Assessment Information/Brief 2021-22
To be used for all types of assessment and provided to students at the start of the module.
Information provided should be compatible with the detail contained in the approved module specification although may contain more information for clarity.
Module title Project Management Practice
CRN 54071/54075
Level 7
Assessment title Coursework
Weighting within module This assessment is worth 100% of the overall module mark.
Assessment task details and instructions
Construction North West has recently been awarded a £18m project in Little Hutton, Salford. For the construction of a new 750-place secondary school to replace for an existing 1960s building which is to be demolished. The current school building will remain fully operational during the new build process, eliminating the need for temporary teaching accommodation. Construction will be undertaken in three phases so that pupils and teaching staff can be transferred into the new building in early 2024 following which, demolition of the old building can then take place with completion anticipated in the summer of 2025
The new school will consist of teaching space for 750 pupils and 180 staff, and constructed using modern methods including the need to be fully electric powered, supported by roof mounted photovoltaic panels which will provide renewable energy.
Regional director of Construction North West, said: “Thanks to the MMC framework, collaborative working has shaped our success and progress to date, already resulting in substantial adaptations of the original building design to enhance the potential for community use and sports provision.
“This is going to be a new environmentally-friendly environment for both teaching and learning to take place and will provide an enormous boost to the local community.”
With sustainability embedded in its design, the project forms part of a DfE pilot scheme to deliver a building that is Net Zero Carbon in operation.
Figure 1 Architects view.
Tasks
You have been appointed as the Project Manager for the project and your CEO has asked for a strategic report that satisfies the following:
1. Critically evaluate the risk management process and develop a risk register and associated matrices to both identify and perform a risk analysis for dealing with the project and environmental impact of the proposed project including the demolition of the existing school. A minimum number of 12 (6 each) risk issues should be identified and justified.
2. The need to ensure quality throughout the project is essential. Critically analyse quality management systems and processes and develop a Quality Management Strategy (QMS) for the project.
3. Based on existing literature critically analysis Value Management in relation to the project and make recommendation to the client on feasible solutions which may be adopted to give the best Value for Money. (VfM)
4. To improve the performance, innovation is essential (Ernstsen et al., 2021). Critically discuss any two technologies of your choice, showing how they can be used on this project at any point in the asset life cycle, to improve sustainability,
Please note the following:
• The report should focus on analysing of existing research by other people. It should include a combination of synthesis of knowledge gained from existing texts and the author’s own opinions based on facts.
• Students are required to acknowledge all sources from which they obtain information, by including in-text citations and references in The APA 6th (Harvard) Style of referencing (see guidance on blackboard).
• The main emphasis in referencing should be on good quality secondary sources such as official reports, journal/conference articles, and relevant textbooks. Students can also cite good quality websites when discussing examples.
Format Students shall work individually to produce individual Microsoft Word reports. All submissions should be in Calibri, font size 14 and the lines spacing should be 1.15. Your report should have a cover sheet (identifying the module, the date, the student’s roll number). The total number of words included in the main body of the essay should be specified in the cover page. The report should be clearly structured and presented by using relevant headings and sub-headings where necessary. A brief introduction, conclusion and a Reference List should be included. The inclusion of a Bibliography is optional.
Knowledge and Understanding
Practical, Professional or Subject Specific Skills
Assessed intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this assessment, you will be able to:
1. Assess risks and project impact factors on a project proposal, including environmental impacts. Identify and assess the factors and criteria, which will be used in the impact assessment and their significance, reviewing alternative solutions to improve environmental quality and producing a report of the assessed environmental impact. Subsequently undertake a risk assessment to demonstrate the most appropriate methods to reduce the impact of risks on projects;
2. Maintain project compliance with legal and statutory requirement, develop, and implement monitoring systems to collect information regularly and evaluate this information effectively dealing with any situations, which do not comply with legal and statutory requirements quickly and efficiently;
3. Critically evaluate the efficacy of quality management and other relevant project management tools/techniques. Evaluate ways of integrating continuous quality improvements for products, services and processes by assessing the outcome of continuous monitoring, correctly identifying trends in the quality of services, to implement effective improvements;
4. Assess significant factors affecting project design, including the briefing process for clients and other stakeholders in the supply chain. Review and evaluate the findings of investigations, evaluating the information available to the project team and producing realistic design parameter and advising stakeholders on the most appropriate course of action;
5. Manage project completion processes, including inspection and handover processes; instigate project review processes and identify and document learning/lessons learned for improved future project performance
1. Promote continuous quality improvements for products, services and processes;
2. Maintain project compliance with legal and statutory requirements;
3. Manufacturing Challenges – addressing challenges associated with coordinating production with construction; project management, manufacturing process design and management, production flow management, and resource management;
4. Designing for Advanced Manufacturing – coordinating design, manufacturing and construction, design for manufacturing, design for assembly and design for sustainability;
5. Manage project handover; Obtain and evaluate project feedback information and make improvements;
Module Aims 1. Develop systematic understanding of knowledge and critical awareness of construction management practice issues.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of health, safety and welfare issues and the legal regulations for managing these on construction projects.
