POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief Handout: [09:00am, 13th February 2017] Deadline for Submission: [2:00 pm, 27th April 2017] Submit this coursework through the Student Portal with a Turn-it-in Report Word Limit: 6,000 words (Plus or minus 10%) Learning outcomes assessed: 1. Critically analyse the component parts of a major oil project 2. Evaluate the time and cost constrained project plan and complete a Critical Path Analysis on the project 3. Analyse the planning process and management of a major oil project 4. Discuss project management constraints of quality, time and cost This coursework is worth 100% of the total marks for this module. POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 1 of 14 Coursework Instructions Please read carefully • Carefully read the module handbook, the marking criteria and the grade descriptors. Academic Misconduct You are responsible for ensuring you understand the policy and regulations about academic misconduct. You must: • Complete this work alone except where required or allowed by this assignment briefing paper and ensure it has not been written or composed by or with the assistance of any other person. • Make sure all sentences or passages quoted from other people’s work in this assignment (with or without trivial changes) are in quotation marks, and are specifically acknowledged by reference to the author, work and page. POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 2 of 14 Blank POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 3 of 14 Assignment Questions This project will constitute a phase of your firm's annual operating plan for generating revenues and competitive advantage. Task Requirements Identify a business issue/problem, or opportunity as below: Assignment Background In the past, oil and gas (O&G) companies have attempted to address oil-price declines by resorting to traditional cost-cutting measures, including layoffs and capital expense reductions. Many are taking a similar approach this time — a risky proposition in a time of unparalleled uncertainty for the industry. Indeed, the current scenario could pose potentially disastrous consequences for O&G firms that are not prepared to change their current operating models. For example, since October 2014, at least 10 O&G companies have filed for bankruptcy. Other, forward-looking O&G firms, such as the one you are now working for, however, believe today’s turbulent market landscape provides an opportunity to gain competitive advantage by harnessing new technologies. These companies are already reaping sizable benefits: In the Eagle Ford region in North America, for example, improved drilling techniques and technologies are now enabling oil rigs to produce 18 times more efficiently than in 2008, and 65 percent more efficiently than in 2013. In addition, O&G firms now have the opportunity to achieve further efficiencies through digital technologies powered by the Internet of Everything (IoE) — the networked connection of people, process, data, and things. With this forward looking strategy in mind your firm is considering a $3.2bn investment in technology across its up, mid & downstream operations. This investment is focused on the near-term reward of increased shareholder value while maintaining long-term sustainability. Fraught with challenges today, including declining production rates coupled with increasing production costs; a lack of knowledge & expertise among young workers due to a retiring skilled workforce; and, of course, a host of complications associated with increasingly remote & dangerous mega projects, not to mention the fall in crude oil prices. The firm sees potential for technology to address some or all of these industry issues? Can this investment in technology improve operational efficiencies; lead to significant cost savings; and/or make the dangerous, messy, and exceedingly complicated jobs in this sector safer & easier? What enhancements can tech deliver in the oilfield? POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 4 of 14 If the firm goes ahead with this investment it will become a leader in tech led O&G exploration and would want to solidify this leader position via a global campaign showcasing its new capabilities & status. Assignment Task: You have just started working for a major oil and/or or gas company, and have joined a project team. You & your team have been tasked with an international short term project, with a duration of 3 months. With its new investment your firm will become a leader in tech led O&G exploration/production & would want to solidify this leader position. Therefore, you & your team are tasked with scoping a multi-national marketing project – across digital channels only – a project that can help the firm communicate its capabilities to appropriate stakeholders & help it to solidify this leader position, showing the financial & non-financial benefits to the firm of this investment & the project. If they go ahead with the investment it will allow the firm to meet its overall business need, of achieving increased sales operational efficiencies & competitive advantage. Your task is to write a business report detailing the resources needed to produce this project. Other teams have also been asked to put together a report along the same lines and the best one will be selected by senior management before implementation begins. For this: In order to create “a well thought-out plan, including defined measures of success”, and to convince your CEO. Source: 18th Annual Global CEO Survey findings. Explore the data at www.pwc.com/ceosurvey