Project Management Semester Test
Mzansi shuttle project
Project management bodies of knowledge
During the implementation of the Mzansi shuttle project, the project management bodies of knowledge have the responsibility to ensure that the multiple workers employed for this dynamic project have the expertise and are certified to meet their standards of distinctive knowledge. It is also imperative to ensure that the employees have the relevant resources available to them in that particular field they are employed in. (Morris, Crawford, Hodgson, Shepherd & Thomas 2006) One may deduce that project management bodies of knowledge are a significant guide to the human resource activities of any project.
The use of knowledge is imperative for the daily work of a project as large as the Mzansi shuttle. The Mzansi shuttle project is a multinational project due to the various groups of people from different countries being involved in it such as the Nigerian and South African’s that form part of the Dangote enterprise. International organizations have a high intake and a high output of information. The value of knowledge sharing has been recognized by most international and supranational bodies of knowledge and as such they have set up information and knowledge management programs. Many organizations consider information management as part of their internal procedures and remain tacit about their activities which may be expected from a venture such as the Mzansi shuttle project. (Ringel-Bickelmaier & Ringel 2010)
The project management bodies of knowledge may look towards the implementation of the project based organization. (PBO) The versatile management of the Mzansi shuttle project would benefit from the use of PBO which is ultimately sui...
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...Possible hindrance of work breakdown structures
The Mzansi shuttle project is a large and intricate project and needs a lot of attention to detail however, when creating the work packages the manager should be careful of going into too much detail as this will lead to the project manager having to micromanage the project and eventually slow down the Mzansi shuttle project which should be avoided. Tasks and activities of the project should not be confused with deliverables, the tasks and activities may change however the end result should remain the same. Using the work breakdown structure as a replacement for the project plan will hinder the project objectives. The work breakdown structure can be changed and this will hinder the deliverables of the project from being achieved.
(http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/work-breakdown-structure-purpose-process-pitfalls.php)
A work breakdown structure is a key project deliverable that organizes the team 's work into manageable sections. The Project Management Body of Knowledge. defines the work breakdown structure as a "deliverable oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team”. Basically the work breakdown structure is something that is put together which defines the scope something that project team can understand. On the other hand, project requirement is kind of a document which tell management, what has to be produced and the exact date of completion. It also is based on responsibility factors. Requirements are the expectations which the product need to fulfill. Requirements are collected from the customer, stakeholders and Sponsor.
Knowledge work according to Raman, (1999), contains activities, which are "information-based, knowledge intensive and knowledge generating" (p. 2). The paper's theme is, "organizations staying ahead of the competition have come to realize knowledge and knowledge workers are their key to success in today's environment where knowledge and information have become commodities" (Raman, 1999, p. 1). This paper's theme traces the historical development of knowledge management and knowledge workers; differentiates between knowledge workers and non-knowledge workers, and illustrate the knowledge workers experience in the author's organization. Knowledge systems contain the potential to increase business value (Bang, Cleemann, & Bramming, 2010).
Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet project requirements (PMBOK Guide, 2008). Using this definition, it is made evident that the parties involved in the Denver International Airport (DIA) Baggage System project in the 1990’s failed at applying basic organizational practices towards managing the triple constraint of scope, time, and cost goals. The combination of inherent risks, uncertainties, and dysfunctional decision making geared the project towards disappointment while simultaneously designating it as a text book example of what not do when taking on a complex project. By looking at the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats we can pull together a basic plan of action that would have set the DIA’s baggage handling system as a marvel model of rapid automation.
Bob Ebeling and Mark Boisjoly were both engineers and are best known as the main people who tried to cancel the launch. The O-ring problem at lower temperatures wasn’t something we later learned. Ebeling knew that given low enough temperatures it would fail and cause the main tank to explode. However, “Problem reporting requirements are not concise and fail to get critical information to the proper levels of management. Little or no trend analysis was performed on O-ring erosion and blow-by problems.”
T.D. Wilson (2002) makes a point of identifying several sources of articles, references and course syllabi with varying takes on knowledge management within organizations. Wilson is convinced that organizations misuse the terminology “knowledge management” and that their activities are more concerned with managing information than with the management of knowledge (Wilson, 2002). Wilson defines knowledge as involving “the mental processes of comprehension” or, as “what we know” and information as the expression of what we know and can convey through messages (Wilson, 2002). By researching the use of the “knowledge management” Wilson conveys that the terms knowledge and information are used interchangeably, which results in an inaccurate application
Project Management Institute . (2008). A Guide to the Project Management body Of Knowledge. Newton Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc.
PMBOK, (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge : (PMBOK guide). 5th ed. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc..
Our modern society encounters rapid changes that inevitably lead business organization to become continuous innovative engine in facing the dialectic of stability and change to meet the demand of ongoing changing environment. In order to be remaining competitive through providing superior value; today, businesses are required to gear up its knowledge based activities by taking knowledge management initiatives seriously. Surely, knowledge management in organization gets its momentum in recent discussion of both academic and practitioner fields. The diversity of disciplines (Economics, Information and Library Science, Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering, Communication, Cognitive Science, Organizational Behavior and Theory, Psychology,
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Over the recent years, we have been exposed to the importance of knowledge management. Generally, knowledge management can be defined as the process that involved identifying, capturing, evaluating, distributing, and effectively sharing and using knowledge (Koenig, 2012). It played a significant role in many organizations. Sandhawalia and Dalcher (2011) support by stating that many organizations realize that the effective use of knowledge assets and resources giving them the ability to innovate and respond to fast changing customer expectations as well as help support a range of critical operational and innovative activities.
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Project management involves all activities that encompass scheduling, planning, and controlling projects. A successful project manager ensure that an organization’s resources are being used both efficiently and effectively. Most projects need to be uniquely developed require a sense of customization and the ability to adapt to any posed challenges. The scope of effective project management includes defining what the project is and what is being expected to be accomplished. Projects are imposed to fulfill a certain need and project managers must have the ability to create the proper definition. Goals and the means used to attain those goals have to be clearly stated. Project Managers must also have the ability to plan
When planning a new project, how the project will be managed is one of the most important factors. The importance of a managers will determine the success of the project. The success of the project will be determined by how well it is managed. Project management is referred to as the discipline that entails the processes of carefully planning, organizing, controlling, and motivating the organization resources so as to foster and facilitate the achievement of specific established and desired goals and meet the specific criteria of success required in the organization (Larson, 2014). Over the course of this paper I will be discussing and analyzing the importance of project management.
“Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to organisational and project activities to achieve the aims of an organisation through projects” (PMI, 2003).