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UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS
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Cambridge International Diploma in Project Management
Professional Level
Scheme of Work
5213
Project Monitoring and Handover
Core Module
Suggested Scheme of Work for Classroom Sessions and Guidance Sessions
Unit Five
Introduction
Unit Five focuses on the issues that arise when implementation of a project is underway and which
the Project Manager has to handle in order that the project can accomplish its objectives and
purposes. It deals with monitoring and controlling the project’s progress compared to plans, making
use of change management, problem solving and conflict analysis.
General Principles and Procedures
Whereas the previous four units have dealt with different aspects of analysis and planning of future
action, Unit Five deals with implementation, i.e. direct action in a relatively non-predictable
environment. Once the project implementation has started things will happen and situations will
emerge which have usually not been anticipated exactly.
The suggested training programme in relation to implementation has a slightly different character than
a training programme in relation to analyses and planning methods. As for analyses and planning
methods, relatively fixed models and best practices can be presented. For implementation this is not
really the case. The focus must now be on candidates’ ability to act as manager of staff, time,
budgets, quality, occurring risks, their own managers and other stakeholders in the project. They will
have to focus on, and distinguish between, project external and project internal issues and between
which emerging issues they should handle themselves, and which should be referred to superiors or
delegated to subordinates.
Thus, a training programme for this part of the project cycle should include organisational behaviour
and methods for self-assessment and development in relation to the role as Project Manager as well
as theory and techniques for handling changes, conflicts, monitoring etc.
Candidates’ network and discussion groups can be of great value during their project implementation
period as they will have a need to discuss a number of issues with which they have to deal in their
daily function as Project Managers. Networking activity should be encouraged and facilitated by the
training centre if possible but does not necessarily include tutor participation.
What is Assessed
The Student Assessment Record for the unit will confirm that the candidate has achieved
understanding and skills in relation to
·
·
·
·
change management
conflict analysis and problem solving
monitoring project progress
actions to ensure satisfactory progress
Assignment Three Part One relates to Unit Five and must demonstrate the candidate’s ability to act in
relation to developments in the implementation of the project.
Documentation must include project overview reports, tracking Gantt charts and reports on progress
in relation to plans at relevant points of the implementation period as well as indication of
management action.
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Tutor Preparation Required
In a situation where candidates carry out their projects parallel to the course programme it should be
envisaged that they will be very busy with their Project Manager function as activities usually increase
considerably once project implementation starts. Session planning should accommodate discussion
of emerging issues and problems encountered by candidates. The tutor should be prepared to
conduct individual counselling in relation to the sessions.
In relation to finding example projects for exercises, demonstration etc. the number and status of
candidate projects should at this point be sufficient to provide data and material for almost any
demonstration. Further, using candidates’ own projects for demonstration and discussions can have
the advantage that the group already knows about these projects and will engage in discussions on
issues taken up.
Whenever the tutor wishes to use a candidate project as an example it should be agreed with the
candidate beforehand. The tutor may choose to get an electronic copy of data and information in
order to prepare the demonstration properly and make sure it shows what is expected etc.
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Unit Five Project Management and Implementation
Session 17 – Initiation of Implementation
Notes,
comments
and
exercises
5A
Online
Resources
Notes
Area of
Learning Objectives
competence
Teaching Activities
20.0
The role and identity of the
Project Manager
Identification and potential development of
Project Manager competencies
Initiation of project
implementation
Demonstrate the baseline function of Project
planning software and explain conditions for
drawing a baseline
5B
Change management
techniques
Discuss project file status and procedures to 5 C
be in place at start of implementation
Home work
Identify relevant procedures which may
need to be in place
Define change at various levels of the
project
Suggested reading
Conflict solving
5
22.0
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5D
Group work
Discuss the individual role as Project
Manager in home organisation and
potential constraints and opportunities
related to this
Unit Five Project Management and Implementation
Session 18 – Change, Problems and Conflicts
Area of
Learning Objectives
competence
22.0
Teaching Activities
Managerial issues in relation Discuss potential action to address change
and authority issues
to project implementation
Notes,
comments
and
exercises
5E
23.0
Problem solving techniques
24.0
Conflict identification and
handling
Introduce and discuss problem solving
techniques, their relevance and practical
application
5F
Introduce and discuss the concepts of
conflict and conflict solving
5G
Online
Resources
2
3
4
31
32
Notes
Group work
Identify potential authority problems in
relation to own projects and discuss
procedures for action
Home work
Produce formats for status reports
during implementation
Suggested reading
Authority and power
Monitoring
Unit Five Project Management and Implementation
Additional Session
Additional sessions will probably be relevant during candidates’ implementation of their projects. This may be in the form of individual or group consultations or
plenary discussions of issues occurring in relation to implementation.