You, as a project group, will need to critically analyse your organisation’s current situation, utilising & critically evaluating, appropriate academic models, theories & frameworks to establish a project that will help your company gain competitive advantage with a measurable outcome. POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 5 of 14 Your company’s Details: Name: AMINA Inc Company snapshot Ranking in FTSE100 Headquarters: London (Global HQ), Operations: Operates in 37 countries & territories. Employees: 127,000 Profit (2016 – 2017 Financial Year): $170billion. As you will be recommending the project the dates must be in the future. The final report should be presented in the style of a formal report addressing your senior management team. Use business English and write in the third person e.g. “It is recommended that…” not, “I think we should do this…” Ensure your tasks are clearly signposted for the examiner by using good formatting, headings, and titles that relate to the assignment question. You will need to support your answers throughout with robust research & examples/benchmarks/best practice from a wide range industries or companies. Based on your chosen project you will be required to cover the following points, which will form the sections of your overall Report: 1. Milestone 1 (Week 2) Students to form groups of up to 5 members. Teams to convene an initial kick off meeting. Appoint Project Manager (PM) - as leader/spokesperson to deliver weekly team updates. Discuss the purpose of the project – why it’s needed and what will it achieve. Discuss the merits and limitations of A Project Plan: This meeting should produce a project plan to deliver against the milestones set out in the document via an issues/ activity log as a control method. Discuss the merits and limitations of Project’s Scope: What’s in, what’s out Show use of weekly action/issues log to demonstrate that all work and responsibilities for the group have been set for all tasks. o Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): week 2 (during the tutorial) - Succinct project progress meeting; use of activity/issues log covering how project is being controlled and delivered; how any issues are being dealt with. All to be included in your appendices. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 6 of 14 2. Milestone 2 (week 3) Conduct a High level critical analysis of: Business Environment - Micro and Macro (internal, external factors) – critical analysis via but not limited to applying PESTEL analysis &/or Porters 5 Forces, McKinsey’s 7S’s in context. Why does a project need robust information/research: Critically discuss the Information/Research needs of your project – e.g. Primary/Secondary, Discuss the merits and limitations of Stakeholder Analysis Discuss the merits and limitations of Constraints Analysis (Internal and External). o Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): As per instructions in Milestone 1. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) 3. Milestone 3 (week 4) Critically discuss Risk - The associated organisational risk in context; o Risk management, o Risk Analysis using Force Field Analysis. o Risk Control/ response/management Programme: - Risk category & type, Assessment/impact of risk on the company, Evaluation of probability, Response to the risk, Contingency planning Assess all resource capacity, capability and necessity relative to the proposed project: o Resource Reviews - 5 Ms of management - Men, Minutes, Machinery, Materials, Money. o Personnel Requirements - RACI Resource capacity, capability and necessity o Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): As per instructions in Milestone 1. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) 4. Week 5: Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): As per instructions in Milestone 1. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) 5. Milestone 4 (week 6) – Critically evaluate the project via a Robust cost benefit analysis. Apply SMART objectives to the project. Cost benefit analysis; Critically discuss: Budgeting/ Type of budget used - Develop costing for the project based on identifying (research required – prices should be based on realistic indicative figures) the main components that you will need). You will need carry out a financial appraisal of the project to include; Set the Costs/Budget for the project Financial Benefits o Forecast, ROI, Payback, Breakeven Non-financial benefits POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 7 of 14 o Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): As per instructions in Milestone 1. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) 6. Week 7: Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): As per instructions in Milestone 1. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) 7. Milestone 5 (week 8) - Scheduling Critically evaluate the implementation/schedule plan for the project, and communicating with stakeholders (internal and external) applying project management techniques of: Work Breakdown Structure Gantt Chart Critical Path Project Control Methodology chosen to manage the project, with a justification. Communication Plan o Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): As per instructions in Milestone 1. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) . 8. Week 9: Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): As per instructions in Milestone 1. