Introduction of Project and Project Management
Introduction of Project and Project Management
Introduction of Project and Project Management
Management
Because a project has a beginning and an end, it has a life cycle. The life cycle comprises of
the following stages:
i. Concept Phase/Initiation Phase/Project Definition
ii. Planning and Organizing Phase
iii. Engineering and Design Phase
iv. Implementation Phase
v. Termination Phase
Concept Phase/Initiation Phase/Project Definition
The concept phase begins with the initial notion of someone who imagines accomplishing
some objective. This phase comprises of the following actions to determine the viability of
the project:
Conceptual development of the model and its studies
Technical and economic feasibility studies
Environmental impact assessment
Social impact assessment
Land and geological survey-location of the project
Enumeration of the major problems in translating the project into reality
Example: Suppose a state highway is crossing the railway line. The idea
is to construct a fly over. This is situated in a small district level town.
Here the project is the construction of the flyover. In this phase, the
following points are examined-
a. Based upon the level of traffic, the basic model of the fly over is
prepared, with respect to width, length of the approach road, etc.
b. The cost of construction is roughly estimated and source of money
discussed.
c. Is it necessary to have a fly over now? This point is studied with
regard to the level of traffic on the road as well as on the railway
line. If the traffic load is low, the project may be discarded based on
cost-benefit analysis.
d. How to relocate any power line coming in the construction area.
e. Preliminary soil investigation
These points basically come under the conceptual model & technical and
educational studies. Environment impact assessment is not very
important for this project.
Detailed Design
In this stage, the project is broken down into its components and each of the elements is
analyzed and designed, such that the engineer renders the explicit drawings and specifications
used for construction.
Outcome of this design phase: The following are the outcomes of this
phase:
Drawing of the structures/facilities to be constructed
Specifications of components to be employed which contain
detailed description of the amenities constructed.
Implementation Phase
This is the most important phase of a civil engineering project, where the major portion of the
money is invested. A lot of issues of project management are involved in this phase. The
project is realized in the real world. The major works involved are:
i. Construction Methods
ii. Labour and Equipment Management
iii. Material Management
iv. Construction Planning
v. Construction Scheduling
vi. Construction Finance
Outcome of this stage: Facility or Structures
Termination Phase
Aim of this phase is to check that the project has been carried out according to the contract
document. All the facilities should function properly as envisaged in the design phase. Hence,
it should be checked if each component is functioning according to design and specification.
Finally, the project outcome is handed over to the beneficiaries.
1.5Project Environment
Virtually all projects are planned and implemented in a social, economic, and environmental
context, and have intended and unintended positive and/or negative impacts. The project team
– starting at the top with the project manager – should always consider the project in its
cultural, social, international, political, and physical environmental contexts. Perception of
the project from these standpoint will help the team prepare for issues, plan for risks, and
better understand that factors at work around, and possible even against, your project.
Cultural and social environment. The team needs to understand how the project affects
people and how people affect the project. This may require an understanding of aspects of the
economic, demographic, educational, ethical, ethnic, religious, and other characteristics of the
people whom the project affects or who may have an interest in the project. The project
manager should also examine the organizational culture and determine whether project
management is recognized as a valid role with accountability and authority for managing the
project.
International and political environment. Some team members may need to be familiar with
applicable international, national, regional, and local laws and customs, as well as the
political climate that could affect the project. Other international factors to consider are time-
zone differences, national and regional holidays, travel requirements for face-to-face
meetings, and the logistics of teleconferencing. This certainly comes into a bigger view for
remote project managers working with virtual teams stretched across a country or around the
world. This wasn’t nearly the common occurrence 20 years ago that it is today with our
ability to use technology to collaborate with our team at a moment’s notice from just about
any location.
Physical environment. If the project will affect its physical surroundings, some team
members should be knowledgeable about the local ecology and physical geography that could
affect the project or be affected by the project. As we consider green initiatives and
environmental sustainability on our projects – concepts that often play big roles in projects at
this time – the physical environment of the project can be a big factor.
(Class Notes)
A project is environment specific. Environment consists of forces that influence the project’s
ability to achieve its objectives. A project environment can be classified into:
a. Internal Environment
b. Task Environment (Stakeholder’s Environment)
c. External Environment
Internal Environment
- Located within project
a. Objectives: Objectives are the desired outputs or end results of the project. Project
activities must be conducted within project objectives.
b. Constraints: A project operates within the constraints of time, cost and quality. They
delineate the scope of the project.
c. Structure: Project is temporary organization. Its structure generally cuts across
organizational and departmental lines. It has its own management team. Team
members come from various disciplines and experiences. Project must function within
the boundary of their structures.
d. Resources: Project consists of human and non-human resources. It usually has its own
budget. Resource availability sets limit on project activities.
