BSS060 Project Management Assignment Sample 2023
1. Introduction
The project planning is an initial stage of the project management that consists of scopes of the project, schedule and risk analysis. The breakdown structure of the project provides a clear structure of project plans that includes a proper timeline and roadmap.
The waterfall method has been chosen for this project as this is an effective and straightforward way to manage a project. It aids in segmenting various tasks of the project into a sequential manner and it ensures the completion of each task before a new phase begins (Andrei et al. 2019).
The report is important to understand the effectiveness of the waterfall method in the project digital management conference. It assists in evaluating the interest of the people in attending the “face-to-face” digital management conference. According to “Case study of a problem-based learning course of project management” by Lutsenko (2018), this entire discussion is going to be implemented with the process of learning implementation.
The report elaborates on the process of PRINCE2 that is similar to the strategies of the waterfall method. The aim of the project is to identify the required resources and also highlight challenging issues of digital project conferences.
2. Concepts of waterfall approach in the process of project management
2.1. Elaboration of waterfall method of project management
The waterfall method consists of six stages of project management that cover the initiation to the completion of the entire project. In the first stage, the requirements are determined by the project managers in order to evaluate the needed financial resources.
The project managers accumulate important documentation that provides detailed structures of various tasks (Thesing et al. 2021). It determines the role of every team member of the group involved in the project and provides a clear structure of the deliverables.
In this phase, the project manager assesses the potential risks and probable mitigation techniques are also selected. The beneficial factors of the project are analysed and multi challenging issues are identified prior to the initiation stage. The project manager is responsible for designing the workflow model (Akhmetshin et al. 2019).
The workflow model is then put into practice and the team tests each element to ensure the requirements are being fulfilled. At the final stage of the project, products are launched and the team focuses on maintenance of the final products.
Figure 1: Waterfall method
(Source: Akhmetshin et al. 2019)
2.2. Positive factors of the waterfall method
The waterfall method relies on teamwork and it requires the completion of previous tasks before initiating new tasks. It is appropriate for small projects that have easy deliverables that can be identified in the initial stage. In “Evaluation of information systems project success” has its own ground of mitigating the project management (Pereira et al. 2022).
In case the requirements and the documentation of the project are determined, this method is very effective in acquiring a positive outcome. One of the advantages of this method is it integrates clear structure into the project management process (Thesing et al. 2021).
The challenges are to address on priority and it does not require special training for the involved members. This method is directed toward achieving an end goal from the beginning of the project. It makes the team member aware of the objective of projects and helps in highlighting necessary details.
Furthermore, it creates a smooth flow of information at every stage as it highly methodological approach to project management. It facilitates the documentation of projects that supports the entire lifecycle (ROTARU, 2021). The method facilitates easier access to the available information and the new members of the team can easily understand the priorities. It assists in staying organised during the entire project lifecycle.
2.3. Disadvantages of the waterfall method
The waterfall method relies on a certain set of steps that make it difficult to adapt to unprecedented changes. In case, the waterfall method is followed to the entire lifecycle, pivoting can be complicated in order to accommodate certain changes in the project process (Kramer, 2018).
The insertion of new tasks can render various tasks useless and as a result, a huge amount of resources can be wasted. It does not include the client but highlights the efficiencies of the internal team to work productively.
The process of the waterfall method pushes the examination of the product until the last stage. In the case study of “The role and characteristics of hybrid approaches to project management”, the opinion has been channelized with the4 help of proper analysis throughout this study (Copola Azenha et al. 2021). Any error in the product requires starting the project from the beginning.
On the other hand, the agile method excerpt better results in adapting to changes and it have more flexibility than the waterfall method. It allows changes in the process whereas the alternation of the objective can complicate the process of the waterfall method.
2.4. Application of PRINCE2
“Projects IN Controlled Environments or PRINCE2” is a process of project management that facilitates the segmentation of projects in order to assess risks and resource management. The entire budget of the project is estimated in order to assess the cost of each task.
Additionally, the method supports PRINCE2 that helps in the documentation of project initiation as it highlights the scope and direction of the study. The contract between the project board and the project manager along with the stage plan is essential to ensure prompt flow of the tasks.