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) 9. Milestone 6 (week 10) Critically discuss how the project will be: Terminated & Hand over Evaluated via Post Implementation review (PIR) and use of appropriate evaluation methodology. An overall Conclusion to the business Report. Make justified recommendations. o Presentation of Activity/Issues Log to Project Sponsor (2 mins max): As per instructions in Milestone 1. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) . All Milestones are a group assignment and so each group is expected to be present at every week’s project update. You will need to support your answers throughout with robust research & examples/benchmarks/best practice from a wide range industries or companies. POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 8 of 14 Notes: Word count will not include material presented weekly. No feedback will be given on weekly presentations. Individual absence from weekly up-date will not impact others in team who update. End of Assignment Brief POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 9 of 14 Marking Criteria KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING INTELLECTUAL & COGNITIVE SKILLS Graduate Skills: transferable, employability, practical and academic skills Factual and conceptual knowledge and understanding; use of class materials; independent reading Critical thinking; conceptualisation; creativity; synthesis, analysis and evaluation; application; problem solving and research/investigation Written, oral and presentation skills; interpersonal, group and teamwork skills; leadership skills; numeracy; digital skills; practical, professional and academic skills (including referencing/presentation MARKING BAND CLASSIFICATION WEIGHTED AT 35% WEIGHTED AT 40% WEIGHTED AT 25% 86 - 100% FIRST (1ST) Includes all required factual content, accurately and succinctly summarised. Well developed, persuasive, highly relevant, reasoned introduction and conclusions, demonstrating originality. Within word count or presentation time. Includes relevant factual content only. Clearly and logically structured material, showing excellent understanding of the discipline. Accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Systematic, accurate identification of relevant concepts, theories and/or principles. Information or data selected from a broad range of highly relevant, current primary and secondary sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using relevant, self-determined methods or techniques. Eloquent, professional writing style, appropriate to the assignment OR professional, engaging, confident, audible and well paced presentation. Sophisticated use of technical vocabulary, where appropriate. Exceptional, in-depth understanding of factual and conceptual material, including understanding of the limits to knowledge in this area. Well developed, perceptive, coherent arguments, systematically referencing primary and secondary literature, including competing perspectives, with clear rationale for choices. Professional, creative visual presentation, including font, spacing, margins, headings, graphics, images and appendices. Calculations are accurate, clearly set out, with excellent, precise explanations. Exceptional integration of theory and practice, using appropriate conceptual frameworks. Correct and systematic use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Independent, wide-ranging, highly relevant reading and research, from authoritative primary and secondary sources. Exceptional application of numerical and statistical methods to defined complex problems. Exceptional, consistent, flexible delivery of group work obligations. Proactive leadership, accepts responsibility and ameliorates conflict. Undertakes complex tasks. Substantiated, highly relevant recommendations generating novel solutions. Excellent awareness of ethical issues. Exceptional, well articulated reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Identifies and follows up required actions. POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 10 of 14 70 - 85% FIRST (1ST) Includes all required factual content, accurately and succinctly summarised. Well developed, relevant, reasoned introduction and conclusions, demonstrating some originality. Within word count or presentation time. Includes relevant factual content only. Clearly and logically structured material, showing excellent understanding of the discipline. Accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Systematic, accurate identification of relevant concepts, theories and/or principles. Information or data selected from a good range of relevant, current primary and secondary sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using relevant, self-determined methods or techniques. Fluent, professional writing style, appropriate to the assignment OR professional, engaging, audible and well paced presentation. Excellent use of technical vocabulary, where appropriate. Excellent, in-depth understanding of factual and conceptual material, including understanding of the limits of knowledge in this area. Well developed, coherent arguments, systematically referencing primary and secondary literature, including competing perspectives, with clear rationale for choices. Professional, creative visual presentation, including font, spacing, margins, headings, graphics, images and appendices. Calculations are accurate, clearly set out, with excellent explanations. Excellent integration of theory and practice, using appropriate conceptual frameworks. Correct and systematic use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Independent, wide-ranging, relevant reading and research, from authoritative primary and secondary sources. Excellent application of numerical and statistical methods to defined complex problems. Excellent, consistent, flexible delivery of group work obligations. Proactive leadership, accepts responsibility and ameliorates conflict. Undertakes complex tasks. Substantiated relevant recommendations generating novel solutions. Very good awareness of ethical issues. Excellent, well articulated reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Identifies and follows up required actions. 