Contract Project Management

EM420/ EM520
COURSE PROJECT / TERM PAPER
Available Topics
Codes and Standards: Research and report on a program / series of national or
international standards (such as ISO 9000 series, ISO 14000 series, NQA-1) or a Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title (such as OSHA, FAR, EPA, DOT) as they apply or
could apply to construction or fabrication projects. The report should include both
narrative evaluations and summaries of applicable rules (tabular presentation
recommended) (decision tree optional). [EM 520 option]
Construction Accident Evaluation: Select for review and evaluation an accident
meeting all the following criteria: 1)an accident during construction or as a result of
the construction of a building or other significant edifice; 2) an accident that resulted
in the loss of human life or property damage of more than $5 million; 3) an accident
that was reported in the news media, either nationally or internationally; and 4) an
accident that was not caused by an act of war or terror, nor by a natural disaster, nor
by an act of God. Describe in detail the accident, the participants, circumstances
surrounding the event(s), and accident recovery actions. Based on your research,
identify and evaluate the root cause(s) of the accident, the effectiveness of immediate
and subsequent actions, and the consequences of the accident for the owner, the
constructor, and the construction industry. Identify if any laws, regulations, or codes
were introduced or revised as a consequence of this accident. Make recommendations
regarding construction processes, procedures, preparations, training, or the like, that
would prevent recurrence of such an accident in the future. (Student evaluation is
required; mere recitation from other sources is insufficient.) [EM 420 / 520 option]
Practical Application of Course Material: If you are in a supervisory or
managerial capacity on a project, apply to that project one or more of the following
major topics of study from this course: Execution Plan; WBS Scheduling;
Subcontracting; Earned Value Project Monitoring; Project Closeout/Project History.

WSU \ ETM \ EM 420-520

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Spring 2015

Contract Project Management

EM420/ EM520
COURSE PROJECT / TERM PAPER
Available Topics
Describe the methodology of application, its problems and its successes, suggestions
for improvements, and recommendations for application on other projects.

For

maximum benefit, the project application and the report should be discussed in detail
with the instructor early in the preparation of the course project. [EM 520 option]
Project Controls Software: Investigate, review, and critique a computer software
program used for project controls (i.e., planning, scheduling, monitoring, reporting).
Include in evaluation the programs ability (and ease of use) to track project changes
and to provide resource loading. Identify whether (and how) costing data is integrated
into the reports. Describe and show examples of the programs methods of displaying
logic networks. Student must actually use the program to be evaluated, not just review
available literature or product sales brochures. [EM 420 / 520 option]
Technical Document Review: (Book Report) Read, evaluate, and report on one
[for EM 420] or two or more [for EM 520] of the titles identified for review () in the
Suggested Reading List. Any other book, study, or manuscript must be approved by
the instructor. (Titles in the Reading List not marked for course project use are still
considered potential resources for independent study.) Student must evaluate the
documents, not merely recite their contents or repeat the reviews of others. Evaluation
should include consideration of applicability to project management course topics and
(if applicable) level of recommendation for future classes. [EM 420 / 520 option]
Report Format: Paper copy submission is encouraged, electronic file submission is required.
Acceptable file formats include: Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) (preferred), WordPerfect (.wpd), Microsoft
Word (.doc/.docx), Microsoft Excel (.xls/.xlsx), Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt/.pps), Hypertext
(.htm/.mht). Other file formats must be approved by the instructor.
Note: Sources must be cited. Points will be deducted for errors in spelling and grammar.
Academic Integrity Statement required.

WSU \ ETM \ EM 420-520

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Spring 2015