Table of Contents
Question 6.1 ............................................................................................................... 3
Project Charter ........................................................................................................ 3
Project Scope Statement ........................................................................................ 4
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) .......................................................................... 4
Project Plan............................................................................................................. 4
Resource Planning .................................................................................................. 5
Risk Management Plan ........................................................................................... 5
Six key planning steps and how a work breakdown structure (WBS) can improve
project planning: .................................................................................................. 6
Define project goals and scope ............................................................................... 6
Define deliverables ................................................................................................. 6
Define Tasks ........................................................................................................... 6
Activity Sequencing ................................................................................................. 6
Estimate resources and duration ............................................................................ 7
Develop a project plan ............................................................................................ 7
Question 6.2 ............................................................................................................... 7
(i) project master schedule and project activities (8) ............................................ 7
Project master schedule ......................................................................................... 7
Project activities ...................................................................................................... 8
(ii) task schedules, Gantt charts and milestone schedules (8) ............................. 8
Task schedules ....................................................................................................... 8
Gantt charts ............................................................................................................ 8
Milestone schedules ............................................................................................... 8
(iii) network scheduling (4) ................................................................................... 9
Question 6.3 ............................................................................................................... 9
Question 6.4 ............................................................................................................. 11
, (ii) Determine the critical path and project duration. (4) ..................................... 12
(iii) Indicate the key differences between AON and AOA networks. (3) .............. 12
Question 6.5 ............................................................................................................. 13
(i) Identify the enemies of “cost estimating” and budgeting (5) .......................... 13
a) Insufficient data: ............................................................................................. 13
b) Scope creep: .................................................................................................. 14
c) Inexperienced team: ....................................................................................... 14
d) External factors: ............................................................................................. 14
e) Over-optimism: ............................................................................................... 14
f) Inadequate risk management: ........................................................................ 14
g) Poor communication: ...................................................................................... 14
h) Inaccurate work breakdown structure (WBS): ................................................ 14
(ii) If you were starting from scratch, how would you use the Project Cost
Accounting System (PCAS) to keep the project under control? (15) ................. 15
a. Establish a comprehensive WBS: .................................................................. 15
b. Cost Estimation using Historical Data:............................................................ 15
c. Risk Management Integration:........................................................................ 15
d. Regular Cost Tracking: ................................................................................... 16
e. Change Control Process: ............................................................................... 16
f. Accurate Time Tracking: ................................................................................. 16
g. Automated Alerts: ........................................................................................... 16
h. Budget Reconciliation: .................................................................................... 16
i. Stakeholder Collaboration: ............................................................................. 16
j. Lessons Learned Repository: ......................................................................... 16
References ............................................................................................................... 18
, Question 6.1
Classify the typical project planning documents (tools). Analyse the six major
planning steps and elaborate on how a WBS (work breakdown structure) may
be used to improve project planning. (20)
Common project planning documents or tools may vary depending on the specific
project and organization, but some common documents include:
Project Charter
A high-level document that defines the project's goals, scope, stakeholders, and
general approach (Nummi, 2019). The project charter is a proclamation that
management has approved a project. For some projects, it is created once, following
a feasibility study or acceptance of a proposal; for others, it is created and expanded
at multiple points during the conception and definition phases. For internal projects,
the charter serves the purpose of announcing and formally authorizing the start of the
project. For external projects, that same purpose is served by a contract, so, generally,
there is no charter.
The charter describes the project to stakeholders in the organization and establishes
the project manager’s authority to organize and use resources; thus, it should be
Question 6.1 ............................................................................................................... 3
Project Charter ........................................................................................................ 3
Project Scope Statement ........................................................................................ 4
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) .......................................................................... 4
Project Plan............................................................................................................. 4
Resource Planning .................................................................................................. 5
Risk Management Plan ........................................................................................... 5
Six key planning steps and how a work breakdown structure (WBS) can improve
project planning: .................................................................................................. 6
Define project goals and scope ............................................................................... 6
Define deliverables ................................................................................................. 6
Define Tasks ........................................................................................................... 6
Activity Sequencing ................................................................................................. 6
Estimate resources and duration ............................................................................ 7
Develop a project plan ............................................................................................ 7
Question 6.2 ............................................................................................................... 7
(i) project master schedule and project activities (8) ............................................ 7
Project master schedule ......................................................................................... 7
Project activities ...................................................................................................... 8
(ii) task schedules, Gantt charts and milestone schedules (8) ............................. 8
Task schedules ....................................................................................................... 8
Gantt charts ............................................................................................................ 8
Milestone schedules ............................................................................................... 8
(iii) network scheduling (4) ................................................................................... 9
Question 6.3 ............................................................................................................... 9
Question 6.4 ............................................................................................................. 11
, (ii) Determine the critical path and project duration. (4) ..................................... 12
(iii) Indicate the key differences between AON and AOA networks. (3) .............. 12
Question 6.5 ............................................................................................................. 13
(i) Identify the enemies of “cost estimating” and budgeting (5) .......................... 13
a) Insufficient data: ............................................................................................. 13
b) Scope creep: .................................................................................................. 14
c) Inexperienced team: ....................................................................................... 14
d) External factors: ............................................................................................. 14
e) Over-optimism: ............................................................................................... 14
f) Inadequate risk management: ........................................................................ 14
g) Poor communication: ...................................................................................... 14
h) Inaccurate work breakdown structure (WBS): ................................................ 14
(ii) If you were starting from scratch, how would you use the Project Cost
Accounting System (PCAS) to keep the project under control? (15) ................. 15
a. Establish a comprehensive WBS: .................................................................. 15
b. Cost Estimation using Historical Data:............................................................ 15
c. Risk Management Integration:........................................................................ 15
d. Regular Cost Tracking: ................................................................................... 16
e. Change Control Process: ............................................................................... 16
f. Accurate Time Tracking: ................................................................................. 16
g. Automated Alerts: ........................................................................................... 16
h. Budget Reconciliation: .................................................................................... 16
i. Stakeholder Collaboration: ............................................................................. 16
j. Lessons Learned Repository: ......................................................................... 16
References ............................................................................................................... 18
, Question 6.1
Classify the typical project planning documents (tools). Analyse the six major
planning steps and elaborate on how a WBS (work breakdown structure) may
be used to improve project planning. (20)
Common project planning documents or tools may vary depending on the specific
project and organization, but some common documents include:
Project Charter
A high-level document that defines the project's goals, scope, stakeholders, and
general approach (Nummi, 2019). The project charter is a proclamation that
management has approved a project. For some projects, it is created once, following
a feasibility study or acceptance of a proposal; for others, it is created and expanded
at multiple points during the conception and definition phases. For internal projects,
the charter serves the purpose of announcing and formally authorizing the start of the
project. For external projects, that same purpose is served by a contract, so, generally,
there is no charter.
The charter describes the project to stakeholders in the organization and establishes
the project manager’s authority to organize and use resources; thus, it should be