topic guide 34.5: managing a project to its · pdf filesometimes an activity will not progress...

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Unit 34: Plan and manage a project

This topic guide focuses on achieving the ultimate goal of a project: making sure the outcomes are met on time and that the project is concluded successfully. This is only possible if the project manager uses the right tools and resources to monitor all of the activities within a project and takes necessary action if part of the project does not progress according to schedule. Sometimes an activity will not progress well because the team members do not have the right skills and training for a specific job. On these occasions the project manager’s role is to provide additional support to the team members to ensure the project is completed on time.

This topic guide covers: • tools and techniques to monitor, control and review project progress • supporting project team members.

Managing a project to its conclusion34.5

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34.5: Managing a project to its conclusion

1 Tools and techniques to monitor, control and review project progress

Before you startThis topic covers learning outcome 5 of Unit 34. The best way to satisfy the requirements of learning outcome 5 is for you to be given the opportunity to use a range of project management tools and techniques to monitor, control and review the progress of a project. You also need the opportunity to provide different types of support to project team members, where necessary. If possible, you should be given a role within which you can motivate team members and at the same time hold them accountable. A considerable part of a project manager’s role is communication and, therefore, it will be very useful if you have a role that allows for effective communication with your project team members.

ActivityBefore you begin working on learning outcome 5, it is important that you have a good understanding of current project management tools that are used in your organisation. These tools will be used for different aspects of a project, such as communication, project monitoring and control, and project conclusion. They can be various computer applications or hard-copy forms and documents.

Based on discussions with experienced project managers in your organisation, write a brief summary of the following.1 Computer applications or hard-copy forms and documents that are used to monitor and

control a project to its conclusion. Some popular computer applications are Microsoft Project®, Project KickStart™, Basecamp, MindView from MatchWare and RationalPlan MultiProject. It will be useful for you to research and consider the advantages and applications of these packages.

2 Examples of when some activities within a project have not progressed according to the schedule.3 The type of support provided to team members to rectify these problems.

There is an interesting case study from NASA about how unpredictable technical faults were managed in an important project. Access the case study using the following link:

www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/appel/knowledge/publications/gravity_probe_B.html.

A successful project manager plans and is committed to completing a project, and to do this uses a range of tools and techniques to monitor progress. A project may not go ahead according to its plan, and in some cases may fail to achieve its targets, if it is not managed and controlled properly. Some common reasons for failure of, or delays to, a project that needs close monitoring are:

• project monitoring tools and techniques that are not properly or adequately used

• a project manager who does not have the required technical and managerial skills

• inadequate allocation of resources to project activities • project team members or higher-level management who are not fully

committed to the project.

Projects regularly fail because project management tools are used incorrectly to control a project. A wide range of tools and techniques can, and should, be used and each of these tools can be applied to one or more phases of the project.

LinkHNC in Manufacturing Engineering: Unit 3 Project design, implementation and evaluation, learning outcome 3, assessment criteria 3.1–3.3.

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Examples of these tools are outlined below. • Work breakdown structure (WBS) – WBS is about breaking larger tasks

into smaller activities so that activities can be planned and resourced more effectively.

• Gantt charts – a method to record the actual performance of an activity against its predicted targets and deadlines using horizontal bars.

• Network analysis – used for larger projects where Gantt charts, for example, would not be very effective due to the complexity of the project and the inter-relationship of its activities. These networks provide a much better visual picture of the project tasks and are more effective at identifying the priority tasks when combined with methods such as CPM (critical path method).

• Reports – these are vital to the success of a project. They can be generated at different stages of a project and by various parties. Examples of reports include:

o a feasibility report, which is used to justify the initiation of a project o a project plan report, which gives all relevant information about a project o progress reports written by the project team, which show how a task has

progressed against its targets and what resources are needed to make sure the task remains on track

o a project conclusion or closing report, sometimes referred to as a post-completion report, which gives a summary of project deliverables and is an essential document required to sign off a project.

There is a wide range of project management software available to help project managers and project team members deal with the complexities of a project. These tools give the project valuable support and help to control project timing and deadline monitoring, allocation of resources, budgets and funds, generation of various reports at different stages, identification of risks and actions to manage these risks and, the most important part of any project, communication.

As part of a project management system, and especially in manufacturing engineering projects, it is also important to have a conformance management system, which checks and ensures project final deliverables meet previously agreed technical specifications.

2 Supporting project team membersMotivationWhen a task or activity within a project does not progress as planned, sometimes it is because team members need more support from the project manager, or they might need more motivation. It is important to be a role model for the team. If, for example, team members are working long hours on a project, it is motivating for them to see the project manager working too. A good example of providing motivation can be read in the following case study.

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Case study: Construction of the Olympic ParkA paper published by the Government explained how a reward system motivated workers on the Olympic Park to comply with health and safety regulations and to report any near-miss incidents. Workers were given different types of rewards when they worked safely, including breakfast vouchers, branded badges and fleeces. The process was supported by the senior project team and proved to be very successful. The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) recorded around 62 million person hours with very good health and safety outcomes. There were also 22 periods of one million person hours that were worked without any accident that is reportable under current legislation.

You can read the full report at: www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr896.pdf.

CommunicationIt is essential for a project manager to have basic people management skills and maintain effective communication with team members. There is a wide range of communication methods that can be used, including face-to-face meetings, emails, phone calls, instant messaging and letters.

With advances in communication technology, face-to-face meetings are often being replaced by virtual meetings and emails. These virtual meetings may be cheaper to organise and are less time-consuming, but there are still some advantages to having face-to-face meetings. For example, sometimes a person’s body language does not match what they are saying and in a face-to-face meeting a skilled project manager will be able to pick up on that. It is also better to present more sensitive and confidential information, particularly bad news, face to face rather than via email. A project manager will always have a much better chance of getting the full attention of participants when the discussion is face to face.

Project managers need to know their team and must ensure the goals set for team members are realistic and within their capabilities. When this is not the case, the project manager should realise this using the management tools and provide support. This support can be in the form of further training, motivation, mentoring or allocation of additional human, physical or financial resources. The project manager needs to measure the performance of team members and acknowledge and celebrate success, when appropriate.

Figure 34.5.1: Virtual meetings can and do work to communicate project

information but face-to-face meetings still have their advantages.

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Portfolio activity (5.1, 5.2)For a project you have managed, gather the following information and include it in your portfolio. 1 Provide a list of at least four project management tools and techniques that you have used to

monitor and control a project to its conclusion. (Provide a brief description of each tool.)2 Describe how effective you feel these tools have been.3 Provide examples of at least two different types of reports that you have produced at the

conclusion of a project.4 Give two examples of activities that did not progress according to the original project plan.

(Describe the reasons for this and the actions you took to rectify the problems.)5 Provide at least three examples to show how you have supported a team member. (Explain

how the support need was identified and recorded, and the outcomes of this support.)6 Explain the role of communication when supporting a member of your team.

ChecklistAt the end of this topic guide you should be familiar with:

tools and techniques that can be used to control, monitor and review project progress

common reasons for failure or delay in a project

project management software used in your organisation

the effect of motivation on the progress of a project

how to support project team members.

Further reading and resourcesCobb, A.T., Leading Project Teams: The Basics of Project Management and Team Leadership (SAGE Publications, 2011) ISBN 9781412991704

AcknowledgementsThe publisher would like to thank the following for their kind permission to reproduce their photographs:

Alamy Images: Jeffrey Blackler (4); Veer/Corbis: svetoslav sokolov (1)

All other images © Pearson Education

We are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright material:

Health and Safety Executive for material from Leadership and worker involvement on the Olympic Park on p.4, Institute for Employment Studies, 2011, RR896 Research Report www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr896.pdf, © Crown copyright 2011.

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders and we apologise in advance for any unintentional omissions. We would be pleased to insert the appropriate acknowledgement in any subsequent edition of this publication.

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About the author Dr Ramin Narimani obtained his Master of Engineering Science and PhD in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. He worked in university education as an Assistant Professor, Head of Department and Vice Dean for the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering faculty for about ten years. Ramin is a fully qualified lecturer and assessor, and is currently the curriculum manager for Engineering at City and Islington College.

His main area of expertise is machining and metal cutting and he has managed many large-scale manufacturing projects in industries including car manufacturing and agricultural machining. He has published more than 20 papers for international conferences and journals in the field of manufacturing engineering and has registered two patents: one for design and manufacturing of an automated welding robot and another for a machine that produces metallic helixes from flat metals.

Ramin has previously worked as section manager in Mechanical Engineering at another college and was awarded ‘Staff of the Year’ (students’ choice) for two years running. Ramin is a member of the steering committee for development of the Higher Apprenticeship in Engineering Environmental Technologies.

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