Workshop 1

Question 1

What must employers do to ensure project health, safety and environmental management

Answer 1

• Assess what could harm employees in their jobs and create precautions to stop this (Risk Assessment)
• Explain how risks are controlled and who is responsible for this
• Consult and work with employees and health and safety reps to protect everyone
• Give employees free of charge health and safety training for their jobs
• Provide free equipment and protective clothing needed for the job, and ensure it is properly looked after
• Provide toilets, washing facilities, drinking water and first aid facilities
• Report injuries, diseases and dangerous incidents to the HSE
• Have insurance that covers employees in case of work accidents or work related illness.

Question 2

What is the Health and Safety at Work Act (KSWA) 1974

Answer 2

The primary legislation that covers health and safety in the workplace. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) is responsible for enforcing the act and providing relative guidance to employers and employees. Every employer must ensure the health, safety and welfare of all of their employees and members of the general public impacted by the organisations activities.

Question 3

What are the primary objectives for the Health and Safety at Work Act

Answer 3

• Securing the health, safety and welfare of persons at work.
• Protecting people against risks to health and safety caused by the activities of persons at work
• Controlling the keeping and use of explosive, flammable or otherwise dangerous substances - preventing the unlawful acquisitions, possession and use of such substances

Question 4

What must employees do to ensure project health, safety and environmental management

Answer 4

• Follow training received when using work items provided by the employer
• Take responsible care of their own and others health and safety
• Co-operate with their employer on health and safety
• Tell someone (employer, supervisor or health and safety rep) if they think the work or inadequate procedures may cause harm.

Question 5

Who has an obligation to proactively manager risk on projects especially when team members can be affected

Answer 5

Project Managers

Question 6

What are the stages to ensure health and safety

Answer 6

Set your Policy - The organisation should have a documented policy that states how hazards will be identified and managed and also who is responsible from managing health and safety

Organise yourself - A positive health and safety cultures must be developed within the organisation ensuring the effective implementation of the four C’s

    - Competence
    - Control
    - Cooperation
    - Communication 

Plan and set standard - Plans will be heavily influenced by policies and should document objectives and the process for identifying, assessing and managing hazards on your project. Any standards must be measurable, achievable and realistic

Measure your performance - Ensure that health and safety is monitored on both a proactive and reactive basis. Meaning that relevant standards must first be understood with any variation between where you are and your goal being analysed and understood.

Learn from Experience - audit and review - Monitoring allows the team to decide how to improve performance later in the project and future project, this may involve, reviewing and updating policies so the actions can be communicated to the relevant parties.

Question 7

What is the definition of Project

Answer 7

A unique, transient endeavour undertaken to achieve planned objectives

Question 8

What are the common characteristics of a project irrespective of their complexity, scale, cost or duration

Answer 8

• Projects introduce change (which in turn involves uncertainty)
• They have an element of uniqueness
• They are temporary or transient in nature, each project having a defined start and finish point
• Projects create specific results, outputs or products with their objectives typically being measured in terms of time, cost and quality parameters/performance
• Projects have a specific aim or benefit
• They follow a life cycle made up of specific phases
• They comprise complex interrelationships and are often cross-functional in nature
• Costs are relatively low at the start, higher towards the end and drop rapidly towards completion
• The cost of changes and error correction increases as the project progresses
• The ability of stakeholders to influence the project’s outcome in highest at the start
• Risk and uncertainty are typically highest at the start
• The consumption of resources, including money, reaches a peak during the development phase
• The potential to add value to the project decreases as the project progresses

Question 9

What are the differences between a project and business as usual

Answer 9

Project

• Defined time scale with a definite end
• Essentially non-repetitive in nature
• Specific aims and objectives to be satisfies
• Transient Team
• Complex inter-relationships
• Subject to high degrees of uncertainty
• Generally phases for ease of management

Business as usual

• Iterative in nature
• Continuous operation
• General Objectives
• Dedicated constant team
• Defined relationships (single discipline)
• Higher degree of certainty
• May be a phase in its own right

Question 10

What is Project Management

Answer 10

The application of processes, methods, knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the project objectives.