3. Develop a critical awareness of the role of standards and quality in successful project delivery and handover.
4. Demonstrate a practical understanding of the techniques used to manage risk and value on projects.
5. Demonstrate a practical understanding of the tools and techniques for assessing the environmental impact of construction projects
Word count/ duration (if applicable)
The essay should be at least 3000 words minimum and a maximum of 3500 words excluding words in the cover sheet, figures, tables, reference list, bibliography (if any) and appendices (if any).
Penalties for exceeding word count/ duration Not applicable.
If you submit an assessment which exceeds the word count stated above the words/content beyond the specified word count will not be used for marking purposes. However, you may receive comments on your ability to appropriately summarise information, focusing on relevant issues, etc.
Feedback arrangements
You can generally expect to receive marks and feedback forms on Blackboard 15 working days after the submission deadline. You will need to log into the full site to access the written feedback form.
You will receive an email as soon as the marks and feedback forms will be available on Blackboard. In case, after receiving the email, you do not find/cannot open the feedback form, you should contact the module tutor (Dave Dalton), via email to request a copy of your feedback form. Please remember that feedback is about far more than the mark you receive. The mark reflects the quality of the specific assignment. The comments in the feedback form, however, are designed to help you reflect upon and improve your performance more generally. Please take the time to consider your feedback carefully.
Formative feedback will be provided during the coursework consultation session and via draft review. The lecturer will be available to review your coursework via email, you will receive a reply within five working days. The deadline to show a draft of your work to the module lecturer is one week before the submission deadline. Drafts to be reviewed should be sent to the lecturer via email.
Support arrangements
• Support will be available during the coursework consultation session. Information on the assignment will be provided and specific questions will be answered/discussed.
• The module tutor can be contacted via email regarding any aspect of the assignment. A reply can be expected within 3 working days, if you do not receive a reply please email again stating that the email is a second request for support.
• Drafts will be reviewed via email. It is your responsibility to send a draft to the lecturer within the specified timeframe.
• Further information is available under Assessment on Blackboard (e.g. referencing guidelines).
askUS
Good Academic Conduct and Academic Misconduct
The University offers a range of support services for students through askUS.
Students are expected to learn and demonstrate skills associated with good academic conduct (academic integrity). Good academic conduct includes the use of clear and correct referencing of source materials.
Assessment Information
Personal Mitigating Circumstances
Personal Tutor/Student Progression Administrator If you have any questions about assessment rules, you can find further information in Blackboard in the Assessment Support area.
If personal mitigating circumstances may have affected your ability to complete this assessment, you can find more information about personal mitigating circumstances procedure here.
If you have any concerns about your studies, contact your Personal Tutor or your Student Progression Administrator.
Assessment Criteria
You should look at the assessment criteria to find out what we are specifically looking at during the assessment.
Item Mark
Critical evaluation of the risk management process and detail of the risk register and risk analysis overall mitigations strategies. 20%
Critically analyse quality management systems and processes and develop a Quality Management Strategy (QMS) for the project. 15%
Critically analysis Value Management in relation to the project and make recommendation to the client 20%
Critically discuss any two technologies, showing how they can be used on this project. 20%
Quality of Introduction and Conclusion 10%
Depth and breadth of study/extent of research demonstrated in the report, good use of citation of quality references & quotations & use of APA 7th (Harvard) Style of referencing, good grammar, presentation, writing and clarity of expression (well structured, fluent writing) 15%
MARKING SCALE
At Level 7 the following marking scale shall be used:
Extremely Poor 0% – 9%
Fail
Very Poor 10% – 19%
Poor 20% – 29%
Inadequate 30% – 39%
Unsatisfactory 40% – 49%
Satisfactory 50% – 59% Pass
Good 60% – 69% Merit
Very Good 70% – 79%
Distinction
Excellent 80% – 89%
Outstanding 90% – 100%
Extremely Poor 0%-9% Assignments in this mark range will show no awareness of scope of topic or any relevant issues. The report will show significant misunderstandings which prevent coherent discussion and analysis of the requested topics. Extremely poor knowledge and understanding of the requested topics, with major relevant elements omitted will be evident. No ability to discuss all the requested tasks will be demonstrated. Lack of communication skills. Discussion will be extremely brief or difficult to understand and will demonstrate no meaningful use of any secondary source material. No attempt to present work in acceptable format.
