School of Civil Engineering

CIVL3805 Project Scope, Time and Cost Management - Semester 2, 2014

Group Work
Weighting: 30% of total assessment (25% for group report and 5% for group presentation)

Group Formation
You are required to form into groups of ~5-6 team members within the same tutorial class.

Group Work Report (25%)
Based on the given Case Study*, you are appointed as the Project Management Team to carry out
project planning. Including the requirements posed by the questions in the case study narrative,
your project planning tasks MUST include:
(due week 12):
1. A CPM project schedule showing the duration of all activities and major milestones;
identify the critical path(s).
2. An estimated cost of project implementation including a percentage distribution of cost.
3. A time-phased project budget and S-curve showing the cash-flow projection.
4. An earned value analysis and earned value tables and charts showing the relevant EVA
performance indicators.
5. Statements and company memos describing your solution(s) for the scenarios posed in
the Case Study project (e.g. how the project schedule has been shortened? any resultant
cost increases?).
6. A revised project schedule showing new critical path(s), and a revised time-phased
project budget based on your proposed solution(s).

* The Case Study for this semester is The J uicy Luicy Project - Refer to page 9 of this document
Guidelines and Tools
1. The availability of specific trade-off options is a function of the particular project
environment based on the given scenario; you are free to make any assumption that is
consistent with the tasks involved. However, an assumption that no change is required to
the original project plan (project schedule and budget) is NOT acceptable since, if a project
could have been completed in a shorter period of time at no additional cost, the shorter
project schedule should have been submitted originally.

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2. You are also encouraged to use Project Management software such as Primavera, Microsoft
Project (MSP), or Open Workbench (OWB) in completing the above tasks. Other software
applications for presenting your group report are MS Excel Spreadsheet, MS Word, and MS
PowerPoint.
Any questions you have relating to the group work should be posted on the discussion topic
folder created in the UoS LMS (Blackboard) eLearning website and you are strongly encouraged
to participate in the discussion.

Submission Date
This group work is expected to be carried out progressively over the semester, and should
conform to the following schedule:
Group work report (maximum 25 pages double-spaced, excluding appendices)
Fri 24 Oct 2014, not later than 5pm
You are required to submit both the hardcopy and softcopy of your group work report using the
assignment dropbox in the Civil building (level 2) and via email to Phill Horne, respectively.
Late submissions will be penalised unless special consideration has been sought and given.
Assignments more than seven days late will be awarded a mark of zero.

Group Work Presentation (5%)
A schedule for group presentations in weeks 12 and 13 will be issued later in the semester.

Marking Schema
1. The marking for your group report will be based on the quality and contents of the report (see
pages 4-5 for assessment criteria).
2. The marking for your group presentation will be based on the (i) quality and contents of
presentation materials (i.e. PowerPoint), and (ii) presentation skills (see page 6 for
assessment criteria).
3. Every student will get an individual mark for the group work final submissions (i.e. 30% of
your total assessment for this UoS will be on the group work report and presentation). Your
individual mark may be different from your group mark due to peer reviews.
4. Every student MUST submit a confidential individual self-assessment and peer-assessment
form, i.e. peer review (see page 7) for the purpose of rewarding individual contributions for
your final group work submission.
5. Please do not show the assessment information to any other group member, i.e. fold and
staple your completed self- and peer-assessment form, place it in an envelope with the other
self- and peer-assessment forms from your group members and submit the envelope with
your group work final submission by no later than 5pm, Fri 24 Oct 2014.
6. An example for the calculation of individual marks from the group assessment, weighted by
the group size, and shared according to the average self- and peer-assessment of individual
contributions is shown below.