Question 11

What are the best ways to introduce change through the use of projects

Answer 11

• Prioritising scarce resources towards key objectives
• Focusing management skills on specific tasks
• Gaining formal commitments from Key stakeholders
• Allowing delegation and direction of multiple concurrent projects
• Ensuring issues such as quality and safety are formally designed into projects from the start
• Developing and training staff in the project environment
• Identifying and managing risks

Question 12

What is programme management

Answer 12

The coordination management of projects and change management activities to achieve beneficial change

Question 13

What are the management disciplines that must coordinate programme management

Answer 13

Projects
A programme will comprise a number of projects that will deliver outputs such as a building, website, a process or any number of specifiable products. These will all be project managed within the fundamental components of scope, schedule, finance, risk, quality and resource

Strategic Business Change
The outputs of projects must be used to support beneficial business change in line with corporate strategy. This does not happen automatically and may require change to working practices, culture or both. Programmes must encompass business change management and this may include taking temporary responsibility for some business as usual activities.

Benefits
Benefits accrue from the effective use of the projects. The purpose of a programme is to deliver these high-level benefits which will ultimately help satisfy the strategic objectives of the organisation. Effective benefits management helps ensure that the management of projects and the management of business change are both fit for purpose.

Question 14

What are the challenges of using Programme Management within an organisation

Answer 14

Strategy not always clear
Programmes may not have a clear view of the end of the programme at the start. Therefore, programmes may need to develop their range of consistent projects as they proceed

Evolving business environment
Programmes may need to continually align the individual project business case with the overall strategic business case which is heavily influenced by a dynamic business climate

Multiple stakeholder
Programmes typically involve a much greater number of stakeholders, many of which are likely to have competing objectives

Competing priorities
Competing inter-project prioritise can cause significant conflict

Complex inter-dependencies
A programme will need to resolve complex inter-dependencies between its projects and business as usual

Question 15

What are the differences between programmes, projects and portfolios

Answer 15

Programmes

• Temporary organisational structures
• Primarily focused on delivery of outcomes/benefits and outputs/products respectively
• Seeks to ensure successful delivery at the individual programme or project level

Projects

• Temporary organisational structures
• Primarily focused on delivery of outcomes/benefits and outputs/products respectively
• Seeks to ensure successful delivery at the individual programme or project level

Portfolios

• Permanent organisational structure
• Focused on the overall contribution of these outcomes, benefits and outputs to strategic objectives
• Portfolio management is concerned with:
  
  • Ensuring the programmes and projects undertaken are the right ones in the context of the organisations strategic objectives
  • Successful delivery at a collective level
  • Benefits realisation is maximised
  • Lessons learned are identified, disseminated and applied in the future

Question 16

Portfolio Management definition

Answer 16

The selection, prioritisation and control of an organisation’s projects and programmes in line with its strategic objectives and capacity to deliver

Question 17

Portfolio definition

Answer 17

A grouping of an organisations project and programmes. Portfolios can be managed at an organisational or functional level

Question 18

What are the benefits of Portfolio Management

Answer 18

• More effective delivery of change
• Ability to respond to strategic initiatives
• Effective management of resources
• Management of risk in a wider business context
• Efficient coordination and control
• Integrated prioritisation, definition, planning, delivery and review of project and programmes
• Better management of scarce and limited resources an reduction of ‘capacity bottlenecks’
• Balance of risk and return when selecting organisational activities
• Improved project and programme governance across the portfolio

Question 19

Environment definition

Answer 19

The circumstances and conditions within which the project, programme or portfolio must operate

Question 20

What is SWOT

Answer 20

Strengths, - Elements that make the organisation stand out from the competition and allow the project to concentrate on these factors to enhance successful project delivery

Weaknesses - Identification of areas that the project needs to be outsourced or which will best be accomplished through a joint venture or partnership/alliancing approach

Opportunities - Gives rise to the potential for additional benefits to be realised from the projects initiatives

Threats - The threat should be seen as giving rise to an opportunity for improvement. In addition, understanding threats provides insight into the risks to which the project may be exposed

Question 21

What is PESTLE

Answer 21

Political - Consider internal as well as external politics - why so some stakeholders support your project initiatives and others do not? what are hidden agendas?

