Retake Exam - Project Execution (MOT9564 2010/2011)

Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, TU Delft

8 April 2011, 14:00-17:00
RW - CZ 2
Lecturer: Dr. Sergey Filippov
No books and lecture slides allowed, switch off cell phones and put them out of sight. Unprogrammed
calculators are allowed.
______________________________________________________________________
1)

Project execution stage (12 points)

a) Discuss whether good project execution compensate for poor project definition. Use an
example, and/or show it on a graph (5 points)
b) Why are trade-offs so critical in project execution (3 points)
c)

2)

What documents are usually necessary to start execution of a project? Describe the main
document (4 points)

Safety (7 points)
a) Briefly discuss the role of safety in projects (3 points)
b) Explain the ALARP principle using an example (4 points)

3)

Project monitoring and reporting (10 points)

a) Explain project monitoring, project control and project evaluation. What are the main
differences between them? (3 points)
b) There are three types of progress reports (1) routine, (2) exception, (3) special analysis.
Define them and explain differences between them (3 points)
c)

4)

Why is reporting often seen as problematic? List and explain common reporting problems
(4 points)

Monitoring the cost (6 points)

a) What does the term Earned Value mean? Why is it so important in project execution? Use an
example (3 points)
b) Define 0/100, 50/50 and proportionality rules of the earned value. Compare them in terms of
their advantages and disadvantages (3 points)

5)

Project control (8 points)

a) It is acknowledged that the two fundamental objectives of control are: (1) the regulation of
results through the alteration of activities, and (2) the stewardship of organisational
resources. Explain them (4 points)
b) Stage gates, known as go/no-go, are an important type of control. What does stage gate
mean? When are they used? What are the advantages of this type of control? (4 points)

6)

Earned Value Analysis (25 points)

You are a portfolio manager in a technology company. The senior management requests to
terminate one of the research projects (either project A or project B). Both projects have similar
budget (100 000) and duration (40 weeks). We are now at the Week 20. Managers of both
projects have just submitted statements of projects current progress (graphs below)

Exam MOT9564 page 1/2

a) What do the lines AC, PV and EV mean / represent? Which of these two scenarios are more
common? Why? (3 points)
b) Calculate the variances the CV, SV and TV for both projects (4 points)
c)

Calculate the performances indices the CPI, SPI and TPI for both projects (4 points)

d) Compare the current status of both projects. Will you use variances or indices? (4 points)
e) Make a decision to terminate one project based on a single indicator only. What indicator
would you use? (5 points)
f)

Would the Earned Value Analysis be enough to terminate the project? Or, would you need
other information to make a final decision? If so, what kind of information? (5 points)
000

000

AC

60

60

PV
55

55

PV
50

50

45

45

AC
40
35

35

30

30

25

25

20

20
10

15

EV

40

EV

20

10

15

Now

Project A

7)

20

weeks

Now

Project B

Change management (10 points)

a) Typically, two types of change exist request for change and off-specification. Define them and
explain the difference between them, specifically in terms of client-supplier relations. (4 points)
b) Why do changes in execution have generally negative impacts on the project? (3 points)
c) List 3 possible causes of change in projects (3 points)

8)

Quality (11 points)

a) How would you define the term quality? (3 points)
b) Define and explain the difference between four types of quality management systems inspection, quality control, quality assurance and total quality management (5 points)
c) What is Six Sigma? (3 points)

9)

Project Termination (11 points)

a) What are Project extinction and Project starvation? What are the differences between them?
(4 points)
b) Why is it often difficult to compose a comprehensive and meaningful end project report?
(3 points)
c) What effect does project termination often have on project team members (in terms of their
commitment and productivity)? Explain whether and how it can be mitigated (4 points)

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