Module_14_Project_Konnor_King
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
University of South Dakota *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
569
Subject
Information Systems
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
6
Uploaded by konnorking1234
Project Management – GE569
Fall 2023
Dr. W. Loendorf, instructor
Konnor J. King
7342058
Module 14
Due Date: November 25th, 2023
Current Date: November 21st, 2023
Submitted as partial fulfillment for the degree of
Master of Engineering
South Dakota State University
Risk Analysis vs. Budget/Schedule Requirements in Australia
Summary
Sydney's M5 East Tunnel, built under strict budget and schedule requirements, may have
needed more support due to massive traffic delays. The tunnel's security cameras frequently
fail due to an inexpensive computer system with a high failure rate, causing operators to close
the tunnel due to the inability to react to accidents, fires, or pollution. Originally designed to
handle 70,000 vehicles daily, the tunnel now carries 100,000, causing immediate traffic snarls.
A managerial risk analysis could have anticipated these issues and mandated a more reliable
set of computers.
Questions
a)
When the project was finished, do you think it was considered a success or a failure?
Why?
The project, currently facing daily issues in tunnel trafficking, is considered to have failed
due to a lack of a proper risk management plan. The team must perform a step-by-step risk
analysis, including planning, identifying qualitative and quantitative risk responses, and
monitoring and controlling risks. However, the project team failed to identify potential
hardware failure risks.
b)
Which risk management subprocess might have identified the danger in using a cheap
computer system? Why?
Risk Analysis is the process of forecasting and calculating potential risks associated with
a project to mitigate them and ensure successful completion. It is crucial for businesses
relying on IT systems to be aware of the range and nature of risks. General IT threats include
hardware and software failure, malware, viruses, spam, scams, and human error. Criminal IT
threats include hackers, fraud, password theft, denial of service, security breaches, and staff
dishonesty. Natural disasters like fire, cyclone, and floods also present risks to IT systems,
data, and infrastructure, potentially resulting in loss or corruption of customer records.
c)
What type of risk analysis approach would have been most appropriate in this situation?
The type of risk analysis and approach is: To have conducted both qualitative and
quantitative risk analysis. This would have helped in this project as the poor quality of the
computer is failing quantitatively. The project did not project the rate of traffic increase over
the period, so they had in place a proper response, step 4- Risk Responses Plan.
d)
How does a PM guard against the danger of short-term success but longer-term failure?
The project manager would have made this tunnel project worthwhile with proper Risk
analysis and a risk mitigation plan. Even though the mission of building the tunnel is
completed, the project is complete or a failure as there is no Risk management demonstration
in their planning and execution. The project manager should have adequately guarded and
controlled this for its Success.
Regaining Control of Nuclear Fusion
Summary
In 1996, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a project to build a National
Ignition Facility (NIF) to study the controlled, self-sustaining nuclear fusion reaction known as
"ignition." The facility would house 192 laser beams directed by mirrors mounted on a ten-story
tall structure onto a 33-foot diameter concrete shielded target chamber. However, unexpected
risks such as El Niño rains, a 16,000-year-old mammoth, and inadequate systems engineering
slowed progress. To regain control, the DOE developed a new baseline with a bottom-up
reassessment of costs, schedules, risks, and contingencies, which had to be approved by the DOE
and the U.S. Congress. The DOE adopted PMBOK standards and an earned value system of cost
and schedule management to ensure the project's performance at the level of best practice. After
approval, 12,000 contracts were awarded to over 8,000 vendors, representing an almost $2
billion effort to complete the NIF. The project proceeded smoothly to completion in 2009, with
the NIF successfully firing a 192-beam laser shot, delivering 1.1 megajoules of infrared energy
to the center of the target chamber. The successful turnaround and control of the NIF project are
attributed to the strategic use of project management principles and resulted in the NIF winning
the PMI 2010 Project of the Year award.
Questions
a)
Why do you think the complexity of the task was so greatly underestimated?
1.
Multiple explanations exist for why the task's complexity was drastically underestimated.
2.
The project was ground-breaking and highly ambitious.
3.
There was no pre-existing model to follow, making the NIF the first. Because of this, it
was challenging to determine the project's precise scope and complexity.
4.
The project was exposed to several unanticipated risks. The project was significantly
delayed by two unforeseen events: the mammoth discovery and the El Niño rains.
5.
There was a deadline for the project to finish construction by September 2001. This
pressure caused you to underestimate how long some tasks would take.
Underestimation of Complexity: The complexity was likely underestimated due to the
unprecedented nature of the project and a lack of prior experience. Overconfidence or
optimism bias may have contributed to not accounting for potential challenges and risks.
b)
Why weren’t standard project management principles used from the start, do you
suppose? Explain?
The project, considered crucial to the country's security, was not immediately
implemented due to its perceived significance. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) had a
history of not adhering to project management practices, and the conventional waterfall
method was used, which was deemed inflexible and problematic for complex projects like
the NIF. Absence of Standard Project Management Principles: Standard project management
principles may have yet to be used initially due to a lack of awareness about the specialized
nature of the project or an assumption that traditional management approaches would suffice.
