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This is a part-group and part-individual assessment that requires students to give a group presentation and submit an individual report. Students will work in groups of 3 – 4 to deliver a group presentation of approximately 10-15 minutes, each group member is expected to present. Individually, students will write a report demonstrating their understanding and reflection on the criticality of project planning.
Presentations will take place during the seminar class in week 6. Your lecturer will allocate each group a time slot to present their work. The report is to be submitted to blackboard in MS-Word format by Friday of week 6 before 11.59pm. You will be expected to reference additional sources beyond the core text and class materials.
The two components to be assessed are:
- A group work element : Case study investigation resulting in a 10-15 minute presentation
- An individual element: Individual Write-up/report (Maximum 1500 words)
Established in 1998, Northampton Taxis is a family owned taxi firm based in Northampton, England. Current staff members include; the business owner, a general manager, five controllers, two general enquires staff, an accounts manager and an accounts assistant. The company currently attracts customers via the Yellow Pages directory and local newspaper adverts. At present the taxi booking system works by customers calling the office via phone to book a taxi. Bookings are also taken via email and fax. Calls, emails and fax bookings are answered by controllers who enter the booking information onto a computer system. The system automatically sends information to the closest driver to the customer’s pick-up location through a PDA.
100 taxi drivers work for the company and are self-employed. The drivers keep the cash paid to them by customers. The company generates income by charging each driver rent of £145 per week which is the main income for the business. For this rent, drivers are provided with taxi booking equipment and are allocated work by the controllers. In addition, the company operates Business Accounts for a number of local organisations including; schools, the local university, local hospitals and local businesses. At present, approx. £180,000 is generated by Business Accounts each month, of which Northampton Taxis take a 5% cut from the income paid to drivers.
Currently, the annual company turnover is £1.6 million which is generated from driver’s rent payments and Business Account work. The company wishes to further expand by establishing a web site through which they can reach a wider audience and take bookings online to generate more business. If booking numbers increase then more taxi drivers will be needed, which in turn will bring in more income for the company.
Your group have been tasked as The Project Management Team to plan the web development project for Northampton Taxis. After an initial meeting, the Business Owner agreed to a budget of £8,000 but requires the website to be operational within 58 days from today’s date. In terms of quality specifications, the business owner insists that the website should display the company logo. Additionally, you need to ensure the website design confirms to established guidelines as well as meeting requirements specified in the Data Protection Act (UK Legislation 1998). Data protection compliance is essential as the website will transfer customer data to the company database and out to driver’s PDA devices.
In groups review the ‘Northampton Taxis’ case study. You are tasked as the project management team to produce the following documentation for the Northampton Taxis project:
- Requirements Specification
- Work Breakdown Structure
- Estimation of Activity Durations
- Network Diagram
- Critical Path Analysis
- Project Crashing
The six steps to be followed in producing the above documentation are described in the following table:
| Step One: Creating a Project Specification | Use the information given in the brief to create a Project Specification document for the Northampton Taxis project. You will find an electronic copy of the template within the Assessment area on Blackboard. |
| Step Two: Creating a Work Breakdown Structure | Six Project Phases and associated activities have been identified as shown in Project Data Table 1. Use the data in this table to create the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the project. For this you will need to consider the relationship between activities. Use the correct notation. |
| Step Three: Estimating Activity Durations | Use the data in Project Data Table 1. to estimate activity durations using the a, b, and m values. Use the values shown to calculate the expected duration of all project activities in days using the formula: E(D) = (a + b + 4m)/6
Once you have calculated the expected durations, calculate the Variance (Standard Deviation) for all activities using the formula: SD2 (D) = [(b – a)/6]2 |
| Step Four: Creating a Network Diagram | Use the data in Project Data Table 1 to create a network diagram. Use your estimated durations from step three for this (remember these are days), you need to round durations to the nearest whole number. Ensure that you use the correct notation including activity names. Complete a forward and backward pass through the network. |
| Step Five: Critical Path Analysis | Use the EST (Earliest Start Time) and LST (Latest Start Time) values for each activity in your network diagram to calculate float. Identify time critical activities within the network and indicate the critical path on your diagram. |
| Step Six: Project Deadline and Crashing | Compare the project end time on your completed network diagram to the time scale in the Project Specification to identify if you will be able to complete the project within the required time. If this is not possible, use the information shown in Project Data Table 2 to calculate the following for each activity; The Total Allowable Crash time, Total Crash Cost and Crash Cost per day.