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Example for calculation of individual marks
Group work mark 79
No. of group members 4
Marks available to group 316


Name % given by your group members & yourself Mean Raw
individual
mark
Individual
mark
Ann 25 25 24 25 24.75 78.21 78
Bob 25 19 26 30 25.00 79.00 79
Chris 25 30 20 20 23.75 75.05 75
David 25 26 30 25 26.50 83.74 84

Ann =24.75% x 4 x 79 =78%
Bob =25.00% x 4 x 79 =79%
Chris =23.75% x 4 x 79 =75%
David =26.50% x 4 x 79 =84%







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School of Civil Engineering
CIVL3805 Project Scope, Time and Cost Management - Semester 2, 2014

Group Work Report Marking Sheet (25% of total assessment)
HD = Outstanding; D = Very Good; CR = Good; P = Satisfactory; F = Fail
Structure and presentation of group work report
Quality and contents
HD D CR P F
Part 1
Professionalism - PM as communicator
Depiction of the WBS, Tables, Structures
Triple-constraint identification & management
Aesthetics; clarity; attention to detail;
innovative response in communication of the
solution; relevant references.
/5

Part 2
Professionalism - PM as communicator
Application of chosen software and depiction of
the Gantt, Network, Tables
A CPM project schedule showing the duration
of all activities and major milestones; identify
the critical path; additional milestones
Choice & selection of table columns showing
transparency of solution; accuracy of solution,
reasoning and decision choices
Sensitivity analysis & reasoning; decision
choices
Aesthetics; clarity; attention to detail;
innovative response in communication of the
solution; relevant references.
/15

Group

Student

Overall Grade (out of 100%)

Peer evaluation forms
attached
Yes (correct number of form / missing form)
No

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Part 3 A & B
Professionalism - PM as communicator
Approach and (sensitivity) analysis to, and
presentation of, the issue of resource
overallocation & levelling both in/out slack;
implications; decision choices
Time constraint; analysis and impact on the
triple constraint; impact & implications;
decision choices
Revised project schedules; schedule
comparisons; impact & implications; decision
choices
Accuracy of solution, reasoning and decision
choices
Sensitivity analysis & reasoning; decision
choices
Aesthetics; clarity; attention to detail;
innovative response in communication of the
solution; relevant references.
/25

Part 4
Professionalism - PM as communicator
A time-phased project budget and S-curve
showing the cash-flow projection
Analysis, interpretation and communication of
cash flow
Baselined solution; accuracy of solution,
reasoning and decision choices
Aesthetics; clarity; attention to detail;
innovative response in communication of the
solution; relevant references.
/10

Part 5
Status report - professionalism - PM as
communicator amidst diverse stakeholders
Consistency of status reporting across periods;
accuracy of solutions & decision choices
Analysis and impact of project performance
Managing the baseline
Completeness of time-phased budget (PM
software and/or Excel file with PV distribution
for each time unit)
Explanation on budget, S-curve (rule: 50/50 or
proportionality)
An earned value analysis and an earned value
/30


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chart showing the ETC, EAC; completeness of
EVA (variances and indexes); Correctness of
EVA; Interpretation of EVA results.
Completeness of EVA chart; accuracy of
solution, reasoning and decision choices
Aesthetics; clarity; attention to detail;
innovative response in communication of the
solution; relevant references.
Part 6
Professionalism - PM as communicator
Analysis and impact on the triple constraint
A revised project schedule/budget
Accuracy of solution, reasoning, decision
choices & recommendations
Aesthetics; clarity; attention to detail;
innovative response in communication of the
solution; relevant references
/15


General comments:





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School of Civil Engineering
CIVL3805 Project Scope, Time and Cost Management - Semester 2, 2014

Group Work Presentation Marking Sheet (5% of total assessment)

Group: ___________________________

Number of presenters: ___________________________

Criteria Rating
The presentation clearly communicate the
outcomes of the groups task
HD D Cr P F
The task has been carried out in a logical
way
HD D Cr P F
PowerPoint presentations are neat,
consistent, and well structured
HD D Cr P F
Management process of presentation
(time management, uploading of
materials)
HD D Cr P F
Evidence of excellent understanding of
task in Q&A session
HD D Cr P F


