CC2005 Project Planning and Project Management 2012-13 Coursework Report Structure

The report structure relates to the scenario described and previously published; you are asked to plan (but not implement) a project for the FROSTIE and SCIMITAR systems for client Sam Dapper, MD of SMARTS Ltd. You should prepare a report, addressing all sections and maintaining the sequence given below. Guidelines (which should not be exceeded) for the maximum length of each section are specified; answers shorter than this that deal with the required issues are acceptable. The text should be in font size 12 (no smaller) and preferably Times Roman or Arial, although headings and sub-headings may be in a larger font. The final version you submit must be printed. Please print your final version on standard A4 paper; using a heavier weight paper will not earn a higher grade. Margins must be wide enough for the report to be read if presented in a folder (e.g. 1 inch or 2.5 cm all round) without removing the pages from the folder. The folder or binding must open flat within all text clearly visible, or the report may be stapled in the top left-hand corner. Reports submitted in a plastic pocket should be stapled in the top left-hand corner; please do not submit loose sheets. This work must be your own. Material from any other source must be clearly indicated where used and identified in the references section. You must not cut-and-paste material from other sources without indicating that it is a quotation. Guidance is available from the library The deadline for submission of your report to Undergraduate Office, North Campus Tower Block is WEEK 13 Friday 11th January 2013. You may submit your work earlier than this if you wish. Your assignment must be in the format and sequence specified in Parts A and B below, with a standard coursework cover sheet. Please do not include CDs/DVDs/disks in your submission, and do not submit your work by email.

Overall presentation (2 marks) The report should be word-processed. The main body of the report should start from page 1, and each heading and sub-heading shown in the table of contents. The Gantt chart does not need to have page numbers, but there should be a numbered page indicating the start of the Gantt chart. The Gantt chart should be in an easy-to-read format (e.g. joined so the entire chart on several A4 pages will fold out flat). Title page The report is for the management of the client organisation, and should have an appropriate title page, containing the report title, recipient, author and date. You may add your own logo if you wish. The title page should not have a page number. . The title page may contain a logo, but it must give the name of the client, the identity of the author (name and student id) and the date of submission. (Maximum 1 page) Management Summary The title page should be followed by a management summary, giving details of the context, timing, purpose and cost of the project. You should also identify any special features of your project. This page should not have a page number. (Maximum page) Table of Contents The table of contents must use the numbered headings and sub-headings specified below, and identify the corresponding page numbers in the text. The ToC facility in MS Word may be used to generate the table of contents. All subsequent pages must be numbered, and the page numbers must be printed, not handwritten. Page numbers should appear on every page except the title page, management summary and table of contents. The main body of the report must start at page 1 (Maximum 1 page)

CC2005 Project Planning & Management

Report Structure

Section 1: Background (10 marks)

1.1. Scope A description of the scope of the project (i.e. what the project is about), and a statement of what the project does not include (e.g. designing a logo for the clients headed notepaper, but choose a different example). 1.2. Assumptions These may include issues such as the provision of any existing hardware/software, skills of the clients staff, justification for extending the budget or an explanation of a proposal to reduce the scope in order to remain within the budget. The impact that these assumptions make on the project plans should be clearly indicated. 1.3. SMART objectives An identification of two SMART objectives appropriate to the project. Each objective must satisfy all SMART components. 1.4. Constraints An identification of the constraints that relate to the project. (Maximum 2 pages)

Section 2: Risk (10 marks)

This section examines risk factors associated with the project. Consider the following risk, identify possible approaches to dealing with the risk, identify the appropriate impact and category of risk, and describe how you would propose to manage each risk if it occurred during the implementation stage of your project, including any containment action or contingency plan. It is not necessary to perform risk calculations here. 2.1. Risk delayed delivery The delivery of PCs and related equipment you have ordered for the client has been delayed; the supplier has stated that it might take another 8 weeks before it can be delivered. (Maximum 1 page) 2.2. Risk loss of staff The design and development phase of your project has been running for 3 weeks, and a key member of your team, a programmer, leaves suddenly because of family illness in America. You do not know how long the programmer is likely to be away, and you need to ensure that work progresses on the project without causing unnecessary delay. (Maximum 1 page)

Section 3: Costings and resources (20 marks)

What are the costings and resources associated with the project (including the resources available at no extra cost to the project)? Itemise each costing, showing when the expenditure would be incurred, and indicate whether this within the budget. Planned expenditure figures may be shown on a month-by-month basis, or in the form of a table. 3.1. Staff Staff recruited to work on the project team 3.2. Equipment Equipment required for development and delivery of the new system 3.3. Consumables Materials needed during the course of the project 3.4. Other resources Any other resources required for the project 3.5. Contingencies Funds set aside to deal with risk situations 3.6. Sources of income Details of any additional funding (if available)

CC2005 Project Planning & Management

Report Structure

(Maximum 2 pages)

CC2005 Project Planning & Management

Report Structure

4. Work packages and activities (20 marks)

Identify and give a brief description of the work packages, and the activities within each work package, in your work breakdown structure for the FROSTIE and SCIMITAR project. The work packages and activities must match those in the Gantt chart in section 5. Individual tasks do not need to be identified. Do not confuse work packages with the project life cycle. (Maximum 1 page per work package)

5. Project Plan Gantt chart (20 marks)

5.1. Length of project Briefly state how long the project is expected to take, and when it will finish. 5.2. Gantt chart Attach the Gantt chart for the project plan matching the work breakdown structure used in answer to section 4 above. Make sure the Gantt chart is printed in an appropriate scale and only includes the work packages and activities (the individual tasks do not need to be included in the Gantt chart). The Gantt chart may have been completed using MS Word, Excel or Project (any of these would be equally acceptable). The Gantt chart should clearly link to answers to earlier questions. Make sure the individual activities are clearly identified, and that any dependencies and parallel activities are made clear. Include any containment action activities that has been planned in order to deal with risks that have been identified. The Gantt chart does not need to have individual page numbers, and may be presented in a fold-out format. (Maximum 10 pages)

6. References (4 marks)
Specify any references that have been used in preparing the report, including textbooks and web sites. Indicate clearly in the main body of the report where references have been used. Do not use material from other sources without identifying the sources in this section. Use the Harvard style of referencing. There is no maximum length for the references section, but one or two pages should be sufficient.

Appendix (4 marks)
Include an appendix of material used in research for this report (e.g. search results relating to project staff recruitment or equipment). The appendix may contain printouts and/or commercial vendor literature. (Maximum 6 pages)

End of Coursework Assignment Specification

Marking information

Section Title page and contents Management summary 1. Background 2. Risk 3. Costings and resources 6. Work packages and activities 7. Gantt chart 8. References Appendix Overall presentation Total

Weightings 5 5 10 10 20 20 20 4 4 2 100

CC2005 Project Planning & Management

Report Structure