Summer 2024

MCL760: Assignment set in Project Management

Marks: 150
There are THREE sections (A, B & C). Attempt All.
(Marks for section A: 65, Marks for section B: 60, Section C: 25, Total marks:150)
Date of submission: 15 June 2024 (submit to : [email protected])
Submit as a single pdf file indicating your entry number and name

Section A: Marks 65
[ There are many questions in this section. Attempt any 13. Marks 13 x5 =65]
1. List the FIVE main characteristics of a project and briefly describe the important features
of each. With reference to a specific project (for example: Construction of Lecture Hall
complex in IITD, Delhi Metro, Safdarjung Flyover or Online Academic Registration system
at IITD etc.). Briefly describe three primary goals of the project with reference to the above
project.

2. Describe the life cycle of a project in terms of (1) the degree of project completion; (2) effort
required with reference to a software project

3. List major challenges (at least 5) in managing projects in emerging economies like India
with a focus on Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

4. Identify a list of 5 projects to achieve the following broad objective: Reduce vehicular
pollution in Delhi. Give logical basis for these 5 projects.

5. For each of the projects identified in Q4 above, go through a screening exercise based on
factors like: Risk, return, Competition, Difficulty of successful implementation, Time to
implement, and impact on society (pl note these are illustrative factors only. You may have
your own set of factors). Assign weights to factors representing your priority to evaluate
and rank the projects.

6. (a) What is WBS? Develop a WBS for a project of organizing an event like Asian Games
in Delhi Or G-20 summit in Delhi Make necessary assumptions and clearly state them.
(b) How the WBS change if the WBS is for Olympic games instead of Asian games?

7. Develop a Responsibility chart for hosting a national conference by Mechanical

department. State all your assumptions very clearly. Will there be any difference if instead
of Mechanical Department, Physics department was the host for the conference Why or
why not?

8. Prepare a budget for a project of organizing a 2 -day SPICMACAY festival in RCA.

Justify with arguments your budget. Be as specific as possible.

9. In a project major estimation exercise the estimator assumed the activity time to be 80
hours assuming the job to be done by an experienced worker. The job if done by a new
worker will have a learning curve effect of 80% learning rate. He estimates the job to be
done in 80 hours. If the worker costs Rs. 100 per hour, how much will be the

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 underestimation labour cost budget by ignoring the learning curve in undertaking 25 such
jobs given that the time stabilizes after performing 20 jobs.?.

10. Develop an A-O-A and A-O-N network for undertaking B.Tech./M.Tech major project. State
all your assumptions very clearly.

11. Give an example of any project in your knowledge which was efficiently managed but not
effectively and another which was effective but not efficient.

12. " Many projects are 95% complete and remain there for long"- critically examine this
statement and identify reasons for delays in final completion and handover of projects. Do
you know some projects (at least TWO) that have remained waiting to be completed after
making substantial progress? What would you suggest avoiding such situations?

13. Give one example where the matrix form of organization structure in project management
worked well and in another it failed. Give reasons for both and how would choose the
context in which it may be suitable to deliver

14. Identify the kinds of stresses (at least 5) and their sources at different stages of project life
cycle and as trained project manager you would take preventive remedial action
in avoiding and resolving such conflicts. Do you think that a win-win strategy will work
better in conflict resolution?

15. What lessons (at least 5) can we learn from the acute shortage of oxygen concentrators
during the second wave of corona. How will you manage the situation with your understanding
of the project management?

16. Take any successful project like (Delhi Metro, Aadhar, Statue of Unity etc.). Identify at least 10
critical success factors for the success of these projects. Elaborate on these factors.

17. Now take any so called “failure “project. Identify at least 5 critical factors that led to the failure.
What corrective actions need to be taken?

18. Take any one infrastructure project in as much detail as possible. What is the complexity in
managing this project?

19. Compare Construction projects vs R&D projects on at least 5 attributes. Tabulate your comparison.

20. Prepare a check list for closing a project. This MUST be with reference to a specific construction
project.

21. Differentiate between CPM and PERT on at least 5 attributes with justification. Give a small
example.

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Section B: 60 Marks
[ There are 5 questions. Attempt any 4, Marks 60]

B.1 Assume that there are three projects (Project 1, Project 2, and Project 3). Assume the cash
flows (in Rs Crores) for these projects for next 5 years. You may assume investment for
these projects (in Rs cores).
Illustrate use of NPV, payback period and time adjusted payback period to decide the
choice of the project. Assume your own rate of return.

State all assumptions very clearly. You must use excel for these. Attach the output of excel
(after suitably converting into pdf).

B.2 Describe a real-life situation where the project is to be selected amongst at least 5 alternatives
using at least 4 attributes. Describe the alternatives and attributes and in as much detail as
possible.
Demonstrate use of any ONE of the MCDM techniques (such as Decision Matrix/AHP/TOPSIS)
for ranking the project to select the best project. State all assumptions very clearly
B.3 Construct an example of a project of at least 10 activities (A to J). Assume suitable precedence
relation. For every activity generate duration of the activity as a random discrete number between
[ 15, 25]. Find the critical path. Comment on your result. Half the activities MUST have at least 2
activities as precedents activities.
B.4 Why project monitoring and control is important? What are its consequences for executing project
with time, cost, and performance trade-offs? Illustrate with an example. List characteristics of a
project leader.

B.5 Consider yourself as the in-charge of flood relief operation. How would you prepare and
communicate with your team and various stakeholders to minimize the impact of disaster through
an effective communication? Make a list of the resources required to execute the project.

Section C [Marks: 25]

There are TWO questions. Attempt both. Marks 12.5 x2=25]

C.1 Select any of the TED/TEDx talk/ from the list given t in the appendix (page 4 ) .
Give details (link of the talk you have selected)
Write in your own words the understanding of the talk and its relevance to project management.
You can relate to any real-life situation you have encountered to support and link with the talk.

C.2 Select any of the case studies from https://www.pmi.org/learning/academic-research/project-

management-curriculum-and-resources/academic-project-management-case-studies
Write in your own words the learning from this case by highlighting relevance of at least 4 concepts
drawn from the domain of Project Management .

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Appendix: List of TED/TEDx talks

Sn Title Speaker Link

1 Build a Tower, Build a Team Tom Wujec https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_build_a_tower_build_

a_team?language=en

2 A sixth sense for project Tres Roeder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zqwlr8sp2Y

management

3 Project management applied Jorge Audy https://www.ted.com/talks/jorge_audy_o_gerenciamento_de

to life _projetos_aplicado_a_vida?language=en

4 The Secret to Life from a PMP Amy Hamilton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTn0HYmMAYM

5 How great leaders inspire Simon Sinek https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders

_inspire_action?language=en

6 As work gets more complex, 6 Yves Morieux https://www.ted.com/talks/yves_morieux_as_work_gets_mo

rules to simplify. re_complex_6_rules_to_simplify

7 Lead like the great conductors Itay Talgam https://www.ted.com/talks/itay_talgam_lead_like_the_great_

conductors

8 What's your 200-year plan? Raghava KK https://www.ted.com/talks/raghava_kk_what_s_your_200_y

ear_plan
9 The Future of Managing Mark Lomas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvSqhE830qo
Project

10 How complex global Sunil https://www.ted.com/talks/sunil_prashara_how_complex_glo

organizations are adapting to Prashara bal_organizations_are_adapting_to_our_new
our new reality

11 Project Management: how to Ryan Zhang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnJOMI5EvK4

plan & adapt with agility

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