Read Part 5 of the case study (and review previous parts of the case study as needed), then complete the Assessment.
Before submitting your Assessment, carefully review the rubric. This is the same rubric the assessor will use to evaluate your submission and it provides detailed criteria describing how to achieve or master the Competency. Many students find that understanding the requirements of the Assessment and the rubric criteria help them direct their focus and use their time most productively.
To complete this Assessment:
Download the Academic Writing Expectations Checklist to use as a guide when completing your Assessment. Responses that do not meet the expectations of scholarly writing will be returned without scoring. Properly formatted APA citations and references must be provided where appropriate.
Download the PM004 Short Answer Submission Form, which includes the Rubric for this Assessment. Complete the form adhering to the criteria presented in the Rubric. Additionally, your responses should align with the standards of project management in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), 5th Edition.
PM004: Project Performance Measurement
Short Answer Assessment Submission Form
Your Name: First and last
Your Email address: Your email here
Instructions
This Competency includes a Short-Answer Response Assessment. Write your response to each prompt below in the space provided. The Rubric, which will be used by the Competency Assessor to evaluate your responses, is beneath the prompts. Carefully review the Rubric rows associated with each prompt to provide a complete response.
When writing your response, begin typing where it reads “Enter Your Response Here.” Write as much as needed to satisfy the requirements of the prompt (as defined in the Rubric). Be sure to support your responses with connections to professional sources.
Your Assessment responses require references (in APA style) to support your thinking. You will list your references at the end of this template where “References” are noted. If you need additional information regarding how to correctly cite, and/or reference sources, please visit the Walden Writing Center at http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/apa/citations
To learn more about effective paraphrasing strategies, visit the Walden Writing Center at http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/evidence/paraphrase/effective
Review the following example item and response for a sample that meets expectations.
Sample Prompt:
Choose a definition of organizational culture, and explain whether you agree or disagree with the definition. Use examples from your own professional experience to support your response.
Response:
Whitehurst (2016) explained “organizational culture is defined by how people in an organization interact with each other” (para. 2). While I agree that this is one aspect of organizational culture, the definition does not capture the complex factors that contribute to organizational culture. When I started my first job after finishing my undergraduate degree in business, I worked for an organization whose main headquarters were in Dubai. When I traveled to Dubai for the first time, I realized that the culture of the Dubai office was largely influenced by the society’s culture in Dubai. I found that the organization lacked one cohesive culture and that, depending on regional locations, each office had its own culture. International organizations often face many challenges in maintaining a cohesive organizational culture (Watkins, 2013). I found this observation to be true in my experience. For example, the Dubai office seemed to endow their employees with more allowance for self-direction when compared with our domestic offices. Although people’s interactions with one another contributed to the organization’s culture, there were other factors like location, management style, and societal norms that impacted a business culture as well.
References
Watkins, M. D. (2013, May 15). What is organizational culture? And why should we care. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/05/what-is-organizational-culture
Whitehurst, J. (2016, October 13). Leaders can shape company culture through their behaviors. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/10/leaders-can-shape-company-culture-through-their-behaviors
Note: References are included at the end of a Short-Answer Assessment but are included here as an example of an accurate APA reference list.
1. Refer to Part 5 of the “St. Dismas Assisted Living Facility Case Study” document.
Kyle Nanno is the construction project manager for the St. Dismas Assisted Living Facility (ALF) project. One of Kyle’s responsibilities is to ensure that the construction of the facility is proceeding as planned—on time and on budget. Each week, Kyle holds a meeting with his project team and key stakeholders to review the progress and performance of the construction project. After each meeting, Kyle e-mails meeting minutes to the project team and executives throughout the organization.
After reading the minutes from a recent meeting, Dr. Fred Splient, President of St. Dismas, called Kyle to express concern about important decisions related to the construction of the facility that had not been made. Kyle reported that security related decisions had not been made because Frank Geagy, Director of Security, had not been attending the weekly meetings. Fred makes it clear that Frank must attend all of the team meetings going forward.
After his conversation with Dr. Splient, Kyle calls Frank Geagy. Kyle relays Dr. Splient’s expectation that Frank attend all Friday project team meetings to review project progress and performance. Frank does not sound happy. Frank tells Kyle, “We have too much real work to do. I can’t attend all these meetings.” After hearing this, it occurs to Kyle that Frank may not be familiar with the project monitoring and controlling process or why it is important.
