PROJ6016 Project Management: Construction Management in Australia

Assessment Task

Critically analyse the performance of your Capstone Project and report the results of the analysis as a Status Report to your Academic Supervisor.

Please refer to the Instructions for details on how to complete this task.

Context

The Project Work performance domain executes the planned project activities, to complete the project deliverables and achieve the project objectives. Here, resources are allocated, and their efficient use is managed. We analyse work performance data and information. Changes in project plans are carried out and we learn throughout the project. Deliverables are produced as outputs from processes performed to accomplish the project work as planned and scheduled within the Project Plan.

Work performance data is collected and communicated to the Controlling Project Body for analysis. This analysis provides information about the completion status of the deliverables, and other relevant details about project performance. The Work Performance Data is also an input into the Measurement Performance Domain and should be used as feedback into lessons learned to improve the performance of future work packages. This domain addresses activities and functions associated with assessing project performance and taking appropriate actions to maintain acceptable performance.

“The Measurement Performance Domain evaluates the degree to which the work done in the Delivery Performance Domain is meeting the outcomes identified in the Planning Performance Domain” (PMI, 2021, p.94). The Measurement Performance Domain should consider the following documents:

• Requirements’ traceability matrix

A Project Status Report provides a written communication to the Project Governing Body, and other stakeholders, of the current status of the project and its ability to achieve completion according to the agreed schedule, scope, cost and quality. The Project Manager analyses the Work Performance Data and submits this in a readable and easily understandable format, providing the maximum amount of relevant data to the Project Governing Body, so that key decisions can be made regarding the ongoing status and performance of the project. Please refer to relevant Project Management resources to ensure a complete understanding of the different types of Project Status Reports and their applicability to different stakeholders, before completing this assessment task. Project Status Reports are prepared and submitted by the Project Manager on a regular basis, as determined by the Organisation’s Project Management Framework and the frequency nominated in the Project Plan.

Your Capstone Project requires two 6-weekly Project Status Reports to be submitted, so you will prepare and submit your first Project Status Report at the end of week 6, and your second Project Status Report will be submitted at the end of Week 12. You should also prepare a weekly log of your activities, and present this to the academic supervisor at weekly intervals. Your Academic Supervisor will then provide formative guidelines and feedback so that you can ensure that the overall subject objectives are met. Contents of the weekly log should be considered as input to your Status Report.

Your Project Status Report is prepared for your Project Sponsor, your supervisor, and the Assessment Panel, who act as the Project Governing Body. You should consider the layout and content and provide the required details in a format which can be easily read and understood. As some of your audience may wish to print this Status Report, you should also consider printing capabilities, and the ability to print this Status Report in black and white without losing the meaning of the content.

Instructions

1. Review the status of your Capstone Project

You should look at the work performance data including schedule, the status of deliverables, what you have completed in the reporting period, and what you are planning to complete in the next period. Also consider the risks from your risk register, any issues, and dependencies. In Module 3.2 you have carried out a Project Health Check and incorporated the outcomes into your Weekly Log. Consider the outcomes of your Project Health Check and incorporate these into this Status Report. 

2. Write a 1000-word Project Status Report

You may download the sample status report or complete a status report which is used within your organisation. Please ensure that the Status Report format is approved by your supervisor. Your status report should show evidence of reviewing your work performance data and providing a detailed analysis of this data and how it impacts your project performance. Your status report should be supported by your Weekly Logs. Status Report needs to be correctly aligned to the audience for whom it is prepared and provide sufficient detailed information, for your supervisor to make effective decisions regarding your project performance and the future of your project.

3. Structure of the project status report

Your Project Status Report should contain, at a minimum, the following details, to allow your supervisor to assess your progress with the Capstone Project: 

• Project Name, Date Prepared, Reporting Period, Supervisor Name(s)

• Overall status identifying a snapshot of the status of Schedule, Budget, Risk, Benefits, Quality

• Project status summary narrative

• Key matters requiring management attention/ Assistance Requests.

• Status and schedule for key milestones/deliverables, including the baseline start, baseline finish, forecast finish, % complete, status and comments.

• Key activities completed in the reporting period.

• Key activities planned for the next reporting period.

• Project Health Check outcomes or measurements

Please incorporate your weekly log outcomes in your Status Report to support the work performance analysis. (Weekly logs are not included in the Status Report word count, and may be inserted as objects in the appendix of the Status Report)

4. Format of the Status Report

The Status Report needs to follow the format of the sample Status Report, or a similar status report approved by your supervisor. The Status Report should follow APA formatting requirements, use Arial or Calibri 11-point font, be line spaced at 1.5 for ease of reading, and have page numbers on the bottom of each page. Where diagrams or tables are used, due attention should be given to pagination to avoid loss of meaning and continuity by unnecessarily splitting information over two pages. Diagrams must carry the appropriate captioning. 

5. You are strongly advised to read the rubric which is an evaluation guide with criteria for grading your assignment – this will give you a clear picture of what a successful project status report looks like.