A candidates’ network which can work independently of tutor input can be very valuable for exchange and discussion of experience.
An additional session at this point could focus on managerial issues in relation to project implementation.
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Unit Five Project Management and Implementation
Session 19 – Tracking and Monitoring
Area of
Learning Objectives
competence
Teaching Activities
25.0
Candidates present change management
authority issues, procedures and forms for
discussion
Tracking and monitoring
projects
26.0
Notes,
comments
and
exercises
Project Manager function
27.0
Introduce the concept of tracking and
monitoring the project.
Tracking progress and monitoring
achievements in relation to identified
objectives, deliverables and success criteria
5H
6E
Introduce Earned Value project
management if relevant
Resume discussion from session twelve
3G
about Project Manager’s planning of his own
time
Demonstrate IT tracking
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Online
Resources
6
18
19
28
39
51
Notes
Group work
Discuss the specific need for monitoring
and reporting during implementation
phase of individual projects
Home work
Define relevant points for status
reporting in individual projects
Suggested reading
Communication
Unit Five Project Management and Implementation
Additional Session
Monitoring and tracking issues can raise a number of questions as to measuring progress against plans in terms of meeting success criteria for quality, time and
cost. An additional session may be spent on such issues and group discussions. Also, documentation for Assignment Three may need some attention and advice
by the tutor at this point in the programme.
Unit Five Project Management and Implementation
Session 20 – Reporting and Communication
Area of
Learning Objectives
Teaching Activities
competence
25.0
The role and identity of the
Project Manager
Identification and potential development of
Project Manager skills
Communication of project
information
Present and discuss various formats for
status reporting taking into account the
recipients and appropriate intervals of
reporting to different stakeholders
Notes,
comments
and
exercises
5A
26.0
27.0
Monitoring progress,
tracking the project
Discuss the Student Assessment Record for
Unit Five with each candidate
Status reporting
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5I
Online
Resources
50
51
52
54
Notes
Group work
Discuss appropriate frequency and
format for reporting in individual projects
Home work
Define reporting lines and frequency in
own project – who reports to whom, how
often and on what? Revise report format
if relevant. Relate to diagrams in
Assignment Two.
Produce Assignment Three Part One
Identify any agreements on
commissioning period for individual
project
Suggested reading
Project closure and handover
Unit Six
Introduction
Unit Six focuses on closure or handover of the project, targeted reporting, review, project
evaluation and recommendations derived from the experience.
In this material the terms Project Closure and Project Handover are in general used
synonymously. Some may define project closure only as closing down a project before
completion, some may define project handover only as submitting the project for someone
else to handle at some point during the project life cycle. This material uses the terms as
closure of the project life cycle and handover of project results to client and/or for operation by
recipients. However, the point of closure or handover is not necessarily simultaneous with the
end of the implementation period or delivery of results. In some types of project a
commissioning period will prevail in which the operation of project results is tested and some
kind of guarantee agreement is in action and specific definitions of closure and handover may
apply.