Respond to the following:
a) Describe a process for monitoring and controlling a project. (2–3 paragraphs)
b) Explain why it is important to have a formal monitoring and controlling strategy for the ALF project. (3–4 paragraphs)
c) What is your assessment of the approach Kyle is taking to monitor and control the ALF project? (2–3 paragraphs)
Your Response
Enter your response here.
Rubric
0
Not Present
1
Needs Improvement
2
Meets Expectations
3
Exceeds Expectations
Sub-Competency 1: Evaluate project monitoring and controlling processes.
Learning Objective 1.1: Describe a process for monitoring and controlling a project.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Description of a process for monitoring and controlling the project is missing.
Description for monitoring and controlling the project includes fewer than three functions of the monitoring and controlling process group.
Description for monitoring and controlling the project includes how monitoring and controlling supports each of the fewer than four other project process groups: initiating, planning, executing, and closing.
Response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.
Description for monitoring and controlling the project includes three functions of the monitoring and controlling process group.
Description for monitoring and controlling the project includes how monitoring and controlling supports each of the other four project process groups: initiating, planning, executing, and closing.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Description for monitoring and controlling the project includes an assessment of various phase structures associated with monitoring and controlling projects and recommends the best approach for the project.
Learning Objective 1.2: Explain the importance of formally monitoring and controlling a project.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project is missing.
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project indicates fewer than two overall benefits of using a formal process for monitoring and controlling projects.
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project includes fewer than two reasons why monitoring and controlling the project should be an iterative process.
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project indicates fewer than two ways that project monitoring and controlling facilitates minimizing risk to changes in scope, time, and cost.
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project is not specific to the business case.
Response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project indicates two overall benefits of using a formal process for monitoring and controlling projects.
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project includes two reasons why monitoring and controlling the project should be an iterative process.
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project indicates two ways that project monitoring and controlling facilitates minimizing risk to changes in scope, time, and cost.
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project is specific to the business case.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Explanation of the importance of formally monitoring and controlling the project includes an assessment of potential risks to the project and the tradeoffs among scope, time, and cost that may be needed in order to accomplish the desired outcomes of the project.
Learning Objective 1.3: Critique the monitoring and controlling approach for a project.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Critique of the monitoring and controlling approach for the project is missing.
Critique of the monitoring and controlling approach for the project includes a description of fewer than four steps in an existing monitoring and controlling process.
Critique of the monitoring and controlling approach for the project includes an assessment of the sufficiency of fewer than the four steps in an existing monitoring and controlling process.
Critique of the monitoring and controlling process for the project is not specific to the business case.
Response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.
Critique of the monitoring and controlling approach for the project includes a description of four steps in an existing monitoring and controlling process.
Critique of the monitoring and controlling approach for the project includes an assessment of the sufficiency of each of the four steps in an existing monitoring and controlling process.
Critique of the monitoring and controlling process for the project is specific to the business case.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Critique of the monitoring and controlling approach for the project includes an evaluation of the existing monitoring and controlling process in relation to the assumptions and constraints made during project planning.
2. Refer to Part 5 of the “St. Dismas Assisted Living Facility Case Study” document.
Kyle identified four agenda items for the weekly project team meetings. Reviewing the schedule and budget are included in the agenda. In addition, a change in scope has been proposed by the chief operating officer (COO) and the vice president (VP) of marketing. The scope change involves building and operating a hair salon for the new assisted living facility.
Respond to the following:
a) Project scope, schedule, and cost are often referred to as the triple constraints in project management. What tools and techniques could Kyle use to monitor and control the triple constraints? Describe two tools or techniques each for monitoring and controlling project scope, schedule, and cost. Explain why you selected those particular tools or techniques. (3–4 paragraphs)
b) The idea, from the COO and VP of marketing, to include a hair salon was a surprise to the project team. Analyze the risks posed by adding a hair salon using the triple constraints of scope, schedule, and cost as the basis for your analysis. (3–4 paragraphs)
Your Response
Enter your response here.
Rubric
Sub-Competency 2: Assess qualitative and quantitative tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling a project.
Learning Objective 2.1: Select tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling a project.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Selection of tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling the project is missing.
Selection of tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling the project includes fewer than two tools and techniques each for monitoring and controlling scope, time, and cost.
