For those who have just started an APM PMQ course here are a couple of exam questions for you to try.
1) Describe five responsibilities of the project users during the project lifecycle?
2) List and describe the differences between projects and operations?
3) Describe the five benefits of a project lifecycle?
4) List and describe five factors that define the project environment (or context)?
Remember each answer must be made of five paragraphs of two to three sentences each.
If you post your answers below I will give you feedback.
2.List and describe the differences between projects and operations
1.Projects are temporary. Operations are business as usual.
2.Projects bring about change whereas operations seek to create a stable environment for efficient production.
3.Projects are temporary – limited by time whereas operations are repetitive and continuous.
4.Temporary project team with key project experts to deliver the requirement. Operations have a permanent team with clear procedures, roles and responsibilities
5.Specified scope so we understand what the project consists of whereas operations may have a clear scope at first but thereafter it is simply business as usual.
Projects are temporary. Operations are business as usual.
Projects are set up by the sponsoring organisation to deliver future benefits to the organisation. Operations are what the business does on a day to day basis. An example would be the construction of a new terminal at Gatwick being the project. The running of the existing terminals and airlines would be business as usual.
Projects bring about change whereas operations seek to create a stable environment for efficient production.
Using the same example, a project brings about change in terms of creating a more advance terminal with virtual assistance whereas the operation is concerned only with ensuring customer satisfaction and flights arrive and depart on time. Two different objectives, it is not until the project becomes part of the operation do the objectives become more aligned.
Projects are temporary – limited by time whereas operations are repetitive and continuous.
A clear difference is that the construction of a new terminal may take 10 years however the operation of the existing terminal (and the new one when built) will be indefinite.
Temporary project team with key project experts to deliver the requirement. Operations have a permanent team with clear procedures, roles and responsibilities
The project team will be somewhat different to the operations team to start with. The construction of a new terminal may call on engineering experts and project planners whereas the operations are dealing with getting the passengers navigated around the airport and flights departing on time. Another way of putting it is the project team is more delivery focused whereas the operations team is benefits focused.
Specified scope so we understand what the project consists of whereas operations may have a clear scope at first but thereafter it is simply business as usual.
For the construction of the terminal it may be that we need to get the first two runways operational in 24 months and to the specified budget with zero accidents. The operations may need to ensure 190 flights leave the current terminal each and every day. This soon becomes repetitive and business as usual.
A project is associated with a PROJECT lifecycle where each phase is clearly identified from concept of a requirement to the handover and close out of the end product. Operations tend to be more PRODUCT focused where the operation goes through the build stages through to operation to disposal or decommissioning / termination.
3.Describe the 5 benefits of a Project Lifecycle
A project lifecycle has a number of key benefits which include:
Providing a clear, logical progression through the timeframe of a project with clearly defined outputs and activities for each phase. E.g. it is simple to understand at what point of the project lifecycle the PMP is required to be produced (at end of definition stage).
Clearly illustrates each phase within the project lifecycle providing obvious points of which to stop. This phased visual allows the sponsoring organisation to easily identify the end of each individual stage and provides an indication when project reviews can take place, ensuring the relevant authorities are in place to proceed. A lifecycle also ensures that attention is put on the early stages by demanding that the project goes through a number of phase gates or go / no go hold points.
A project lifecycle will help illustrate when project resource is required and what resource is best place to deliver each phase. An obvious advantage of this is that it allows the organisation to forecast and managing resource across each phase. An example is a project which is approaching the definition stage where we may need input from a number of key users, we have to ensure the resource is managed in order to fulfil the requirement of the project but also to ensure business as usual is not affected by the absence of key staff.
They provide the high level initial breakdown so that detailed planning can be carried out within each phase.
They act as a format to record progress. Due to the clarity of phases within a project lifecycle it is easier to match progress to each phase. Another way of putting it is marking the achievement of set project objectives i.e. successful test, commissioning of 100 electric vehicle charge points 2 weeks early. This will provide increased confidence and a clear method for a reporting structure.
4.List and describe five factors that define the project environment (or context)? (I have done 6 for practice)
1.Political
2.Economical
3.Sociological
4.Technological
5.Legal
6.Environmental
1.Political – For large public projects such as the construction of a new MOD garrison, there may be many politically interested stakeholders all of which have different objectives. The strategic direction can often be difficult to determine.
2.Economic –Initiatives such as Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) or private partnerships are often used when looking at the construction of a new university and multi-storey car park for example. Where private investors part-fun and take a stake on the operating costs (i.e. revenue from car park for 25 years). Long term projects carry a more unknown risk when it comes to interest rates and this needs to be considered.
3.Sociological – The impact on the public is a crucial consideration. Building a nuclear power plant on the edge of a rural town will have a massive effect on the local residents.
4.Technological – The understanding of technology is crucial. If you are building a nuclear power plant, the specification in regards to materials is key to understand the contribution to the safety of the finished product but also to help understand the operational lifespan before it has to be decommissioned.
5.Legal – Need to take particular attention to health and safety legislation and monitor how this changes over the period of the project lifecycle to ensure compliance. Nuclear power projects carry with it a high level of safety critical requirements and it is important how these can affect the progression of the project.
6.Environmental – For the construction of a nuclear power project you may have tonnes of concrete that needs to be safely disposed of as well as contaminated substances which need to be dealt with in order to help protect the environment. This needs to be considered so that it doesn’t hinder overall programme.
James Saunders, you have got the idea of this very quickly, your answers are very good, I don’t think you will have any difficulty.
Steve Potterill
List & describe 5 factors that define the project environment
You have go the idea with this answer well done,
best of luck for your upcoming exam, ten like this and you should pass.
Paul