Faculty of Engineering

School of control systems and Electrical Engineering

Department of Electrical Services Engineering

Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Services Engineering

Program Code (DT010)

Name: Darragh Ross

Class Group: 3A

Lecturer: Colm Agnew

Title: Project Management Assignment

2

Date Issued: 25/11/2010

Date Due For Return: 09/12/2010

Date Returned: 09/12/2010

i
 Declaration

I hereby certify that the material, which is submitted in this

assignment/project, is entirely my own work and has not been
submitted for any academic assessment other than as part
fulfilment of the assessment procedures for the programme
Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Services Engineering
(B. Tech) (DT 010).

Signature of Student: Darragh Ross

Date : 09/12/2010

ii
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................1
2.0 Section A......................................................................................................................1
2.1.0 Formula's Used to Calculate TE, SE and V.........................................................2
2.2.0 Network Diagram.................................................................................................2
2.3.0 Probability of Completing Project on Day 40......................................................3
3.0 Section B......................................................................................................................5
3.1.0 Part B1.................................................................................................................5
3.2.0 Part B2.................................................................................................................5
4.0 Section C......................................................................................................................6
4.1.0 Techniques for developing good Communications..............................................6
4.2.0 Simple Model of Interpersonal Communications................................................7
5.0 References...................................................................................................................8

iii
Darragh Ross Project Management Assignment 2 07/12/2010

1.0 Introduction
This assessment has been broken into three different sections. Section A requires
a network diagram to be constructed from the information in (Table A1) and asks what
is the probability of completing the project by day 40.

Section B of this assessment requires a status report to be given for day 15 of the
project. The budget costs for each activity of the project have been given in (Table B1)
and a project report has been given in (Table B2). From using the information that will
be obtained in section A and (Table B1 and B2) the BCWS, BCWP, ACWP for the
project will be indicated and from these the CPI and SPI will also be indicated on and
report upon its progress will be carried out.

Finally section C of this assignment will discuss how proper communications are
vital to the success of a project and also discuss different techniques for developing
good communication. Also part C requires a drawing to be done of a simple model of
interpersonal communications indicating on it the fundamental principles.

Tables A1, B1, B2 have been provided in the assignment specifications that have
been provided and are available on DIT webcources and also a copy will be provided in
the appendix of this assignment.

2.0 Section A
Duration (days)
A B C
Activity Preceding Activity Optimistic Most Likely Pessimistic TE SE V
A - 1 2 3 2 0.33 0.11
B A 9 12 12 11.5 0.5 0.25
C A 1 3 4 2.83 0.5 0.25
D B;F 5 7 9 7 0.67 0.44
E B;F 5 8 11 8 1 1
F C;K 7 9 11 9 0.67 0.44
G D 3 4 6 4.17 0.5 0.25
H E;M;N 2 3 7 3.5 0.83 0.69
J - 1 3 4 2.83 0.5 0.25
K J 10 13 15 12.83 0.83 0.69
L J 12 15 19 15.17 1.17 1.36
M L 7 9 12 9.17 0.83 0.69
N C;K 2 3 4 3 0.33 0.11

1
Darragh Ross Project Management Assignment 2 07/12/2010

2.1.0 Formula's Used to Calculate TE, SE and V

[a4 x mb]
Te=
[6]

[b−a ]
Se=
[6]

V =Se 2

2.2.0 Network Diagram

2
Darragh Ross Project Management Assignment 2 07/12/2010

2.3.0 Probability of Completing Project on Day 40

Target Time
Event Time Events V Sqrt
1 2 0.11 0.33
2 2.83 0.25 0.5
3 13.5 0.36 0.6
4 4.83 0.36 0.6
5 15.66 0.94 0.96
6 18 1.61 1.26
7 27.17 2.3 1.51
8 18.66 1.05 1.02
9 24.66 1.38 1.17
10 31.66 1.82 1.34
11 32.66 2.38 1.54
12 35.83 2.07 1.43
13 32.66 2.38 1.54
14 36.16 3.07 1.75

[target time−Estimated time ]

Z=
[event]

[40−36.16]
Z= =2.17
[ 1.75]

3
Darragh Ross Project Management Assignment 2 07/12/2010

Z 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09

0 0.500 0.504 0.508 0.512 0.516 0.519 0.523 0.527 0.531 0.553
0.1 0.539 0.543 0.547 0.551 0.555 0.559 0.563 0.567 0.571 0.575
0.2 0.579 0.583 0.587 0.591 0.594 0.598 0.602 0.606 0.610 0.614
0.3 0.617 0.621 0.625 0.629 0.633 0.639 0.640 0.644 0.648 0.651
0.4 0.655 0.659 0.662 0.666 0.670 0.673 0.677 0.680 0.684 0.687

0.5 0.691 0.695 0.698 0.701 0.705 0.708 0.712 0.715 0.719 0.722
0.6 0.725 0.729 0.732 0.735 0.738 0.742 0.745 0.748 0.751 0.754
0.7 0.758 0.761 0.764 0.767 0.770 0.773 0.776 0.779 0.782 0.785
0.8 0.788 0.791 0.793 0.796 0.799 0.802 0.805 0.807 0.810 0.813
0.9 0.815 0.818 0.821 0.823 0.826 0.828 0.831 0.834 0.836 0.838