Selection of tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling the project does not include the rationale for the choice of the tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling all three areas: scope, time, and cost.
Selection of tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling the project is not specific to the business case.
Response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.
Selection of tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling the project includes two tools and techniques each for monitoring and controlling scope, time, and cost.
Selection of tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling the project includes the rationale for the choice of the tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling scope, time, and cost.
Selection of tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling the project is specific to the business case.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Selection of tools and techniques for monitoring and controlling the project demonstrates the application of at least one tool or technique to monitor and control the project including a brief explanation of what it indicates about project performance.
Learning Objective 2.2: Assess monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy is missing.
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy includes fewer than two benefits of employing project monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy.
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy includes a description of fewer than two actions that can be taken when the results of project monitoring and controlling indicate a change in project risk status.
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy does not include one recommendation for both of the two actions that can be taken when the results of project monitoring and controlling indicate a change in project risk status.
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy is not specific to the business case.
Response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy includes two benefits of employing project monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy.
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy includes a description of two actions that can be taken when the results of project monitoring and controlling indicate a change in project risk status.
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy includes one recommendation for each of the two actions that can be taken when the results of project monitoring and controlling indicate a change in project risk status.
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy is specific to the business case.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Assessment of monitoring and controlling as a risk management strategy includes an assessment of a range of action steps that can be taken as a result of monitoring and controlling in the context of the priority of the risk.
3. Kyle Nanno, the project construction manager, is studying for his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. He decides to apply the Earned Value Management (EVM) tools from his coursework to the assisted living facility (ALF) construction project at St. Dismas.
4.
a) Using the information in the table below, calculate each of the EVM metrics for each activity and for the total project. Show both your calculations and the results.
· Cost Variance (CV)
· Schedule Variance (SV)
· Cost Performance Index (CPI)
· Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
· Estimate to Completion (ETC)
· Estimate at Completion (EAC)
· Critical Ratio
b) Explain what each of the EVM metrics results (that you calculated) mean, regarding the performance of the ALF project. (3–4 paragraphs)
Earned Value Chart for St. Dismas Assisted Living Facility Case Study
Activity
Planned Value
(PV)
Earned Value
(EV)
Actual Cost
(AC)
Budget at Completion (BAC)
% Complete
Building
$6,743
$6,743
$7,300
$6,743
100%
Furniture
$400
$400
$250
$400
100%
Site Improvements
$125
$125
$148
$125
100%
Kitchen Equipment
$30
$30
$30
$30
100%
TOTAL
$7,298
$7,298
$7,728
$7,298
100%
Your Response
Enter your response here.
Rubric
Sub-Competency 3: Apply Earned Value Management as a tool for monitoring and controlling a project.
Learning Objective 3.1: Calculate Earned Value Management metrics.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Calculation of the Earned Value Management metrics and results are missing.
Calculation of the Earned Value Management metrics does not include the calculations and results for both Cost Variance (CV) and the Schedule Variance (SV).
Calculation of the Earned Value Management metrics and results does not include the calculations and results for both Cost Performance Index (CPI) and the Schedule Performance Index (SPI).
Calculation of the Earned Value Management metrics and results does not include the calculations and results for both Estimate to Completion (ETC) and Estimate at Completion (EAC).
Calculation of the Earned Value and results does not include the calculation and the result for the Critical Ratio.
Calculations and results are not specific to the business case.
Calculation of the Earned Value Management metrics includes both the calculations and results for Cost Variance (CV) and the Schedule Variance (SV).
Calculation of the Earned Value Management metrics and results includes the calculations and results for Cost Performance Index (CPI) and the Schedule Performance Index (SPI).
Calculation of the Earned Value Management metrics and results includes the calculations and results for Estimate to Completion (ETC) and Estimate at Completion (EAC).
Calculation of the Earned Value and results includes the calculation and the result for the Critical Ratio.
Calculations and results are specific to the business case.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Calculation of the Earned Value Management metrics and results includes an assessment of the likelihood of completing the project on time and on budget based on the Earned Value Management calculations.