Task Environment
The task environment of a project immediately surrounds the project. It is made up of
STAKEHOLDERS. Their interests are affected by the project. They affect the project
activities. Elements of task environment are:
a. Client/Customers: Project is custom made. It satisfies the needs of the project. Client
specifies the project’s TOR (Terms of Reference). Client greatly influences the
project.
b. Contractors: Project involves high level of contracting and subcontracting. Greater
the complexity, greater is the contracting level. Contractors are profit oriented so they
compromise on quality.
c. Consultants: Project consists of analysis of consultants from inception to completion.
They exert influence on the project activities.
d. Suppliers: Project depends on the suppliers for procurement of materials, equipment,
etc. They affect efficiency, quality and schedule.
e. Government: Policies, attitude and facilities by government help or constrain the
project. Projects should comply with government rules, regulations and directions.
f. Finances: Owner/Bank/Government etc. can provide fun to the project. They affect
fund mobilization for the project.
g. Competitors: Competitors are everywhere. Competition on project is intense.
Competitors’ action is vital for the success or failure of project.
h. Labour unions: Unionization is increasing in projects. Labour relations need to be
effectively managed by projects. Industrial disputes leading to strikes can adversely
affect project progress.
External Environment
Political / Legal Economic
External
Project
Environment
Technological Socio-cultural
Consultation
Local consultation may help determine priorities and secure community consent and
ownership. More targeted consultation, with potential project users, may help ensure that
project plans are viable. A key question in appraisal will be whether there has been
appropriate consultation and how it has shaped the project
Options
Options analysis is concerned with establishing whether there are different ways of achieving
objectives. This is a particularly complex part of project appraisal, and one where guidance
varies. It is vital though to review different ways of meeting local need and key objectives.
Inputs
It’s important to ensure that all the necessary people and resources are in place to deliver the
project. This may mean thinking about funding from various sources and other inputs, such
as volunteer help or premises. Appraisal should include the examination of appropriately
detailed budgets.
Implementation
Appraisal will need to scrutinize the practical plans for delivering the project, asking whether
staffing will be adequate, the timetable for the work is a realistic one and if the organization
delivering the project seems capable of doing so.
Sustainability
In regeneration, sustainability has often been talked about simply in terms of whether a
project can be sustained once regeneration funding stops but sustainability has a wider
meaning and, under this heading, appraisal should include an assessment of a project’s
environmental, social and economic impact, its positive and negative effects.
While appraisal will focus detailed attention on each of these areas, none of them can be
considered in isolation. Some of them must be clearly linked – for example, a realistic
assessment of outputs may be essential to a calculation of value for money. No project will
score highly against all these tests and considerations. The final judgment must depend on a
balanced consideration of all these important factors.
(CLASS NOTES)
Types of Appraisal
Technical Appraisal
Alternative technical solutions processes, engineering and design requirements, technical
specification, technical risks and uncertainties, local resources availability operation sizes,
layout, location and geology are summarized and assessed.
Economic Appraisal
It is in terms of worth the project of society. The cost and benefits of the projects are assessed
and summarized. Criteria used for assessment are:
Comparison of Cost and Benefit
IRR/ERR calculation
NPV-PB period calculation
Market Appraisal
Factors such as project capacity, market demand forecast, estimated revenue, marketing
programme, competition and ability to satisfy customers are summarized and analyzed.
Management Appraisal
Important features of project organization and management, institutional relationship,
management capacities and limitations and impact of stakeholders are summarized and
analyzed.
Environmental Appraisal
Positive and adverse environmental impacts are summarized and assessed. IEE – Initial
Environmental Examination and EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment is done for large
projects.
Financial Appraisal
Factors such as capital requirement, debt-equity ratio, projected cash flow profitability and
projects capacity to meet financial obligations are summarized and analyzed. Sensitivity
analysis/Ratio analysis is done in this analysis.
2.2 Project Proposal (Technical and Financial)
Project satisfies customer needs. A project proposal shows how the customer needs will be
met through the project activities. The set of documents submitted for evaluation of project is
called project proposal.
A project proposal is a blueprint of project activities. It is a response to TOR by the
customers. Its basic purpose is to convince the customers that proposal is worthy of support.