Quality register and product description are also included in the PRINCE2 that aid in determining the purpose and the use of the product (Islam and Evans, 2020). The principles of PRINCE2 consist of seven elements that need to be followed.
2.4.1. Principles of PRINCE2
The business case is the priority of PRINCE2 as the case is reviewed and aligned throughout the lifecycle of the project. It ensures the viability of the project and “learning from experience” is facilitated in this method (Shaw et al. 2019). The lesson log provides necessary information regarding similar projects and aids in learning from past adverse incidents.
The lesson logs are followed during the entire lifecycle of the project. The responsibilities and the role of each member are clearly defined and they can take on more than one role.
The four levels of the team, project board, corporate and project manager are defined in the structure of the process. Similar to the waterfall method, PRINCE2 also follows stage by stage approach (Akhmetshin et al. 2019). The project plan and the identification of the risk are updated while the transitioning phase of the business case.
The project tolerance is correlated with the objectives of the project which highlights the delegation of authority and limitation. However, the management is needed to be redefined in case the limit is exceeded (Mousaei and Javdani, 2018). The quality of the end product is of utmost importance in order to meet the requirement of the project.
Several factors such as complexity, size, importance, risk, and time are rearranged in order to align them with the changing needs.
2.4.2. Aspects of PRINCE2
Six major elements need to be addressed in the process of PRINCE2. The project tolerance and project goals are identified by using KPIs by the project managers. The scope of the project is explained and the cost is included in the project plan. Each phase of the project is defined clearly and the timeline is structured in order to get an overview of the timescales.
The potential risks are assessed in order to determine effective mitigation strategies (Naik and Jenkins, 2019). The quality requirements of the stakeholders and the client are addresses to meet quality standards. The “Cost-benefit analysis” and the business case help in explaining the strategic benefits and the purpose of the project.
2.4.3. Responsibilities in PRINCE2
The project manager is responsible for the planning of the project, controlling, execution, and closure after the final product. The arrangement of a team and measuring performances are one of the main objectives of managers. The manager creates a schedule and cost for the project that is conveyed to consumers and the project board (Zubon and Taher, 2022).
The team leader manages the team members and supervises the progress of the project. The consumer is the person who can be affected by the outcome of the project. The consumers provide the resources in order to complete the project efficiently within the timeline.
The project board is made up of business executives and consumers who represent the side of the users. In the case study of “Analysis of the use of artificial intelligence in the management of Industry 4.0 projects” has already focused on the implemented responsibilities of PRINCE 2 along with the projection of AI (Wachnik, 2022).
On the other hand, specialists and suppliers are also integrated into the project board where the important decision regarding the project is taken.
2.4.4. Overview of the seven phases of PRINCE2
Start-up period
The detailed stage plan is created in this stage to determine the business plan and it includes a trigger that is a type of high-level documenting. It clearly states the mandates of the project as it highlights the due diligence before the execution.
Initiation phase
Various aspects of the project such as cost, timeline, quality, benefits, scopes and risks are determined in this stage.
Direction
The project board is included in this stage in order to evaluate the project plan as they can control and offer direction regarding the plan. They interconnect with the program management team and corporate authorities to assess the post-completion benefits (Esteki et al. 2020). The direction is provided until the project is complete meeting the required competencies.
Stages of control
In this stage, the project manager assigns the tasks and the reports are directed to the project board. The board also assesses the quality of the final product and prompt action is taken in order to minimise the adverse effects of any risk.
Product delivery
It correlated the work of the team member and the managers in order to manage the delivery of the project product.
Managing restraints
The project managers provide an overview of the progression of the projects and create an effective plan for the next phase. The project board reviews the reports and determines the improvements that need to be included in the process.
Closure
In this stage, the final product is examined against the required standard and the objective of the project. Recommendations are directed to the project board in order to close the project.
2.5. Necessity of an alternative approach
The utilisation of project management tools can simplify the process of task handling and effectively increase the quality of the product. The application of AI in the process can easily evaluate the progress of the project and measures the performance of the employees appropriately.
In fact, the study of “Project Management Methodology for Robotic Process Automation Implementation” has its own access to the world of managing the project in an authenticated way (Leeuwen, 2022). It helps in decrypting complex project information and identification of patterns in the accumulated data. The redundant activities can be identified and it enhances the productivity of the employees by decreasing the workload (Islam et al. 2019).