Overall grade: _____/5

Other comments:



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School of Civil Engineering
CIVL3805 Project Scope, Time and Cost Management - Semester 2, 2014
Group Work: Self- and Peer Assessment Form in Rewarding Individual Contributions
Private and Confidential

Name: ________________________

Student ID: ________________________

Group: ________________________

Please think about the quality and not only the quantity of the contribution. Be critical, objective
and honest when assigning percentages to your group members and yourself.
Group member names
(put a star * by your name)
% of individual
contributions
including yourself
Reasons
#
(why you decided that your
group member deserved the % you gave
including yourself)





Check total = 100%
##
100%
#
this column MUST be completed
##
when you have completed, check that the total is 100%

Your signature:

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The Better Bubbles Company has been concerned that specialised fruit drinks have
been eroding their cola market. The CEO mandates that If you cant beat them, join
them. Grape juice was the first product that was successful after an
advertising blitz claiming the antitoxin benefits.
Lately, competition is compressing grape juice
margins and profits. Months of additional market surveys and focus groups
have resulted in three potential high-margin drinks: cranberry, blueberry, and
pomegranate. All these choices represent antitoxins. The decision is to
produce the pomegranate drink that has many health claims. For example, the
relative ability of these juices to eliminate harmful free radicals (antitoxins) is 71%
for pomegranate, 33% for blueberry, and 20% for cranberry (Technion Institute of
Technology). The market potential appears very attractive and should have a higher
profit margin than the other potential juice products. Another appeal for
pomegranate juice is its familiarity in the Middle East and Asia.

The Priority Matrix for the J uicy Luicy Project is:

As the project manager, you have formed your project team and your members have
come up with the following work breakdown structure (WBS).

1.0 Juicy Luicy Project
1.1 R&D Product Development
1.1.1 Need survey
1.1.2 Set product specs
1.1.3 Shelf life report
1.1.4 Nutrition report
1.2 Secure Fruit Suppliers
1.3 Initial Production
1.3.1 Equipment rehab
1.3.2 Production trials
1.3.3 Quality trials
1.3.4 Quality metrics
1.3.5 Quality training
1.4 Distribution
1.4.1 Market testing
1.4.2 Package design
1.4.3 Select distributors
1.5 Legal
1.5.1 Complete FDA certification
1.5.2 Register trademark
1.6 Prepare Product Launch

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Part 1
1. Each work package will represent an activity
2. Develop the WBS outline using the software available (save your file).
3. Use this file and the information provided below to create a project schedule.
4. The following holidays are observed: J anuary 1, Martin Luther King Day (third
Monday in J anuary), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), J uly 4th, Labor Day (first
Monday in September), Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November), December
25 and 26.
5. If a holiday falls on a Saturday then Friday will be given as an extra day off, and if it
falls on a Sunday then Monday will be given off.
6. The project team works eight-hour days, Monday through Friday.
7. The project will begin on J anuary 3, 2012.
8. Based on this schedule, submit a memo that answers the following questions:
a. When is the project estimated to be completed? How many working days will it take?
b. What is the critical path?
c. Which activity has the most total slack?
d. How sensitive is this network?
e. Identify three sensible milestones for your project and explain your choice.
f. Compare the advantages/disadvantages of displaying the schedule as a network
versus a Gantt chart

Include the following (one page) printouts:
A Gantt chart, including milestones identified in 7(e) above.
A network diagram (including milestones identified in 7(e) above) highlighting the
critical path
A schedule table reporting ES, LS, EF, LF, and slack for each activity

Hints: Change the timescale to months and weeks. The estimated duration of the
project is 135 days. Remember to save your files for future exercises!

Warning: Experience has taught students to frequently make separate backup files for
each exercise. The software is never as friendly as users expect!