To begin the Project Crashing calculations, you will need to enter the activity durations you calculated in ‘Step Three’ as “Normal Time” values. You are expected to explain how many weeks you have to crash the project and how much it will cost to get to the required duration. Once you have crashed the project you need to redraw the network diagram to reflect the “Crash Time” activity durations. |
The individual element is a written write-up/report to enable you to demonstrate your individual reflections and understandings on the criticality of project planning. There are four key sections to the report, which are:
- Introduction to company and project
- A critical reflection on how you as a Project Manager will be able to meet the specified deadline for the Northampton Taxis project. For this you need refer to the planning documentation and processes you followed from creating the project specification through to the final network diagram. In your write up you need to demonstrate your understanding and critical evaluation of how WBS, Network Diagrams, Critical Path Analysis and Crashing assist the Project Manager in Project Planning. You must use Harvard referencing in this section to substantiate your points.
- A critical reflection on the group work process and what you have learned individually from carrying out the assessment work.
In the appendices you should include your revised planning documentation arising from your presentation, i.e.:
- Project specification
- WBS
- Beta Distribution Estimation
- Network Diagram (using normal time)
- Project Crashing Table
- Network Diagram (using final crash time
Submission requirements for this assessment are outlined in the table below:
| Submission Item | Information | Submitted Via | Submission date |
| Group Element One printed copy of the presentation slides and planning documentation
| You will be expected to; give an overview of the company and project, talk your lecturer through the six pieces of documentation and conclude the presentation with a review of individual team member contribution to the work | Handed to lecturer prior to the start of your presentation. | During the allocated presentation slot within the seminar class in week 6 |
| Individual Element An electronic copy of the report in MS-Word or PDF format
| The report should be formatted as follows: Arial, size 12, single line spacing. Include a contents page and a title page (with your name and student number) | Blackboard | Friday 6th March 2020 (Week 6) by 11.59pm. |
Plagiarism includes submitting work that has been written by someone else and copying passages from other sources without references. Plagiarism is easy to detect and will be acted upon. The Academic Misconduct procedures at Regent’s University London will be followed in cases of plagiarism.
Table 1: Project Activity Information
| Activity ID | Phase Number | Phase Description | Activity Name | Predecessor
| Best (a) | Likely (m) | Worst (b)
| Duration E (D)= | Variance Var (D)= |
| A | One | Requirements Analysis | Elicit client needs | – | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| B | One | Requirements Analysis | Target audience analysis | A | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| C | One | Requirements Analysis | Gain server access | – | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| D | One | Requirements Analysis | Gain required resources | A | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| E | One | Requirements Analysis | Produce requirements specification | B, D | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
| F | One | Requirements Analysis | Gain approval from client to proceed
| E | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| G | Two | Prototyping | Create prototype | C, F | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
| H | Two | Prototyping | Approval of prototype by client | G | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| I | Two | Prototyping | Test prototype | H | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| J | Two | Prototyping | Amend prototype | I | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| K | Two | Prototyping | Gain approval from client to proceed | J | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| L | Three | Development | Create coding templates | K | 3 | 4 | 7 | ||
| M | Three | Development | Create HTML and CSS documents | L | 6 | 8 | 9 | ||