Learning Objective 3.2: Explain the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics is missing.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics does not include an explanation of what both the cost/spending variance and the schedule variance indicate about the performance of the project.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics does not include an explanation of what both the cost performance index and the schedule performance index indicate about the performance of the project.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics does not include an explanation of what both the estimated time to completion and the estimate at completion indicate about the performance of the project.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics does not include an explanation of what the critical ratio indicates about the performance of the project.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics is not specific to the business case.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics includes an explanation of what both the cost/spending variance and the schedule variance indicate about the performance of the project.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics includes an explanation of what both the cost performance index and the schedule performance index indicate about the performance of the project.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics includes an explanation of what both the estimated time to completion and the estimate at completion indicate about the performance of the project.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics includes an explanation of what the critical ratio indicates about the performance of the project.
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics is specific to the business case.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Explanation of the significance of the Earned Value Management metrics includes a forecast of time and cost performance at the end of the project based on the calculations for estimated time to completion and estimate at completion.
5. After calculating the Earned Value Management (EVM) metrics and analyzing the results, Kyle realizes that he can do a better job of managing project performance. Kyle makes a commitment to himself to apply EVM at regular intervals in the project going forward and to take appropriate actions if project performance issues become apparent. In addition, he intends to communicate project performance issues to the stakeholders and provide recommendations to address performance issues.
a) What actions might Kyle take to manage project cost performance? What actions might Kyle take to manage project schedule performance? (2–3 paragraphs)
b) What information should Kyle gather to make a recommendation? How should he gather this information? (2–3 paragraphs)
Your Response
Enter your response here.
Rubric
Sub-Competency 4: Select alternative strategies for monitoring and controlling a project based on work performance outcomes.
Learning Objective 4.1: Compare planned to actual work performance for a project.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project is missing.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project includes fewer than two actions that can be taken to control project cost.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project does not include the rationale for the both of the actions chosen to control project cost.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project of planned to actual work performance for the project includes fewer than two actions that can be taken to control project schedule.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project does not include the rationale for both of the actions chosen to control project schedule.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project is not specific to the business case.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project includes two actions that can be taken to control project cost.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project includes the rationale for the two actions chosen to control project cost.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project of planned to actual work performance for the project includes two actions that can be taken to control project schedule.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project includes the rationale for the two actions chosen to control project schedule.
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project is specific to the business case.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Comparison of planned to actual work performance for the project includes an analysis of variances in time and cost performance as further justification for the recommended action steps.
Learning Objective 4.2: Recommend actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance are missing.
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance includes fewer than three different sources of information that should be gathered to recommend actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance.
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance do not include the rationale for all three different sources of information that should be gathered to recommend actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance.
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance do not include the data gathering approach for all three different sources of information that will be used to recommend actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance.
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance for assuring ongoing positive project work performance is not specific to the business case.
Response is not supported by academic/professional resources, or the resources are not relevant.
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance include three different sources of information that should be gathered to recommend actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance.
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance include the rationale for the three different sources of information that should be gathered to recommend actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance.
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance include the data gathering approach for the three different sources of information that will be used to recommend actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance.
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance for assuring ongoing positive project work performance is specific to the business case.
Response is supported by relevant academic/professional resources.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Recommended actions to assure ongoing positive project work performance prioritizes the sources of information that should be gathered based on the performance results and addressing the most critical performance issue first.
6. Fred Splient sends the assisted living facility (ALF) project steering committee a written performance report every 2 weeks. He will prepare one in a few days. Kyle Nanno, the construction project manager, stops by Fred’s office to share the EVM analysis he conducted. Fred decides to use this information in the status report. Develop Fred’s performance report based on the results of the EVM analysis that was done by Kyle. (1 page)
Your Response
Enter your response here.
Rubric
Sub-Competency 5: Construct a project work performance report for the project stakeholders.
Learning Objective 5.1: Summarize project work performance data.
Score:
Choose an item.
Instructor Feedback:
Feedback Statement
Summary of the project work performance data is missing.
Summary of the project work performance data includes the calculations and results for fewer than five Earned Value Management metrics.
Summary of the project work performance data does not include an explanation of all five Earned Value Management results in the context of what they indicate about the performance of the project.
Summary of the project work performance data is not specific to the business case.
Summary of the project work performance data includes the calculations and results for five Earned Value Management metrics.
Summary of the project work performance data includes an explanation of the five Earned Value Management results in the context of what they indicate about the performance of the project.
Summary of project work performance data is specific to the business case.
Response demonstrates the same level of achievement as “2,” plus the following:
Summary of the project work performance data includes an example project work performance report.
References