Contents of Project Proposal
It is divided into two parts:
i. Technical part of the proposal (Technical Proposal)
ii. Financial part of the proposal (Financial Proposal)
a. Technical Proposal
It deals with the technical details of the project:
a) Problems: It should begin with the description of the problem to be addressed. The
approach to tackle the situation should be presented in sufficient detail. The methods
of resolving critical issues should be outlined.
b) Special Requirements: Ways of handling special requirements of customers should be
listed.
c) Test and Inspection: All the test and inspection procedures to assure performance,
quality, reliability and compliance with specification should be noted.
d) Logistics: Plan for logistic support should be outlined. It can be facilities, equipment,
skills and administrative aspect of the project.
e) Reporting: Nature and timing of progress report and evaluation should be noted.
f) Bio-data: Bio-data of key project team members are assigned responsibilities should
be provided.
g) Capability Statement: It is of the organization presenting the proposal. Past
experiences should be provided.
b. Financial Proposal
It deals with the financial details of the project.
It outlines the implementation plan of the project.
It contains cost estimate, time and material required.
Finally, executive summary should be provided in the beginning. Diagrams/Pictures/Pie-
charts make proposal attractive. After submission of the proposal to the client, it becomes
BID.
2.3 Procedure for Developing Project Proposal
A project proposal should be professionally developed.
Pre- Proposal
Project Preliminary
feasibility Developm
Brief Design
Study ent
1. Project Brief:
It is the wish list of project customer. It is a document provided by the project customer
detailing TOR. It includes: need of the project, scope of the project, objectives and outputs,
estimated budget, estimated time table and deadlines. It serves as a starting point of the
project.
2. Pre-feasibility Study:
It is the preliminary study of the implementability of the project. It does not deal with in
detail. The area for which information is collected and analysed are: technical analysis,
financial analysis, economic analysis, marketing analysis, environmental analysis and
management analysis.
3. Preliminary Design:
It is an elaboration of project idea on the requirement of prefeasibility study. It includes:
technical aspect, project schedule/implementation plan, estimated cost, etc.
4. Proposal Development:
Finally, project proposal is developed which should contain:
Project Objectives/Output
Project Activities
Project Implementation
Project Schedule
Project Budget
Project Monitoring and Evaluation
2.4 Techniques of Project Formulation
The systematic way or technique of converting the concept of project into its probable
planning is called project formulation technique.
It includes:
a. Feasibility Analysis (Pre-feasibility Analysis)
It is the first stage in project formulation. Examination is done to see whether to go in for a
detailed investment proposal or not. Screening of internal and external constraints are also
made. Various aspects of feasibility analysis are:
Technical Analysis
Financial Analysis
Economic Analysis
Marketing Analysis
Management Analysis
Environmental Analysis
b. Network Analysis (Preliminary Schedule)
It is the heart of the project entity. It defines the sequence of events of the project. Time is
allocated for each activity. It is presented in a form of a network drawing. It helps to identify
project inputs, finance needed and cost-benefit profile of the project.
c. Input Analysis (Preliminary Estimate of Resources)
It assesses the input requirements during the construction and operation of the project. It
defines the inputs required for each activity. Inputs include materials, humans, machinery and
money. It evaluates the feasibility of the project from the point of view of the availability of
necessary resources. This aids in assessing the project cost.
d. Financial Analysis (Preliminary Financial Viability)
It involves estimating the project costs, operating cost and fund requirements. It helps in
comparing various project proposals on a common scale. Analytical tools used are discounted
cash flow, cost-volume-profit relationship and ratio analysis. Investment decisions involve
commitment of resources in future, with a long time horizon. It needs caution and foresight in
developing financial forecasts.
e. Cost Benefit Analysis (Preliminary Cost Benefit Analysis)
The overall worth of a project is considered. The project design forms the basis of evaluation.
It considers costs that all entities have to bear and the benefit connected to it.
Project Planning and Scheduling
Preliminary Estimating
Addition of
Investigatio and Execution
facilities
n Costing
Lighting Speakers
Switches Lockers
Curtains
30 16 15
27
14
25 12
12
20 10
10
8
15 8
10 6
10
5 4
5 3
2
0 0
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Column2 Column2
Step – 0 Step – 4
14
12
12
11 11 11
10
0
1 2 3 4
Column2
Step – 8
Burgress Method of Least Squares is a classical method of Resource Levelling. It is based
on the principle that, the sum of daily resources required to complete an activity remaining
constant, the peak value of the resources will be the lowest, when the sum of the squares of
daily resource requirements is brought to a minimum value.
Example:
Suppose an activity takes 4 weeks to be completed, with manpower requirements initially
calculated as 3, 10, 27 and 5 in successive weeks. Here the sum of resources is 3+10+27+5 =
45 men and the peak value is 27 heads in the 3rd week.
