SECTION A

1. Elyna Deschamps has just left herjob as a website designer for a large systems design company and is about to start up her own website design business . She will be renting an office that needs to be prepared, and also needs to procure all the necessary equipment before the business can commence operating. She intends to open her business in 12 weeks’ time. In her Previous role, she often encountered critical path analysis when she was
involved in large design projects, and she considers that this technique may also be useful to help her to plan the setting up of the new business.

Elyna has devised a list of activities shown below that must be completed before the new business can commence. When drawing up this list she was aware that there was a degree of uncertainty in the timescales for some of the activities. She is concerned that if these uncertainties are not considered at this stage, then she may not hit the deadline of opening her new business in 1 or 2 weeks’ time.

(a) Determine the critical path and the planned duration of the project.
(b) Identify any non-critical tasks and the float (free slack) on each.
(c) Discuss the use of contingency planning in helping Elyna plan for the uncertainties in setting up the business.

2. Probase Resources Sdn. Bhd. has been awarded the contract to construct an access road, including a tunnel link for passengers, to a new terminal at KLIA2 airport. The Board of Probate has appointed Sheila Smith Jones as the project manager and she is currently in the early stages of setting up the project. This will be a large and complex project that will involve a number of different specialist subcontractors and equipment suppliers.

It is critical that the new road and tunnel are completed in time for the opening of the new airport terminal. The project requirements have been established and the project manager is now at the stage of planning for the work to take place. This will include an assessment of the risk and uncertainty that could hinder the progress of the project and its delivery on time. The complex nature of the project means that the use of project management software will be an important tool in assisting Sheila Smith Jones, the project manager, and her team at the various stages of the project lifecycle to ensure the project objectives are delivered on time.

(a) Identify FOUR (4) types of risks that could occur and the steps that can be taken by the project manager to manage these risks.

(b) From a risk perspective, how does Sheila decide on which sub-contractors will get the job from Probase? Is a low price/high-risk bid acceptable? Justify your answer.

(c) Discuss at length how a project management software could help the project manager and the project team during the lifecycle of the airport access road project.

3. Frontier Regional Airlines has commissioned a project to refurbish its head office. The project will require the refurbishment of two floors and completion of the project has been agreed upon within a very tight timescale. This new facility will incorporate a restaurant, offices for 240 staff, and video conferencing facilities. wants to ensure that the work is carried out with the minimum disruption to its employees.

The project is now, and the project committee has identified and highlighted that the refurbishment is not in line with the brand identity of high quality and innovation. To fit Frontier’s brand, the interior design needs to incorporate innovative and high concepts. Executive Management has agreed on additional funds and an increased timescale for the project so that the refurbishment can meet its objectives.

The project committee understands that the impact of these changes needs to be considered. There will be a number of factors that will need to be addressed to improve the chance of delivering a successful project. The committee is also aware of the need to produce a revised plan for the project in order to incorporate the additional resources.

The committee is also aware that the risk of project failure is much greater without detailed project planning and wants to incorporate Work Breakdown Structure, Project Milestones, and Control Gates into the revised planning process in order to deliver greater control of the project and enhance the chance of successful delivery of the project objectives.

(a) Discuss FIVE (5) Critical Success Factors that will determine the successful completion of the Frontier Regional Airlines refurbishment project.
(b) Explain how the following project management techniques would help Frontier Regional Airlines successfully deliver the refurbishment project:

(i) Work Breakdown Structure
(ii) Tracking – Gantt Chart
(iii) Milestones