General Principles and Procedures
Some IT software tools can produce a wide range of reports displaying the registered data. It
should be noted that when candidates select reports for their project closure they should
target the reports at points of specific interest in the project and they should comment on the
choice of reports. Thus, in the training program a focus should be on deliberate selection and
presentation of project closure information targeted at the actual recipients, be it client,
sponsor, Project Team or someone else.
Candidates should be given the opportunity to review their own performance and experience
as a Project Manager in relation to a relatively firmly structured work method. They should
also be encouraged to reflect on what their personal benefit from working with a project in a
pre-set frame has been and what the benefit for their organisation may be.
Assessment
The Student Assessment Record for the unit will confirm that the candidate has achieved
understanding and skills in relation to
·
·
issues involved in project closure
reporting and evaluation in relation to Terms of Reference
Assignment Three Part Two relates to Unit Six and must demonstrate the candidate’s ability
to produce and select relevant documentation in relation to project closure or handover. This
includes Gantt chart, financial report and a status report relating to the list of deliverables
produced in the initial stages of the project planning when the project proposal was made.
Tutor Preparation Required
Completion of Assignment Three may occupy a large proportion of the session time during
the final unit. Deadline dates for submission of drafts for review, tutor’s feedback and
submission of the final assignment should be negotiated with the group and the training
centre. Flexibility in terms of allowance for sufficient time for candidates to complete their
projects should be observed when deadlines are established.
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Unit Six Project Closure or Handover
Session 21 – Project Closure
Area of
Learning Objectives
competence
28.0
Teaching Activities
Issues of project
closure or hand over
Define the concepts of project closure and
handover
Reporting
Discuss implications of a commissioning period
or defects liability period
Discuss potential recipients of project and final
project reports and identify typical reports
required at project closure or handover
Notes,
Online
comments and Resources
exercises
6A
1
20
6B
Notes
Group work
Exchange and discuss experience with
project closure procedures in own
organisations
Home work
Identify programme for project closure
/ handover and reporting needs
Suggested reading
Evaluation
Performance review
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Unit Six Project Closure or Handover
Session 22 – Project Review
Area of
Learning Objectives
competence
Teaching Activities
28.0
Explain difference between validation and
evaluation
Project review
Project evaluation
Identify outcome of evaluations
Extracting
recommendations
Review of personal
performance
Discuss Earned Value project management
(may have been taken care of in session 19)
Discuss dissolving of Project Team and
recommendations for staffing actions
Online
Notes,
comments and Resources
exercises
6C
8
12
6D
13
18
6E
19
6F
Notes
Group work
Review individual outline for
assignment Three and identify weak
points in presentation to be taken care
of
Home work
Produce total Assignment Three
Discuss the Student Assessment Record for Unit
Six with each candidate
Units Five-Six
Additional session
An additional session may be used to guide candidates in completing Assignment Three for submission.
If it is considered relevant, some effort can be spent on establishing a formal network for future correspondence and/or a structured meeting forum for exchange
of experiences etc.
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Guidelines for writing Assignment Three
Guidelines for writing Assignment Three are given in the syllabus following Units Five and Six.
As is the case for Assignment Two, the guidelines focus on documentation which for the most
part can be, but not necessarily are, produced in the form of IT generated reports. However,
again, candidates should make an effort to select and target the information provided in the
assignment in order to demonstrate their approach to managing, monitoring, and closing the
project implementation. This can be done by commenting on the types and numbers of
reports presented in relation to contents, frequency and target groups and by indicating the
specific purpose of each report presented. Candidates should also comment on financial
results, use of contingencies, actual occurrence of risk etc. as opposed to just including a
number of reports.
In cases where a project is not completed as planned, the assignment can still be completed
if the candidate can provide proper documentation and status reports to explain the situation.
A specific part of the project implementation phase can be used for document reporting and
closure. It should be explained specifically what the documentation is for, since it may not be
directly coherent with, and comparable to, the previous assignments for the project. In such
cases, the content of the report should be agreed between the candidate and the tutor.
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