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The following information has been derived from the WBS:


FS =Finish to Start lag


Part 2
Remember the old saying, A project plan is not a schedule until resources are
committed. This exercise illustrates this sometime subtle, but important point. Using
your files from Part 1, input resources and their costs if you have not already done so.
All information can be found in Tables A2.1 and A2.2

Prepare a memo that addresses the following questions:
1. Which if any of the resources are over-allocated?
2. Assume that the project is time constrained and try to resolve any over-allocation
problems by levelling within slack. What happens?
3. What is the impact of levelling within slack on the sensitivity of the network?
4. Include a Gantt chart with the schedule table after levelling within slack.
5. Assume the project is resource constrained and resolve any over-allocation
problems by levelling outside of slack. What happens? What are the managerial
implications?
6. What options are available at this point in time?
7. Include a Gantt chart with the schedule table after levelling outside of slack.

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Note: No splitting of activities is allowed.
Note: No partial assignments (i.e. 50 %). All resources must be assigned 100 %.






Part 3
Top management has accepted the J uly 19th completion schedule created at the end of
Part 2. Prepare a brief memo that addresses the following questions:
1. How much will the project cost?
2. What is the most expensive activity?
3. What does the cash flow statement tell you about how costs are distributed over the
life span of the project?
Include a monthly cash flow for the project.
Include a monthly cash flow and a cost table for the project. Once you are confident that
you have the final schedule, save the file as a baseline.
Hint: Save a backup file just in case without baseline!

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Part 4 A
Assume that today is 31
st
March 2012, and Table A2.3 contains the tracking information
for the project up till now. Enter this information into your saved baseline file and
prepare a status report for the first three months of the J uicy Luicy project. This requires
saving your resource schedule as a baseline and inserting the appropriate status report
date in the program. Assume that no work has been completed on the day of the status
report.
Your status report should include a table containing the PV, EV, AC, BAC, EAC, SV,
CV, and CPI for each activity as well as for the entire project.

Your status report should also address the following questions:
1. How is the project progressing in terms of cost and schedule?
2. What activities have gone well? Why?
3. What activities have not gone well? Why?
4. What do the PCIB and PCIC indicate in terms of how much of the project has been
accomplished to date?
5. What is the forecasted cost at completion (EACf)?
6. What is the predicted VACf?
7. Report and interpret the TCPI for the project at this point in time.
8. What is the estimated date of completion of your project?
9. How well is the project doing in terms of its priorities?
10. How long should the project take given these revised estimates?
11. How happy will top management be with these forecasts given the priorities of the
project?
12. What recommendations would you make to senior management?

Present the above information in a form worthy of consideration by senior management.
Include an Earned Value table and a Tracking Gantt Chart.
Note: Insert 31
st
March 2012, as the status date in the Project Information box.



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Part 4 B
Assume that today is 31
st
May 2012, and Table A2.4 contains the tracking information
for the project up till now. Enter this information into your saved baseline file and
prepare a status report for the J uicy Luicy project. This requires saving your resource
schedule as a baseline and inserting the appropriate status report date in the program.
Assume that no work has been completed on the day of the status report.

Your status report should include a table containing the PV, EV, AC, BAC, EAC, SV,
CV, and CPI for each activity as well as for the entire project.

Your status report should address the following questions:
1. How is the project progressing in terms of cost and schedule?
2. What activities have gone well? Why?
3. What activities have not gone well? Why?
4. What do the PCIB and PCIC indicate in terms of how much of the project has been
accomplished to date?
5. What is the forecasted cost at completion (EACf)?
6. What is the predicted VACf?
7. Report and interpret the TCPI for the project at this point in time.
8. What is the estimated date of completion of your project?
9. How well is the project doing in terms of its priorities?
10. How long should the project take given these revised estimates?
11. How happy will top management be with these forecasts given the priorities of the
project?
12. What recommendations would you make to senior management?

Present the above information in a form worthy of consideration by senior management.
Include an Earned Value table and a Tracking Gantt Chart.
Note: Insert 31
st
May 2012, as the status date in the Project Information box.



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