The application of an AI-based system in project management can help in increasing the productivity of the team. The “KBE or Knowledge-based expert” system can employ superior analytical skills and knowledge. It can decrease the scope of error in the management process. The experience of the human employees can be captured in the system and be effectively used to optimise the process.
In this process, the engineers feed the necessary information to the system that is often declarative in nature. The inference system then utilises the information as a data file to gather knowledge and provide appropriate output. In most cases, the “IF-THEN rules” are applied in this type of system (Okudan et al. 2021). It can improve the PRINCE2 system by integrating proper information that makes the process more flexible and readily achieves the objectives of the clients.
3. Conclusion
The process of the waterfall project management is described in this report by highlighting the disadvantages and positive factors of the process. The entire process of the PRINCE2 is assessed here in order to demonstrate its application through each stage of project management. PRINCE2 is similar to the waterfall approach as it also highlights the importance of product documentation that leads to the designing phase.
On the other hand, PRINCE2 is more flexible than the waterfall approach as it can include the new objectives and evolve correlating with the requirements of the clients. The ‘change control approach” of this process enables the system to adapt to changing expectations and modify scopes. However, low-key changes such as feature requests can be included in the project by integrating prioritization techniques at the team level.
PRINCE2 focuses on realising the needs of the business objective whereas the agile method highlights the importance of completing the product with precision and efficiency. Therefore, the collaboration of the agile method and PRINCE2 can offer greater responsiveness to the changes in the process. The agile method can assist in the timely delivery of the final products to the consumers.
4. Recommendations
- Risk response team: The risk response team is responsible for managing the unexpected events that hinder the progress of the project. They are also effective in assessing the “worst-case scenarios”and creating an advanced mitigation plan. It aids in evaluating the potential risk factors as well as modifies the risk identification method that can determine the adverse effects at the initial stage (Garau and Pavan, 2018). It can help in reducing the expenditure by providing an appropriate resolution. The employees of this team need to have adequate skills and experience in order to analyze the potential threat of the project. Moreover the study of “A Conceptual Framework for Applying Artificial Intelligence in Project Management” has highlighted the statistical overview of the project management methodology (Auth et al. 2021). It can also help in replacing the software tools in case of technical issues.
- Knowledge regarding the important requirements:The team that is responsible for the project need to have a clear understanding of the project in order to facilitate the smooth flow of the tasks. Before the commencement of the projects, the objective of the projects is needed to be communicated to the important people in order to enhance better understanding. The important people include the team members, team leaders, management, and the project board. It can help in making sure all the people have similar expectations and understanding in order to gain successful results.
- Importance of detailed work plan: A detailed work plan can help in ensuring the contribution of each employee to the project. It helps in the equal delegation of work and the skills of the employeesare valued in the work process. As a result, the workload can be optimised and the productivity of the team is increased. It helps the team members to be self-regulated as they can see their tasks and aids in meeting deadlines.
- Technical competencies: In order to effectively integrate the AI-based system into the project management, the involved team needs to be trained properly in order to gain expected results (Darko et al. 2020). The technical skill of the employeesis important to transform the management process more optimised to match the timeline of the projects. The incorporation of AI can help in managing repetitive tasks and the employees can be subjected to important events that require a specific skill set.
- Monitoring progress and the performance:the progress of the project needs to be frequently reviewed and analysed in order to ensure the project is following the appropriate direction. On the other hand, the performance of the employees also needs to be monitored to gain an insight into the productivity of the team (Alizadehsalehi et al. 2020). Timely feedback is important to regulate the performance of the employees as it delivers specific guidelines to improve their performances. Monitoring the progress of the project ensures the quality of the product is maintained throughout the entire process.
Bibliography
Auth, G., Jöhnk, J. and Wiecha, D.A., 2021, September. A Conceptual Framework for Applying Artificial Intelligence in Project Management. In 2021 IEEE 23rd Conference on Business Informatics (CBI) (Vol. 1, pp. 161-170). IEEE.
Copola Azenha, F., Aparecida Reis, D. and Leme Fleury, A., 2021. The role and characteristics of hybrid approaches to project management in the development of technology-based products and services. Project Management Journal, 52(1), pp.90-110.