Very Poor
10%-19%
Assignments in this mark range will show significant misunderstandings which prevent coherent discussion and analysis of relevant topics. Discussion will be irrelevant or extremely brief and vague with various contradictions/errors/omissions. Very poor knowledge and understanding of the discussed topics, with relevant elements omitted, will be evident. The report will be very poorly structured and will demonstrate lack of ability to cover all requested tasks. Extremely limited communication skills will be demonstrated. Discussion will be difficult to understand and will demonstrate no meaningful use of any secondary source material. The report will be very poorly organized and presented.
Poor 20%-29% Assignments in this mark range will demonstrate poor knowledge and understanding of the requested topics, with no awareness of relevance of issues. Relevant discussion will be very brief with some significant misunderstandings which prevent coherent discussion. Extremely limited and largely unsuccessful attempt at analysis. Poor levels of communication will be demonstrated, discussion will lack clarity and contextualisation. Discussion will be generally vague, displaying lack of focus. The report will be poorly structured and will demonstrate lack of ability to cover all requested tasks. Major deficiencies in terms of layouts, relevant chapters and sections, informative titles/headings, relevant tables and figures will be evident. The report will demonstrate poor/no research or inclusion of irrelevant/inappropriate sources. Poor use of citations and/or reference style. Major omissions or unnecessary issues will be evident.
Inadequate 30%-39% Assignments in this mark range will be inadequately scoped and focused, with major omissions and unnecessary issues. Relevant discussion will tend to be very brief with no adequate analysis. Inadequate knowledge and understanding of the discussed topics, lack of awareness of relevance of issues will be evident. Unsatisfactory levels of communication will be demonstrated, discussion will lack clarity and adequate contextualisation. Discussion will be generally vague, displaying lack of focus. Although some relevant elements might be discernible. The report will show evidences that structure as well as clarity and precision of communication need to be strengthened. Lack of ability to allocate the available words to the requested tasks will be generally demonstrated. The presentation and structure of the repost will need major improvements. Deficiencies in terms of layouts, relevant chapters and sections, informative titles/headings, relevant tables and figures will be evident. The report will demonstrate inadequate levels of secondary research, with major deficiencies in number, choice and synthesis of secondary sources. Inadequate use of citations and/or reference style will be evident as well as major omissions or unnecessary issues.
Unsatisfactory 40%-49% Assignments in this mark range will not be appropriately scoped, with significant omissions and/or unnecessary issues. Unsatisfactory knowledge and understanding of the requested topics, with little awareness of relevance of issues will be evident. The level of analysis will need major improvements. Lack of adequate expression of ideas will be generally evident. Unsatisfactory levels of communication, with limitations in terms of contextualisation and clarity of discussion, will be demonstrated. Discussion will not show acceptable awareness of relevance of issues. Vague discussion displaying lack of focus. Although some relevant elements discernible The report will show evidences that structure as well as clarity and precision of communication need to be strengthened. Insufficient ability to allocate the available words to the requested tasks will be generally demonstrated. The presentation and structure of the report will need major improvements. Deficiencies in terms of layouts, relevant chapters and sections, informative titles/headings, relevant tables and figures will be evident. The report will demonstrate lack of satisfactory independent secondary research, with major deficiencies in choice and synthesis of secondary sources. The use of citations to support discussion and/or reference style will need major improvements. Relevant assumptions will be generally missing or not clearly stated.
