Managing Projects

This is an individual assignment – complete both tasks 1 and 2

Background: The assignment is intended to bring out the benefits and limitations of different approaches to project planning and control by relating these to the circumstances in the cases outlined. It is also intended to allow students to demonstrate their learning and competence in respect of the management of resources generally, but in particular elements of scope, schedule, quality, and cost.

Task 1 (40% marks) 700 words (+/- 10%) each short answer question requires a response in a few sentences (paragraph) for the questions awarded up to 4-6 marks and one-two paragraphs for questions awarded up to 8-10 marks.

What are the core principles/characteristics of any project and the importance? (8 marks)

Define the scope of project. (6 marks)

Using the information below, plot out a full project Gantt chart and identify the critical path? How many days does it take to complete the project (6 marks)

How would you assess and manage risks on a project? (4 marks)

What method(s) would you use for cost management and why? (6 marks)

Identify and explain the main aspects of monitoring project quality. (10 marks)

Tasks Precedence Time

  • a – 8 days
  • b – 7 days
  • c a 9 days
  • d b 3 days
  • e b 5 days
  • f c 6 days
  • g e 4 days
  • h f 2 days

Task 2: (60% marks)

Happy Shop is the leading supermarket chain, which has the highest number of stores and achieved more than half of the market share in Hong Kong in the past 10 years. However, the management has noticed that they have been losing sales and market share in the past 3 years. After investigation, they realized that a small online supermarket portal Kowloon TVMall has been performing well in the past 3 years due to the pandemic situation. They suspect that they are losing the market share to this new player.

CEO of Happy Shop, Steven Leung realizes that the company’s current online shopping platform and logistics are outdated. He has decided to investigate the consumer behaviour change in grocery shopping in Hong Kong and would like to setup a taskforce to implement a state-of-the-art online shopping platform to achieve a leadership position in online supermarket.

You have been headhunted to work for the company as Project Manager to carry out the plan outlined by Steven Leung.

The management has asked you to write a report (2,300 words) from a project management perspective to outline and explain the activities required to successfully manage this new initiative, ensuring that this is on time, and within budget.

The analysis should include the skills and competencies required by the Project Manager, along with the project management process. Use examples of the Project Management Process, for example concerns, stages, processes, leadership, administration and control problems associated with managing the lifecycle of the major project.

Assignment presentation and assessment

The answers to both tasks are independent and should be addressed separately.

–Task 1: answers to six questions (700 words) – completed as an individual task
–Task 2: a report (2300 words) – completed as an individual task

For your convenience both tasks should be submitted as one document, which contains both individual tasks.