60 - 69% UPPER SECOND (2:1) Includes most required factual content, mostly accurately and succinctly summarised. Relevant and valid introduction and conclusions. Within word count or presentation time. Includes relevant factual content only. Clearly structured material, with some gaps in logic, but showing good understanding of the discipline. Mostly accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Mostly systematic and accurate identification of relevant concepts, theories and/or principles. Information or data selected from mainly relevant primary and secondary sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using relevant methods or techniques but with minor gaps or misunderstandings. Mainly fluent, professional writing style, appropriate to the assignment OR mainly professional, engaging, audible and well paced presentation. Good use of technical vocabulary, where appropriate. Very good understanding of factual and conceptual material, showing some appreciation of the limits of knowledge in this area. Mostly coherent arguments, with some perceptive points, mostly systematically referencing well selected primary and secondary Mostly professional, creative visual presentation, including font, spacing, margins, headings, graphics, images and appendices. POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 11 of 14 literature. Calculations are mainly accurate, clearly set out, with good explanations. Good integration of theory and practice, using appropriate conceptual frameworks. Mostly correct use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Independent reading and research from a range of mostly authoritative primary and secondary sources. Mainly good application of numerical and statistical methods to defined complex problems, with some gaps, errors or misunderstandings. Consistent delivery of group work obligations. Some leadership and ability to accept responsibility and modify responses. Undertakes non-routine tasks. Some relevant recommendations generating some novel solutions. Satisfactory awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Clear reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Partial identification of required actions. 50 - 59% LOWER SECOND (2:2) Includes most required factual content, but with some gaps or misunderstandings. Satisfactory introduction and conclusions. Within 10% of word count or presentation time. Includes some irrelevant factual content. Mostly clearly structured material, with some gaps in logic, demonstrates an understanding of the discipline. Some mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Adequate identification of relevant concepts, theories and/or principles. Information or data selected from mainly secondary sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using mostly relevant methods or techniques but with gaps or misunderstandings. Writing style is appropriate but not always fluent or professional OR a presentation that is not always professional, engaging, audible or well paced. Some use of technical vocabulary, where appropriate. Satisfactory understanding of factual and conceptual material, but not indepth. Limited appreciation of the limits of knowledge in this area. Satisfactory arguments, referencing mostly secondary literature and including some personal opinion Appropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing, margins, headings, graphics, images and appendices. Calculations may have some inaccuracies, or issues relating to set out and explanation. An adequate attempt to relate theory to practice, using appropriate conceptual frameworks. Inconsistent use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Adequate independent reading and research from mostly secondary sources. Adequate application of numerical and statistical methods to defined complex problems, with some gaps or errors. Inconsistent delivery of group work obligations. Some awareness of responsibility and options. Undertakes mostly routine tasks. Basic recommendations, which do not generate novel solutions. Satisfactory awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Some evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Limited identification of required actions. 40 - 49% THIRD (3RD) Includes limited required factual content, with many gaps or inaccuracies. Basic introduction and conclusions. Within 10% of word count or presentation time. Includes considerable irrelevant factual content. Unevenly structured material, with many gaps in logic and limited understanding of the discipline. Frequent mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 12 of 14 Some identification of relevant concepts, theories and/or principles. Information or data selected from secondary sources, and poorly categorised, analysed or evaluated using inappropriate methods or techniques. Awkward or inappropriate writing style OR a presentation that is not engaging, audible or well paced. Little use of technical vocabulary, where appropriate. Basic understanding of factual and conceptual material. Minimal appreciation of the limits of knowledge in this area. Sense of emerging argument, but mainly descriptive or personal