1 0.844 0.843 0.846 0.848 0.850 0.853 0.855 0.857 0.859 0.862
1.1 0.864 0.866 0.868 0.870 0.872 0.874 0.877 0.879 0.881 0.833
1.2 0.884 0.866 0.888 0.890 0.892 0.894 0.896 0.898 0.899 0.901
1.3 0.903 0.904 0.906 0.908 0.909 0.911 0.913 0.914 0.916 0.917
1.4 0.919 0.920 0.922 0.923 0.925 0.962 0.927 0.929 0.930 0.931

1.5 0.933 0.934 0.935 0.937 0.938 0.939 0.940 0.941 0.942 0.944
1.6 0.945 0.946 0.947 0.948 0.949 0.950 0.915 0.952 0.953 0.954
1.7 0.955 0.956 0.957 0.958 0.959 0.959 0.960 0.961 0.962 0.963
1.8 0.964 0.964 0.965 0.966 0.967 0.967 0.986 0.969 0.969 0.970
1.9 0.971 0.971 0.972 0.973 0.973 0.974 0.975 0.975 0.976 0.976

2 0.977 0.977 0.978 0.978 0.979 0.979 0.980 0.980 0.981 0.981
2.1 0.982 0.982 0.983 0.983 0.983 0.984 0.948 0.985 0.985 0.985
2.2 0.986 0.986 0.986 0.987 0.987 0.987 0.988 0.988 0.988 0.989
2.3 0.989 0.989 0.989 0.990 0.990 0.990 0.991 0.991 0.991 0.991
2.4 0.991 0.992 0.992 0.992 0.992 0.992 0.993 0.993 0.993 0.993
2.5 0.993 0.994 0.994 0.994 0.994 0.994 0.994 0.994 0.995 0.995

From calculation Z and using the table above task 14 will be 98.5% completed at this
point in the project.

4
Darragh Ross Project Management Assignment 2 07/12/2010

3.0 Section B

3.1.0 Part B1

BCWS: Budgeted Cost of the Work Scheduled.

ACWP: Actual Cost of the Work Performed.

BCWP: Budgeted Cost of the Work Performed (Earned Value)

BCWS ACWP BCWP

(A) €1000 (A) €900 (A) €1000 (100%)
€2,500.00 (B) €2000 (B)90%x€2500 = €2250
€900.00 (C) €900 €900 (100%)
€800.00 (J) €900 €800 (100%)
(15/15.66=0.95) (K) €1800 80% x €2000 = €1600
(K) €2000 x 0.95= €1915
(15/18 = 0.83) (L) €1700 60% x €3000 = €1800
(L) €3000 x 0.83 = €2500
Totals €9615 €8200 €8350

3.2.0 Part B2
BCWP
CPI: Cost Performance Indices =
ACWP

8350
=
8200

= 1.01

From calculating the CPI it show that the budget is doing better than what was expected

5
Darragh Ross Project Management Assignment 2 07/12/2010

BCWP
SPI: Schedule Performance Indices =
BCWS
8350
=
9615
= 0.868

From calculating the SPI it shows that the project is 13.4% behind schedule.

4.0 Section C

4.1.0 Techniques for developing good Communications .

In order to ensure the success of a project, a good standard of communication skills are
required. Having a insufficient knowledge of communication skills is linked to one of
the top five reasons why a project will suffer and be unsuccessful. (Gregory, M, 2005,
p.213).

What makes communication difficult? often getting ones point across can prove to be
difficult, but with techniques and skills the difficulty can be eased.

For example when a message is being communicated it is important that the message is
being perceived by the other party in a consistent manor. Also when communicating it is
important to provide an objective or a target, make sure that the person or team fully
understands the message been given to them and what needs to be done in order to fulfil
the task. In order to make it easier to communicate a message, the use of presentation
aids can be useful, if one is trying to get a team to understand an objective, a good
presentation is vital. Presentations can be aided by the use of power slides and visual
aides as this makes understanding an idea a lot easier. (Gregory, M, 2005, p.223).

Another important technique to improve communication would be to be organised.

Without organisation the cause can often be lost to confusion and bad timing, having an
idea or plan about how the point is going to be communicated to the other party is
beneficial in that it makes the process of communication less stressful. (Gregory, M,
2005 p.224).

An important part of having good commutations comes down to interpersonal skills, for
example. When trying to communicate a message to another party, it is often best to be

6
Darragh Ross Project Management Assignment 2 07/12/2010

polite, confident and understanding. Little things such as not coming across intimidating
or over emotional is very important as often this will get in the way of progression in
the task itself. (Gregory, M, 2005 p.225).

4.2.0 Simple Model of Interpersonal Communications

The drawing above shows a simple model of interpersonal communications. It basically

shows two people, one the sender the other the receiver. The sender is encoding his
message and sending his signal through the channel. The channel can be a variety of
things i.e. airwaves, telephone, email, video chat...etc. The other person who is the
receiver is receiving the message decodes the message. The receiver will only be able to
decode the message only if can understand the given information in the message. The
receiver will give feedback to the sender telling the sender if his message was
understood or not, hence now becoming the sender and the first sender becoming the
receiver.

7
Darragh Ross Project Management Assignment 2 07/12/2010

5.0 References
Gregory, M. (2005). Absolute Beginner's Guide to Project Management. United States
of America: Que Publishing.