Now, instead of engaging only 3 men in the first week and then increasing to 10 and 27 in the
following 2 weeks and again bringing it down sharply to 5 heads in the 4 th week, resources
may be “levelled” by the principle of least squares, by reducing the peak resources step by
step. This can be done in the following way:
Given: x = 32 + 102 + 272 + 52 = 863
Step 1: x = 32 + 102 + 222 + 102 = 693
Step 2: x = 32 + 152 + 172 + 102 = 623
Step 3: x = 82 + 102 + 172 + 102 = 553
Step 4: x = 82 + 122 + 152 + 102 = 533
Step 5: x = 102 + 102 + 152 + 102 = 525
Step 6: x = 102 + 112 + 132 + 112 = 511
Step 7: x = 102 + 122 + 122 + 112 = 509
Step 8: x = 112 + 112 + 122 + 112 = 507
Any further levelling of resources is not possible, as the sum of squares will be more than
507. Hence, 11, 11, 12 and 11 should be the desired allocation of resources each week.
3.6 Introduction to Planning Software – MS Project
(See – msproject.pdf)
Project Implementation and Controlling
Monitoring (अननगमन)
It is the process of observing, recording and reporting project information continuously.
Purpose of Monitoring:
i. To make a project effective
ii. To collect and analyse information
iii. To review the progress critically
iv. To change or continue direction
v. For the best utilization of resources
vi. To prepare the base for evaluation
Methods of Monitoring:
i. Through Progress Report
ii. Review Meeting
iii. Field Visit
iv. Discussion and Dialogues
v. Tour report of Project Staff
vi. Visitors’ observation
vii. Key information
viii. Complaints and Grievances position
ix. Networking
Evaluating (ममल्यययांकन)
It is the systematic judgmental process of comparing actual project performance with planned
performance to find deviation and its causes if necessary. Evaluation is a periodic process and
is done during and after implementation.
S.N Basis of Difference Monitoring Evaluation
.
1. Vision Looks forward Looks backward
2. Time Frame Continuous process One time periodic
3. Who does Needs to be done internally Needs to be done internally
and externally
4. Communication Needs communication Not necessary among all levels
properly
5. Feedback Provides information for Provides information for future
day to day management planning
6. Helpful Monitoring helps for Evaluation helps for future
evaluation. planning.
Corrective Actions
If deviation exceeds the tolerance limit, appropriate actions are taken known as corrective
actions to bring the project back on track.
Control
CONTROL = Monitoring + Evaluation + Corrective Actions
It ensures that right things are done at right time in a right manner.
4.2 Project Control
Controlling is the management function of comparing the actual achievements with the
planned ones at every stage and taking necessary action, if required, to ensure the attainment
of the planned goals.
Areas of Control
1. Quality (Performance) Control - Specification
2. Cost Control - Budget
3. Time Control – Schedule
Difficulties in Project Control in Nepal
1. Political instability
2. Social problems
3. Corruption (on site quality control)
4. Lack of appropriate technologies
5. Manpower – lack of skilled manpower
6. Lowest bidder is awarded the project.
7. Difficult geography
8. Climatic condition
9. Cultures, norms etc.
4.3 Project Control Cycle
Control is cyclical process.
a. 3-Step Control Cycle
Measuring
Correcting Evaluating
1. Implementation
7. Take Corrective
2. Fixing Datum
Action
Q. Justify “Quality costs more but lack of quality costs even more.”
Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assumption (QA)
Quality Control is a part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality
requirements. It is defined as the operational techniques and activities used to fulfill
requirements for quality. It is the physical verification that the product conforms to these
planned arrangements by inspection, measurement, etc.
Quality Assurance (QA)
It is a part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality
requirements will be fulfilled. It is defined as all the planned and systematic activities
within the quality systems that can be demonstrated to provide confidence that a product
or service will fulfill requirements for quantity.
Total Quality Management (TQM)
Total Quality Management is an approach to the art of management that originated in
Japanese industry in the 1950s and has become steadily more popular in the West since
the early 1980s.
Total Quality is a description of the culture, attitude and organization of a company that
aims to provide, and continue to provide, its customers with products and services that
satisfy their needs. The culture requires quality in all aspects of the company’s
operations, with things being done right first time, and defects and waste eradicated from
operations.
ISO 9001 is one of a series of three international standards for quality systems that can
be used for external quality assurance purposes. Those standards specify quality system
requirements for use where a contract between two parties requires the demonstration of
a supplier’s capability.
4.8 Introduction to Project Management Information System (PMIS)
(See Book – A Text Book of Project Engineering)
• Selection of
appropriate
method of
evaluation
Risk Analysis