Economic - Consider aspects such as exchange rates, inflation, procurement policies and procedures, commercial terms and conditions, type of contract, contract payment terms

Sociological - This includes elements such as stakeholder analysis, consideration of local culture; interaction with normal social order, the project team and the continued motivation of the team

Technical - Does the technology for the solution exist, or does it still have to be developed? Do we have the skill and capability to develop or implement the technology? Can the solution be built, operated and maintained? What are the technical interface requirements?

Legal/regulatory - Local laws, by-laws and regulations, including consideration or regional, national and international laws applicable to the project delivery

Ecological - Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Heritage sites and aspects such as sustainability and the carbon footprint created by the project’s activities will also be key consideration

Question 22

What are the responsibilities of the Sponsor?

Answer 22

• Define the business investment aims
• Produce the business case
• Define the projects success criteria
• Be the arbiter for user and stakeholder requirements
• Specify ‘musts’ and ‘wants’
• Determine the relative priority if the project constraints
• Justify funding
• Obtain approval for expenditure
• Initiate the project and ensure a project manager is appointed
• Monitor the project business environment
• Keep senior management informed
• Terminate the project if necessary
• Support the Project Manager

Question 23

What does the project steering group provide?

Answer 23

overall strategic direction for the project.

Question 24

What are the attributes of a Project Sponsor

Answer 24

Authority - The sponsor should be senior enough within the organisation to make strategic decisions about the programme or project. As the sponsor is accountable for the programme or project the person chosen must have sufficient authority to make these decisions

Credibility - The sponsor’s credibility within the organisation will affect his or her ability to lead and direct the programme or project

Ability to challenge - An effective Sponsor needs to challenge upwards as well as down to the delivery team

Ability to delegate - A key part of the sponsors role is to ensure that the programme or project manager is given enough ‘space’ to manage the programme or project by keeping Board activity at the right level

Availability - A sponsor who meets all of the other characteristics is of little value to the programme or project is he or she is not available to make decisions and provide direction to the programme or project manager

Question 25

What is the difference between a project manager and a project sponsor

Answer 25

Project Manager Accountable to the project sponsor Key role is to manage efficient production of the project deliverables within the given time, cost and quality constraints Project Sponsor Accountable to the host organisation senior executive body Key role is to provide direction to the project manager and administer effective use of the project outputs to deliver the business benefits detailed in the business case

Question 26

What are the responsibilities of a Project Manager?

Answer 26

- Deliver the project to time, cost and quality/priority priorities - Make or force timely decisions to ensure project success - Empathise with the sponsor and aid success - Manage sponsor and user expectations - Define and plan the project - Monitor and control project progress - Build, lead and motivate the project team throughout the project - Ensure work packages are allocated and the responsibilities identified - Keep the sponsor and senior management informed of progress/problems - Recommended termination, if justified - Communicate and act as prime point of contract day-to-day matters with team members, other organisations, contractors, providers, etc.

Question 27

What are the end users accountable for?

Answer 27

Specifying operational requirements and acceptance criteria for the project deliverables and ultimately for accepting and operating the deliverables to achieve the defined benefits

Question 28

What are the responsibilities of the end users

Answer 28

- Identify project requirements - Separate 'musts' and 'wants' - Identify any necessary project constraints - Accept the sponsors project authority - Accept and operate deliverables - Provide practical assistance and guidance - Assist the project manager with hand over/acceptance - Inform the project manager of any operational changes - Be part of the project team

Question 29

Who are suppliers

Answer 29

May be individual or groups either internal or external to the organisation that commissions the project. They provide resources, specialist expertise, goods and services to create components of the project deliverables. At a senior level, one or more representatives of the suppliers may be appointed to the steering group. The project manager may be from a supplier organisation. Many of the team members working for the project manager are likely to be suppliers.