Satisfactory 50%-59% Assignments in this mark range will demonstrate evident and satisfactory scope, with some omissions and unnecessary issues. Satisfactory understanding of the topics requested in each task, with some awareness of relevance of issues, will be evident. The level of analysis will need improvements. Generally adequate expression of ideas will be evident. Satisfactory levels of communication, with possible limitations in terms of contextualisation and clarity of discussion, will be demonstrated. Adequate ability to structure the report and to allocate the available words to the requested tasks, by considering the assessment criteria, will be demonstrated. The report will be adequately presented and structured. Although, some deficiencies in terms of layouts, relevant chapters and sections, informative titles/headings, relevant tables and figures might be evident. Limited independent secondary research, with deficiencies in choice and synthesis of secondary sources. The use of citations to support discussion and/or reference style will need improvements. Some assumptions will be stated.
Good 60%-69% Assignments in this mark range will demonstrate clear scope and focus, with some minor omissions or unnecessary issues. Good understanding of the topics requested in each task, with some awareness of relevance of issues, will be evident. The level of critical analysis will need improvements. Generally good expression of ideas, with some possible minor limitations will be evident. Good ability to structure the report and to allocate the available words to the requested tasks, by considering the assessment criteria, will be demonstrated. Good levels of communication and contextualisation of the discussed information, with possible limitations, will be demonstrated. Discussion will be generally clearly conveyed. Good structure and convincing argument will be evident. The report will be well presented and structured by using good layouts, relevant chapters and sections, informative titles/headings, some relevant tables and figures. Good independent secondary research will be expected, with possible deficiencies in choice and synthesis of secondary sources. Good use of citations to support discussion and generally correct use of the requested reference style will be evident. Assumptions will be generally clearly stated.
Very Good 70%-79% % Assignments in this mark range will demonstrate very good clarity of focus and include most of what is important. Very good understanding of the topics requested in each task will be evident. The level of critical analysis might need improvements. Very good expression of ideas, potential for originality. Very good ability to structure the report and to allocate the available words to the requested tasks, by considering the assessment criteria, will be demonstrated. Very good levels of communication and contextualisation of the discussed information will be demonstrated, with possible minor limitations. Discussion will be conveyed lucidly. Very good structure and generally persuasive argument will be evident. The report will be very well presented and structured by using very good layouts, relevant chapters and sections, informative titles/headings, relevant tables and figures. Very good independent secondary research will be expected. A wide range of sources will be evaluated and synthesized. Very good and effective use of good quality citations to support discussion and correct use of the requested reference style will be evident, with possible minor limitations. Appropriate assumptions will be clearly stated.
Excellent 80% – 89% Assignments in this mark range will demonstrate excellent clarity of focus, include what is important, and exclude irrelevant issues. Excellent understanding of the topics requested in each task with critical awareness of relevance of issues will be evident as well as excellent expression of ideas and evidence of originality. Excellent ability to structure the report and to successfully allocate the available words to the requested tasks, by considering the assessment criteria, will be demonstrated. Excellent levels of communication and contextualisation of the discussed information as well as high levels of independent secondary research, which reflect knowledge of current practices and theory will be demonstrated. Discussion will be conveyed lucidly. Excellent structure, compelling and persuasive argument will be evident. The report will be exceptionally presented and structured by using effective layouts, relevant chapters and sections, informative titles/headings, relevant tables and figures. Appropriate assumptions will be clearly stated. Excellent and effective use of good quality citations to support discussion and correct use of the requested reference style will be evident.
Outstanding 90%-100 Assignments in this mark range will demonstrate outstanding clarity of focus, include what is important, and exclude irrelevant issues. Outstanding understanding of the topics requested in each task with critical awareness of relevance of issues will be evident as well as exceptional expression of ideas and evidence of originality. Outstanding ability to structure the report and to successfully allocate the available words to the requested tasks, by considering the assessment criteria, will be demonstrated. Outstanding levels of communication and contextualisation of the discussed information as well as outstanding levels of independent secondary research, which reflect knowledge of current practices and relevant theory will be demonstrated. Discussion will be conveyed lucidly. Outstanding structure, compelling and persuasive argument will be evident. The report will be exceptionally presented and structured by using effective layouts, relevant chapters and sections, informative titles/headings, relevant tables and figures. Appropriate assumptions will be clearly stated. Outstanding and effective use of good quality citations to support discussion and correct use of the requested reference style will be evident.
In Year Retrieval Scheme
Your assessment is eligible for in year retrieval. If you are eligible for this scheme, you will be contacted shortly after the feedback deadline.
Reassessment
If you fail your assessment, and are eligible for reassessment, you will need to resubmit on or before TBA. For students with accepted personal mitigating circumstances for absence/non submission, this will be your replacement assessment attempt.