opinion, with limited and superficial reference to literature. Negligible use of primary literature. Inappropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing, margins, headings, graphics, images and appendices. Calculations are often inaccurate, with many issues relating to set out and explanation. Limited attempt to relate theory to practice, using appropriate conceptual frameworks. Inconsistent or incomplete use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Basic independent reading and research from secondary sources. Weak application of numerical and statistical methods to defined complex problems, with many gaps or errors. Unreliable delivery of group work obligations. Limited awareness of options. Undertakes only routine tasks. Confused recommendations. Little awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Limited reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. 30 - 39% FAIL. POSSIBLE COMPENSATION. Includes insufficient required factual content, with significant gaps or inaccuracies. Mostly incoherent or irrelevant introduction and conclusions. More than 10% outside word count or presentation time. Includes substantial irrelevant factual content. Incoherently structured material. Serious mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Limited identification of relevant concepts, theories and/or principles. Limited selection of information or data, and little attempt at collation, categorisation, analysis or evaluation. Poor writing style OR a presentation that is not engaging, audible or well paced. Does not use technical vocabulary, where appropriate. Limited understanding of factual and conceptual material. No appreciation of the limits of knowledge in this area. Little or no argument, entirely descriptive or personal opinion, with no reference to literature. Poor visual presentation, including font, spacing, margins, headings, graphics, images and appendices. Calculations are mostly inaccurate, or incorrectly set out or explained. Very weak attempt to relate theory to practice, using appropriate conceptual frameworks. Inaccurate or incomplete use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Minimal independent reading and research. Very weak application of numerical and statistical methods to defined complex problems, with significant errors. Poor delivery of group work obligations. No awareness of options. Undertakes a few routine tasks. Irrelevant or no recommendations. Little or no awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Very limited reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. 16 - 29% FAIL. NO COMPENSATION. Includes almost no required factual content, and with very significant inaccuracies. Incoherent or no introduction and conclusions. More than 10% outside word count or presentation time. Includes mainly irrelevant factual content. Very incoherently structured material. Serious and extensive mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Minimal or inaccurate identification of relevant concepts, theories and/or principles. No evidence of the selection, categorisation, analysis or evaluation of information or data. Incoherent writing style OR an inaudible, poorly paced and unengaging presentation. Does not use technical vocabulary, POG351 Project Management Spring 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 13 of 14 where appropriate. Limited understanding of factual and conceptual material. No appreciation of the limits of knowledge in this area. No argument, entirely descriptive or personal opinion, with no reference to literature. Very poor visual presentation, including font, spacing, margins, headings, graphics, images and appendices. Calculations are inaccurate, with no explanations. Theory not related to practice. Very inaccurate or no use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. No independent reading and research. Minimal application of numerical and statistical methods and techniques to defined complex problems, with significant errors. Very poor delivery of group work obligations. Does not undertake even routine tasks. No recommendations. No awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Minimal or no evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. 0 - 15% FAIL. NO COMPENSATION. Does not include required factual content. No introduction and conclusions. More than 10% outside word count or presentation time. Includes entirely irrelevant factual content. Very incoherently structured material. Serious and extensive mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. No identification of relevant concepts, theories and/or principles. No evidence of the selection, categorisation, analysis or evaluation of information or data. Incoherent writing style OR an inaudible, poorly paced and unengaging presentation. Does not use technical vocabulary, where appropriate. No understanding of factual and conceptual material. No appreciation of the limits of knowledge in this area. No argument, entirely personal opinion, with no reference to literature. Exceptionally poor visual presentation, including font, spacing, margins, headings, graphics, images and appendices. Calculations are missing, with no explanations. Theory not related to practice. No use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. No independent reading and research. No application of numerical and statistical methods to defined complex problems. No delivery of group work obligations. No recommendations. No awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. No evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills.