CC2005 Project Planning and Management

2012-13 Coursework Report Structure

This document relates to the scenario already made available; you are now asked to plan (but not implement) a project; a computer-based system for the Kipper Thai oriental fish restaurant for client Tina Salmon. You should prepare a report, addressing all sections and maintaining the sequence given below. The report should be a separate document, not interleaved with the questions in each section. Make sure all text and diagrams are visible on the printed version that you submit. 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, a different colour and/or bold. The final version you submit must be printed, not on disk or by email. Please print your final version on standard A4 paper; using a heavier weight paper will not earn a higher grade. If you submit your work in a folder, leave sufficient margins to ensure that all pages can be read without needing to remove them from the folder. This work must be your own. If you use material from any source, this must be indicated where it is used in the report, and clearly identified in the reference section. You must not cut-and-paste material from lecture slides, textbooks, websites or other sources without indicating that it is a quotation. The deadline for submission of your report to the Undergraduate Office is Friday 10th May 2013. You may submit your work earlier than this if you wish to do so. You should hand in your assignment to the Undergraduate Office, with a standard coursework cover sheet. Your assignment must be in the format and sequence specified. Do not include computer disks in your submission.

Part A: Report presentation and structure (25 marks)

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.
(Maximum 1 page)

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 1 page)

The next page should be a table of contents, identifying the subsequent sections with numbered headings and sub-headings and the appropriate page numbers. You may construct the table of contents manually, entering the page numbers for each section, or use the ToC facility in MS Word to generate a table of contents automatically. All subsequent pages must be numbered, and the page numbers must be printed, not hand-written. The main body of the report should start from page 1. Your report should have numbered headings and sub-headings, and match the structure and sequence of the questions specified in the table of contents. You may use your own titles for headings and sub-headings if you wish to do so, but these must match the table of contents. The table of contents page should not have a page number.
(Maximum 1 page)

CC2005 Project Planning & Management

Report Structure

You should specify any references that you have used in preparing your report, including textbooks and web sites. You should indicate in the main body of the text where you are using your references. You should use the Harvard style of referencing. There is no maximum length for the references section, which should be at the end of the report. You must not use material from other sources without identifying the sources in this section. You should indicate clearly in the main body of the report where you have used your references. You should include an appendix of material that you have used in your research for this assignment (e.g. results of searches relating to equipment or staffing). The appendix should be included after the references section.
(Maximum 10 pages)

Overall presentation: the report should be word-processed. 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). The folder or binding must open flat within all text clearly visible, or the report may be stapled in the top left-hand corner. Do not submit loose sheets in a plastic pocket. The main body of the report should start from page 1, and each numbered heading and sub-heading shown section by section 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. Please note that the Undergraduate Office may not be able to accept work larger than A4. The Gantt chart should therefore be in an easy-to-read format (possibly joined so the entire chart on several A4 pages will fold out flat).

Part B: Main body of report (75 marks)

Section 1: Background (20 marks)
This section should include the following: a description of the scope of your project (i.e. what your project is about), and a statement of what your project does not include (e.g. designing a logo for the clients headed notepaper, but think of your own example); a statement of any assumptions you have made about your project. These may include issues such as the suitability of any existing hardware/software, justification for extending the budget, or an explanation of a proposal to reduce the scope in order to remain within the budget. You should indicate the impact that these assumptions have made on your project plans (e.g. how the budget is affected by the decision to upgrade or purchase new equipment); identification of two full SMART objectives appropriate to your project. Remember that each objective must satisfy all SMART components; an identification of the constraints that relate to your project. (Maximum 5 pages)

CC2005 Project Planning & Management

Report Structure

Section 2: Risk (10 marks)

This section examines risk factors associated with the project. Consider each 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. You do not need to perform risk calculations here. 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 Australia. 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 page) The software you are using for design and development work does not perform as expected or as specified in the documentation. (Maximum page)

Section 3: Costings and resources (15 marks)

What are the costings and resources associated with your project (including the resources available at no extra cost to the project, paid from a different budget)? You should include staff, hardware and software, consumables, other resources and any fund set aside for contingencies. You should itemise each cost, showing when the expenditure would be incurred, and indicate whether this within the budget for this project. If you have been able to ascertain any sources of income you should also include these where appropriate. You may wish to present your planned expenditure figures 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. Hardware and Software Equipment (PCs, printers etc.) and software required for design, development and delivery of the new system 3.3. Consumables Materials needed during the course of the project (not tea and coffee) 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) (Maximum 2 pages)

CC2005 Project Planning & Management

Report Structure

Section 4: Work packages and activities (15 marks)

Identify and give a brief description of the work packages, and the activities within each work package, in your work breakdown structure for Tina Salmons computer-based systems project. The work packages and activities must match those in the Gantt chart in section 5. You should not identify individual tasks. Do not confuse work packages with the project life cycle. (Maximum 1 page per work package)

Section 5: Gantt chart (15 marks)

Briefly state how long you expect your project to take, and when it will finish. Explain how you would use your Gantt chart to monitor progress when your project is running (i.e. during the implementation stage). Attach the Gantt chart for your project plan from the work breakdown structure used in answer to section 4 above. You should make sure the Gantt chart is printed in an appropriate scale and only includes the work packages and activities (the individual tasks should not 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 your answers to earlier questions. You should make sure the individual activities are clearly identified, and that any dependencies and parallel activities are made clear. You should include any containment action activities that you have planned in order to deal with risks you have identified. Your Gantt chart does not need to have individual page numbers. (Maximum 10 pages) End of Coursework Assignment Specification
Marking information

Section Title page Management summary Table of contents 1. Background 2. Risk 3. Costings and resources 4. Work packages and activities 5. Gantt chart References Appendix Overall presentation Total

Weightings 3 5 5 20 10 15 15 15 4 5 3 100

CC2005 Project Planning & Management

Report Structure