Resistance or delays in adopting new management standards for large projects are expected.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
c)
Based on the material in the chapter, what type of control did they employ here:
cybernetic, go/no go, or post control? Justify your answer and explain?
Cybernetic control was the kind of control used in the NIF project. Planning and
execution are continuously fed into each other under this kind of control. The DOE created a
new baseline for the NIF project by reevaluating costs, schedules, risks, and contingencies
from the bottom up. The accuracy of this baseline was then confirmed by external scientific
and technical experts who reviewed it. The DOE detected and addressed issues early on,
thanks to this ongoing feedback process, which stopped the project from getting out of hand.
Type of Control Employed: Post control was employed. After facing unexpected challenges,
the DOE initiated a reassessment of costs, schedules, and risks. This post-control approach
allowed them to reevaluate and adjust the project.
d)
What tools from the chapter would have been useful to them in this project?
The NIF project team could have benefited from several of the chapter's tools. These
consist of a WBS or work breakdown structure. It can assign tasks, monitor progress, and
determine and estimate the project's scope—a Gantt diagram. One bar chart that displays a
project's schedule is a Gantt chart. It can be used to monitor development and spot possible
roadblocks—a plan for risk management. A risk management plan is a written document that
lists potential hazards to a project and provides strategies to reduce them.
Tools from the Chapter:
Earned Value Management (EVM): Adopted later in the project for objective
performance measurement.
Risk Management: A robust risk management plan could have helped identify and
mitigate unexpected challenges.
Project Baseline: A solid baseline for costs, schedules, and risks is crucial for monitoring
progress.
Project Management Standards (PMBOK): Adoption ensured adherence to best practices
and a structured framework.
Regular Audits and Reviews: External reviews validated reassessed estimates, ensuring
project health and compliance.
Auditing a Troubled Project at Atlantic States Chemical Laboratories
Summary
Oretec contracted Atlantic States Chemical Laboratories (ASCL) to conduct a unique
chemical analysis on special alloys they had created in their laboratories. The contract was open-
ended, with a monthly payment of $100,000. The liaison officer from Oretec had access to
ASCL's laboratory work for observation. The liaison officer became more involved as work
progressed, pressuring the team to alter their approach and skip the usual repeat verification
procedures. On two occasions, the ASCL team devised an analysis indicating a commercially
successful product could be produced. However, tests at Oretec showed that these approaches
would not work. As the project midpoint passed, pressure for faster analyses increased, and the
liaison officer became more difficult to please. Oretec terminated the contract, and the president
requested a comprehensive project audit. The audit reported that the original approach was sound
but was altered by the client's liaison officer. The analyses were conducted properly, and several
analytical successes were identified. However, commercialization was not ASCL's responsibility,
and the liaison officer's excessive involvement in the project management led to frequent
changes in direction. The audit recommended establishing a formal procedure for identifying
high-risk projects at the contract stage and monitoring them carefully for deviations from the
plan. Factors contributing to this high-risk project included inadequate funding, insufficient time,
low chance of success, an unsophisticated client, and excessive access to ongoing project
activities by the client.
Questions
a)
Was this a good use of the audit concept?
Yes, the audit concept was appropriately applied in this scenario. The unexpected
termination of the contract and the client's dissatisfaction warranted a thorough examination
of the project to identify issues and understand the root causes of the problems. The audit
provided:
Valuable insights into the project's management.
Deviations from the original plan.
The client's concerns.
b)
What was the major problem in this project?
The major problem in this project was the excessive involvement and interference of the
client's liaison officer in the management of the project. The liaison officer pressured the
team to alter their approach, skip repeat verification procedures, and make frequent changes
in direction. This interference compromised the original sound system of the project, leading
to unrealistic expectations and misunderstandings between ASCL and Oretec. The need for
proper documentation and communication of ongoing project management decisions further
exacerbated the situation.
c)
In spite of the recommendation, ASCL already had a “problem project” list and system in
place. Why do you think it may not have caught this particular project? Will the new
procedure do any better?
The existing "problem project" list and system may not have effectively caught this
project due to a combination of factors:
1.
Insufficient identification criteria: The current system might not have included specific
criteria for identifying projects with characteristics such as inadequate funding,
insufficient time, low chance of success, unsophisticated clients, and excessive client
access, which were identified as factors contributing to the high risk of this project.
2.
Lack of continuous monitoring: The system might have focused on initial project
assessments and needed continuous monitoring to identify deviations from the plan as the
project progressed.
3.
Incomplete documentation: If ASCL did not document ongoing project management
decisions and changes, as the audit pointed out, the existing system might have needed
more information to flag the project as high risk.
The new recommended procedure addresses these shortcomings, which suggests
establishing a formal process for identifying high-risk projects at the contract stage and
monitoring them carefully for deviations from the plan. By incorporating specific criteria
for risk identification and emphasizing continuous monitoring, the new procedure will
likely provide a more effective mechanism for detecting and managing high-risk projects
like the one with Oretec.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help