Question 30

Who do team members work for

Answer 30

On smaller projects, the team members are likely to work directly to the project manager. On larger projects, there will be team managers responsible for sets of activities or packages of work forming part of the overall project.

Question 31

What is the Project Office

Answer 31

Project Office are part of the infrastructure that can provide a decision-enabling and delivery-support capability to organisations engaged in project, programme and portfolio management.

Question 32

Typical roles and responsibilities of the Project Office

Answer 32

- Administrative support and assistance to project managers. This may tale the form of template and life cycle development as well as providing support to the users of these templates - Collection, analysis and reporting of project information. The project office may collate the status of projects across the portfolio and provide consolidated information to senior management - Assurance of project management processes. Ensuring that the right people are doing the right things at the right time is a key function of many project offices. Typically this will involve some form of audit to ensure that the project method is being followed appropriately. - Allocation and development of project resources. This will depend on the skill-set of each project manager as well as their present workload. - Lessons learned. The project office may support the sharing of project lessons across the organisation. Additionally, it may assume the responsibility for updating the project method including any associated templates and checklists. This is an important function in relation to effective knowledge management and the maturity of project management within the organisation as a whole.

Question 33

What are the types of Project Office

Answer 33

Project Support Office - Typically assigned to a single project and provides administrative support to the Project Sponsor and the Project Manager. This can include maintenance of the project logs and registers, maintain the project plan, collation and circulation of project reports etc. Projects Office - Typically provides administrative support to a number of discrete projects. Efficiencies are gained by having a consistent approach and single set of systems. Programme Management Office - Typically assigned to a programme to support the programme and associated projects. As well providing administrative support, it plays an important role in ensuring the governance processes are adhered to (escalating risks to the appropriate level etc.) it will typically manage resource allocation Programme and Project Support Office - A PMO is typically set up to support the programmes and projects across an organisation, or a department or division with the organisation. It provides a central repository for all projects and programme information and typically owns the project delivery method and tools Enterprise Programme Management Office - An EPMO works across a full organisation, its primary focus is maintaining the programme/project register and providing information to senior management in order to support decision. The EPMO provides a key role in enabling the organisation to identify, select and deselect projects and programmes to be undertaken.

Question 34

Summarise key project roles and responsibilities

Answer 34

Steering Group Overall strategic direction of project Assist Sponsor and consider project issues as and when they arise Sponsor Delivering the business benefits Scope project, justify funding, set success criteria, review progress Project Manager Delivering the project objectives Plan the project, organise resources, monitor and control the project User(s) Operating and maintaining the deliverables Define 'operating' requirements, 'operate' project deliverables Supplier/Providers Providing resources Deliver components of project deliverables Team Members Supporting the project manager Execute work packages, work within agreed constraints Project Office/Infrastructure AAs determined by particular company procedures Assist sponsors and project managers

Question 35

Governance definition

Answer 35

Refers to the set of policies, regulations, functions, processes, procedures and responsibilities that define the establishment, management and control of projects, programmes and portfolios

Question 36

What is the Governance of Project Management's four main components

Answer 36

- Portfolio direction - Project sponsorship - Project management - Disclosure and reporting

Question 37

What are the 11 principles of Governance?

Answer 37

- The board have overall responsibility for the governance of project management - The roles, responsibilities and performance criteria for governance of project management are clearly defined - Disciplined governance arrangements, supported by the overall business case is reviewed and approved. - A coherent and supportive relationships is demonstrated between the overall business case is reviewed and approved - All projects have an approved plan containing authorisation points at which the business case is reviewed and approved. Decisions made at these authorisation points are recorded and communicated - Members of delegated authorisation bodies have sufficient representation, competence, authority and resources to enable to make appropriate decisions - The business case is supported by relevant and realistic information that provides a reliable basis for making authorisation decisions - The senior executives or their delegated agents decide when independent scrutiny of products are project management systems is required, and implement such scrutiny accordingly - There are clearly defined criteria for reporting project status and for the escalation of risks and issues to the levels required by the organisation - The organisation fosters a culture of improvement and of frank disclosure of project information - Project stakeholders are engaged at a level that is commensurate with their importance to the organisation and in a manner that fosters trust.