Leeuwen, T., 2022. Project Management Methodology for Robotic Process Automation Implementation (Bachelor’s thesis, University of Twente).
Lutsenko, G., 2018. Case study of a problem-based learning course of project management for senior engineering students. European Journal of Engineering Education, 43(6), pp.895-910.
Pereira, J., Varajão, J. and Takagi, N., 2022. Evaluation of information systems project success–Insights from practitioners. Information Systems Management, 39(2), pp.138-155.
Wachnik, B., 2022. Analysis of the use of artificial intelligence in the management of Industry 4.0 projects. The perspective of Polish industry. Production Engineering Archives, 28(1), pp.56-63.
References
Akhmetshin, E.M., Romanov, P.Y., Zakieva, R.R., Zhminko, A.E., Aleshko, R.A. and Makarov, A.L., 2019. Modern approaches to innovative project management in entrepreneurship education: A review of methods and applications in education. Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 22, pp.1-15.
Akhmetshin, E.M., Romanov, P.Y., Zakieva, R.R., Zhminko, A.E., Aleshko, R.A. and Makarov, A.L., 2019. Modern approaches to innovative project management in entrepreneurship education: A review of methods and applications in education. Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 22, pp.1-15.
Alizadehsalehi, S., Hadavi, A. and Huang, J.C., 2020. From BIM to extended reality in AEC industry. Automation in Construction, 116, p.103254.
Andrei, B.A., Casu-Pop, A.C., Gheorghe, S.C. and Boiangiu, C.A., 2019. A study on using waterfall and agile methods in software project management. Journal Of Information Systems & Operations Management, pp.125-135.
Darko, A., Chan, A.P., Adabre, M.A., Edwards, D.J., Hosseini, M.R. and Ameyaw, E.E., 2020. Artificial intelligence in the AEC industry: Scientometric analysis and visualization of research activities. Automation in Construction, 112, p.103081.
Esteki, M., Gandomani, T.J. and Farsani, H.K., 2020. A risk management framework for distributed scrum using PRINCE2 methodology. Bulletin of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, 9(3), pp.1299-1310.
Garau, C. and Pavan, V.M., 2018. Evaluating urban quality: Indicators and assessment tools for smart sustainable cities. Sustainability, 10(3), p.575.
Islam, M.S., Nepal, M.P., Skitmore, M. and Kabir, G., 2019. A knowledge-based expert system to assess power plant project cost overrun risks. Expert Systems with Applications, 136, pp.12-32.
Islam, S. and Evans, N., 2020. Key success factors of PRINCE2 project management method in software development project: KSF of PRINCE2 in SDLC. International Journal of Engineering Materials and Manufacture, 5(3), pp.76-84.
Kramer, M., 2018. Best practices in systems development lifecycle: An analyses based on the waterfall model. Review of Business & Finance Studies, 9(1), pp.77-84.
Mousaei, M. and Javdani, T., 2018. A new project risk management model based on Scrum framework and Prince2 methodology. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 9(4).
Naik, N. and Jenkins, P., 2019, October. A web based method for managing PRINCE2® projects using trello®. In 2019 International Symposium on Systems Engineering (ISSE) (pp. 1-3). IEEE.
Okudan, O., Budayan, C. and Dikmen, I., 2021. A knowledge-based risk management tool for construction projects using case-based reasoning. Expert Systems with Applications, 173, p.114776.
ROTARU, D.A.D., 2021. CHOOSING THE MOST SUITABLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY. Internal Auditing & Risk Management, 62(2s), pp.43-55.
Shaw, S., Hughes, G. and Greenhalgh, T., 2019. Standardisation and its consequences in health care: a case study of PRINCE2 project management training. In The Projectification of the Public Sector (pp. 229-249). Routledge.
Thesing, T., Feldmann, C. and Burchardt, M., 2021. Agile versus waterfall project management: decision model for selecting the appropriate approach to a project. Procedia Computer Science, 181, pp.746-756.
Thesing, T., Feldmann, C. and Burchardt, M., 2021. Agile versus waterfall project management: decision model for selecting the appropriate approach to a project. Procedia Computer Science, 181, pp.746-756.
Zubon, S.H. and Taher, M.K., 2022. A Comparison Between the International Standards PRINCE2 and PMBOK in Project Management.
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