| N | Three | Development | Develop and test interactive components | M | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| O | Three | Development | Add content | K, L | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| P | Three | Development | Verify site links | O | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Q | Three | Development | Verify functionality | P, N | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| R | Three | Development | Gain approval from client to proceed | Q | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| S | Four | Testing | Cross browser testing | R | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| T | Four | Testing | Error testing | R | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| U | Four | Testing | User group testing | R | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
| V | Four | Testing | Amendments arising from testing | S, T ,U | 3 | 4 | 8 | ||
| W | Four | Testing | Gain approval from client to proceed | V | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| X | Five | Training | Provide client with training on using website back end | W | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Y | Six | Project Close | Connect website to database | W | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Z | Six | Project Close | Launch website | X, Y | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| ZA | Six | Project Close | Project Review and Close | Z | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Table 2: Project Crashing Information
| Activity ID | Activity Name | Normal time (days) | Crash Time (days) | Normal Cost (days) | Crash Cost (for specified crash time) | Total Allowable Crash Time (days) | Crash Cost Per day |
| A | Elicit client needs | 1 | £210 | £300 | |||
| D | Gain required resources | 2 | £300 | £400 | |||
| E | Produce requirements specification | 3 | £400 | £525 | |||
| F | Gain approval from client to proceed
| 1 | £210 | £320 | |||
| G | Create prototype | 2 | £320 | £400 | |||
| H | Approval of prototype by client | 1 | £225 | £320 | |||
| I | Test prototype | 1 | £350 | £450 | |||
| J | Amend prototype | 1 | £300 | £400 | |||
| K | Gain approval from client to proceed | 1 | £215 | £315 | |||
| L | Create coding templates | 2 | £500 | £700 | |||
| M | Create HTML and CSS documents | 7 | £1,000 | £1,235 | |||
| N | Develop and test interactive components | 2 | £500 | £600 | |||
| Q | Verify functionality | 1 | £300 | £410 | |||
| R | Gain approval from client to proceed | 1 | £250 | £350 | |||
| U | User group testing | 2 | £550 | £750 | |||
| V | Amendments arising from testing | 3 | £560 | £860 | |||
| W | Gain approval from client to proceed | 1 | £220 | £320 | |||
| X | Provide client with training on using website back end | 2 | £450 | £650 | |||
| Z | Launch website | 1 | £385 | £485 | |||
| ZA | Project Review and Close | 1 | £275 | £375 |
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| Marks will be allocated for the report, presentation and individual contribution
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| Aspect | Description | Weight % | 1st marker | Comments | |
| Individual Element 55% | |||||
| Presentation of report | Professional presentation of report incl. appropriate structure, appropriate sources, title page, appendices etc. | 5 | |||
| Understanding and critical reflection on subject | Ability to critically reflect on the importance of project planning techniques in meeting project deadlines. Evidence of sound knowledge and critical evaluation using appropriate references and examples. | 15 | |||
| In-depth comparison and critical thinking | Evidence of sound knowledge and critical evaluation/comparison on how WBS, Network Diagrams, Critical Path Analysis and Crashing assist the project manager.
In depth comparison on how these techniques differ using appropriate references and examples. | 15 | |||
| Critical reflection on group work process | Ability to critically reflect on the group work process in planning a project, and an evaluation of what has been learned. | 10 | |||
| Amended planning documentation | Amended project planning documentation included in appendices | 10 | |||
| Report Total | 55 | ||||
| Groupwork Element and Presentation 45% | |||||
| Presentation | Audible and well-paced. Well timed
Professional presentation and supporting materials. Support materials used effectively | 5 | |||
| Project Planning Techniques | Correctly Estimated Project Durations and Variance calculations Correctly noted and logical Work Breakdown Structure
Correctly noted and local network Diagram – Correct forward pass – Correct backwards pass – Correct float identified – Correct critical path identified
Correctly calculated project crashing costs.
Project plan will meet time and budget constraints | 35 | |||
| Individual contribution | This will be based on:
Contribution to group work as a whole
Management of individual questions during presentation | 10 | |||
| Group Work Total | 45 | ||||
| Final Total | 100 |