Question 38

What are the benefits of governance

Answer 38

Optimise portfolio - senior management must ensure that each project has viable business case and that risk is shared across its project, programme and business-as-usual activities Minimise risk - As well as ensuring that each project has an approved plan with agreed authorisation points, clearly defined reporting and escalation criteria will help ensure that senior management are fully aware of risk associated with their portfolio Assure growth - More informed decision making should help assure the long-term viability and continues growth of the organisation Stakeholder confidence - Shareholders, funders, customers and suppliers will all have more confidence in an organisation that is seen to have robust governance framework in place. Better decisions - Governance principles should provide the key stakeholders with the necessary information to make important decisions regarding the viability of projects, the likely achievement of strategic objectives and the need for corrective action Compliance - A robust set of governance management principles will help ensure that the organisation complied with relevant corporate governance legislation and guidelines

Question 39

What is the project life cycle

Answer 39

A life cycle defines the inter-related phases of project, programme or portfolio and provides a structure for governing the progression of the work

Question 40

What are the phases of the project life cycle and the extended life cycle

Answer 40

Concept Definition Development Handover and closure Operation Termination

Question 41

What happens in the concept phase

Answer 41

Within this phase the problem or opportunity which gives rise to the project is defined and the need established. A preferred solution is decided upon, and the feasibility of the project is addressed and investigated. This phase will be concluded by the formal endorsement of the Project Management Plan

Question 42

What happens in the definition phase?

Answer 42

Evaluated the preferred solution further and considered how best that solution can be created. Detailed project management plans is established that dictate how the project will be implemented. The phase is concluded by the formal endorsement of Project Management Plan

Question 43

What happens during the development phase?

Answer 43

The plans drawn up on earlier phases are enacted and the primary project deliverables are created. I’m some industries, the phase is often decomposed into the stages of ‘Detailed design’ and ‘Build’ This phase is likely to consume the highest rate of resources, especially the physical creation of the deliverables The phase will be concluded by the creation of the deliverables

Question 44

What happens in the handover and closure phase?

Answer 44

Seeks to ensure the project deliverables is fully completed and brought into use, to the satisfaction of the sponsor. A large element of this phase is managing the introduction of the service/product into the organisation. All documentation should be completed, audited and provided to the sponsors. All outstanding contractual obligations should be concluded. Concluded when the asset is fully commissioned and operational, post-project (delivery) reviews are complete and the project team is disbanded

Question 45

What happens is the operation phase

Answer 45

Primary project deliverables, or assets, are operated and maintained such that they produce the benefits identified within the business case. The phase is concluded when the assets reach the end of their economic operational life

Question 46

What happens in the termination phase?

Answer 46

Concluded the economic operational life of an asset and involved its disposal in a save and effective manner. The phase is concluded when all material and assets are safely disposed off and all outstanding contractual relationships are concluded.

Question 47

What are the key actions of the concept phase

Answer 47

- customer consultation - needs and requirements identification and definition - stakeholder analysis - identification of benefits - production of approved need statement - options study - preferred option selection - creation of the business case

Question 48

What are the key actions of the definition phase?

Answer 48

- high level design of chosen option - refined estimates of timescales and costs - risk identification and assessment - identification of required resources - project team formation - creation of Project Management Plan

Question 49

What are the key actions of the development phase?

Answer 49

- Execution of plans - Expediting - monitoring - reporting - change control - leadership - conflict management - creation of the deliverables

Question 50

What are the key actions of the handover and closure phase?

Answer 50

- test - commissioning - acceptance of deliverables by users - training of users - handover of deliverable from project to production environment - review - disbanding of team - dissemination of lessons learned

Question 51

What are the key elements of the operations phase

Answer 51

- operation - maintenance - benefits realisation - life extension initiatives - lessons learned initiatives

Question 52

What are the key actions of the termination phase?

