Spring 2010 (Jan-June)

Q3.Describe the various steps involved in monitoring and controlling a projectAns:

Monitoring and controlling the project is a complimentary function
of planning. Withoutplanning controlling cannot be done. Monitoring refers to the activity of
overseeing that if theproject is progressing according to the scheduled project plan.
Controlling refers to theactivities of setting conditions so that the project conforms to the
scope set.Monitoring and controlling are therefore the prime area of responsibility on the
shoulders of the Project Manager. There are standard tools and techniques available
to the ProjectManager and his team to keep the project on track.Various milestones to be
covered in monitoring and controlling the project from start to endare given below.
01. Preliminary Work :
The primary stage involves understanding the project charter by theproject team. Various key
success factors with scope as the focus is drawn and
understood.A s u m m a r y o f s t a g e s , S t a g e e s t i m a t e s , R e s o u r c e r e q u i r e m e n t ,
p r i m a r y W B S , q u a l i t y requirements, stage tolerance with respect to time duration, quality
and cost ,change controlhierarchy and change control log, quality etc are discussed and
finalized. Preliminary workalso emphasis on various MIS and monitoring / control requirements
like Progress reports,periodicity of reports, stage end reports, stage conformance certification,
interfacing etc.
02. Project Progress:
The project team members keep track of the project progress andcommunicate the same to
other team members so as to bring stage integration into focus of the members. It also
helps the team to realize lead and lag time and accordingly plan the completion. The
project progress is monitored and controlled through regular check points,various charts for
quality and schedule, statistical data, quality controlling tools etc. Sincechanges and variations
can not the entirely ruled out, The change management is also
ani m p o r t a n t f u n c t i o n d u r i n g p r o j e c t p r o g r e s s . P r o j e c t r e v i e w m e e t i n g i s a l
s o a t o o l o f importance as the project progress to enable the project team to
evaluate the status andcharter the further course. Any course correction required with its
impact on the scope, cost,time duration and quality are analyzed at these review
meetings and put through change management system for implementation.
Spring 2010 (Jan-June)
03. Stage Control:
It is humanly not possible for the Project Manager (PM) monitor microlevel activities. Therefore,
the PM establishes a stage wise check points which constitutemajor mile stones in each stage.
Stage version control procedures may be adopted for this.The micro management is
delegated to stage managers. The stage documentation withversion control numbers and
revision are maintained for the changes. These are used
byappropriate team members to make corresponding changes or modification the re
latedstages. Team members are identified and assigned the task of monitoring
and controllingvarious stage progress and integrate them with the overall project monitoring
plan.
04. Resource Planning:
R e s o u r c e s b e i n g t h e b l o o d i n t h e v e i n s o f a n y p r o j e c t , t h e absence or
shortage of it can paralyze the project. It is therefore essential that
resourcesrequired for the project during its different stages are duly planned and arranged.
Both theproject team and key resources coordinators have to frequently and periodically interact
andreview the resource positioning for the planned stages. It is also essential to communicate

toall stage managers of the resource availability or shortage of the resources so that to modifyor
expedite or reschedule the stages / segments or activities as required.
05. Quality Control:
Q u a l i t y c o n t r o l r e l a t e s t o m e a s u r i n g t h e s t a n d a r d s s p e c i f i e d t o standards
achieved. It is very important in todays globalized scenario where market isflooded
with choices. Quality monitoring or control has several tools which has
emanatedfrom post world war production era. The general tools used are statistical Quality
control,
Bar Charts, Pareto diagram, Cause & Effect analysis, Histograms, Bench Marking et
c. TheQuality control is an activity which is spared all the project life cycles. Therefore it
is essentialthat the quality requirement is understood by the project team at all levels.
06. Schedule Quality Review:
The quality monitoring has to be duly institutionalized. Theschedule for quality review has to be
planned in such a way that the quality requirement or bench mark has to be laid down and
communicated in the beginning of each stage and to bereview in the check control
point. The quality conformation to be done at the stage ends before stage transition.
07. Agenda for Quality Review:
T h e a g e n d a f o r q u a l i t y r e v i e w s h o u l d b e c r e a t e d envisaging all quality
requirements and shall be communicated to all
concerned in theproject. Various components like objectives, product specification,
logistics, tools, roles,responsibilities, time frame etc have to be identified and
logged into the agenda. This will enable the quality planners to make a comprehensive
quality assurance plan.
Spring 2010 (Jan-June)
08. Conduct Quality Review:
With the aid of schedule and Agenda for quality review , thequality review has to be conducted
at specified interval in a structured and formal manner.Quality review should focus on bench
marked quality standards and evaluate the product or service for conformance.
09. Follow up:
Quality review may observe deviations from the set standards and thereforemay need
corrective measure to ensure conformance. Further the implementation of
thequality policy may not be as planned. In such cases of the, QC may introduce
correctiveactions or modification. The base QC policy and well as the stage
corrections will needsystematic and strict follow up actions to ensure the conformance to
standards.
10. Review of the Quality Control Procedure:
The quality control procedures are institutedand adopted for a particular project at the time of
planning stage. Due to lack of completeinformation or omission, the QC procedure may
not befit some of the process, product or service. Quality control procedure therefore will
need review to reorient the same with theupdate project quality need. This calls for review
of each QC procedures as to whether eachof them and in sync with the process, product or
services.
Spring 2010 (Jan-June)
Q4.Explain the term knowledge factor.Ans:
While transcending from unknown to known, the factor which guides one is nothing
butknowledge. Since a project in conceptualized from a vision or compulsion uncertainties
andc h a n g e s d o b o t h e r t h e m a n a g e m e n t a t s o m e s t a g e o r t h e o t h e r . T h e

project theme,objective and scope undergo changes and revisions and in

o r d e r t o c h a r t e r t h e r i g h t direction nothing but knowledge is the guide. Knowledge Factor
therefore plays a very vitaland dominant role in project management as well as other facets of
general management. KFactor is an index of extent to which one can manage today
with yesterdays knowledgecontents and leverage todays knowledge for managing