Answer 52

- disposal - environmental assessments - disbanding of operational team - lessons learned

Question 53

What is the definition of project reviews?

Answer 53

A review is a critical evaluation of a deliverable, business case or project, programme and portfolio management process

Question 54

What are project evaluation reviews?

Answer 54

Are schedules and undertaken regularly throughout the project in order to assess the project, primarily against the project management lab but also against the business case as appropriate Reviews provide the opportunity for the project manager and project team to reflect and report on project progress and their performance - both individually and as a team.

Question 55

What does the project evaluation review consider in the development phase?

Answer 55

- the project management process and their suitability and effectiveness - the overall progress against the schedule, budget, resources and quality - stakeholder relationships and perceptions

Question 56

What is a gate review?

Answer 56

A review undertaken at the end of each phase/stage of the project life cycle, prior to the commencement of the next phase/stage. In long and complex projects, lengthy phases can be sub-divided into stages for greater control. These points in the project can sometimes be called Stage Gate, kill points, go/no go decisions The objective of the gate review is to confirm that the business case is still viable, the further investment is justified and the the project should proceed to the next stage/phase

Question 57

What are project audits

Answer 57

Project reviews undertaken by external bodies to the project team e.g quality assurance Project audits are undertaken in the request of the project sponsor, key stakeholders or the senior executives within the organisation to provide a truly objective view of the project.

Question 58

What is a post project review

Answer 58

Similar to a project evaluations review but is wider in scope and revisits the whole life of the project. It is one of the final steps in the handover and closure phase.

Question 59

What is the purpose of the post project review

Answer 59

The project - against its success criteria and determine what went right and what went wrong - making clear distinction between cause and effect The project team - their individual and team performance The project environment - the project management, processes, tools and techniques

Question 60

Describe the benefits realisation review

Answer 60

One or more benefits realisation reviews are undertaken after the project is closed and the deliverables are in production and being used in business as usual activities The purpose of the benefits realisation review is to assess whether the defined benefits in the business case are being delivered by the sponsor At project closure, the sponsor will review the environment created by the project manager in which the benefits can be realised. The onus is on the project manager to create this environment. In some instances the project manager is retained and delegated with the responsibility for realising these benefits, but accountability still rests with the sponsor as the champion of the project, author of the business case and the integrative link between the project and the business at large

Question 61

What is the importance and benefits of project reviews

Answer 61

- better decision making - objective review of a projects health - improved governance of the project - sharing of lessons learned (and the subsequent improvement of technical and management processes) - more timely implementation of corrective action - increased stakeholder confidence - increases likelihood of project success

Question 62

What are the benefits of the project life cycle

Answer 62

Improved decision making and control - each phase/stage of the project will have clearly defined deliverables and activities. Formal gate-reviews will also help stakeholders make informed decisions regarding the project in light of new information relating to time, cost, performance and other expectations More focus on the early life cycle phases - the life cycle should help the organisation better govern their projects through the mandatory creation and approval of the projects business case and project management plan. These outputs can then be used throughout the project to maintain focus and control More effective planning - each phase of the project will require different resources and skill sets. Both resource and financial planning will be greatly enhanced through the use of W formal life cycle. A rolling-wave approach to planning can also be facilitated through the adoption of a phased approach. Improved stakeholder communication and understanding - a consistent life cycle approach will help stakeholders understand what has been delivered so far and what work is outstanding. Consistent reporting of project status will greatly improve communication, again allowing more effective decisions to be arrived at. The end of each phase or stage is likely to be marked with a key milestone and these can then be used to communicate progress to interested parties The life cycle will form the basis of the project management method - having a defined set of tools/templates, outputs and roles and responsibilities for each stage of the project will form the basis of the organisations project method. This consistent approach will allow more effective stakeholder communication as well as increasing the likelihood of more effective handover of deliverables between stages