Question

LS Hydrogeology is a water and minerals exploration company. It was recently commissioned by the Zambian government to make hydro geological maps which would be obtained at different locations around Zambia. The assignment would involve explorations, sample analysis onsite and computer-graphic displays to produce maps. Managing the preparation for the whole assignment was the responsibility of the project engineer, Bill Kalinda. Bill, who had recently graduated from his MSc Project Management course at the University of Lusaka, knew that he would need to keep a tight grip on the arrangements for the explorations to start successfully. The explorations would start at the end of May and the final targeted site would be explored at the end of July. The hydro geological maps are required between early July and late August, so any delay either in exploration or in producing the maps would cause considerable complications. The company had known that it would be commissioned to make the hydro geological maps since December, but Bill had only been allocated the job to start in first week of February! His first act was to list the various jobs which would have to be done before explorations could start. He then discussed each job with the part of the company which would carry it out, to try to understand what decisions would need to be made before they could start on their jobs. The jobs which needed to be done prior to the start of the explorations are listed below together with some details. Note the jobs’ IDs in brackets where arbitrarily allocated. The project engineer’s responsibilities (as well as managing the whole project) included: (a) Scheduling the Sites: would take about two weeks to finalize and could be started straight away. (b) Defining the field work routing: would need discussions with the chief designer and would take about four weeks of considering alternative designs before finalizing the concept, but could be started straight away. (e) Specifying computer-graphic displays: again in consultation with the chief designer, it would take about a week but could not be started until all the detailed planning had been finalized. 2 | P a g e The design department’s responsibility was: (f) Producing designs for field work routing: would take about three weeks but could be started only after completion of the detailed planning. The project planning department’s responsibilities were: (c) Secure exploration sites from the Ministry of Minerals and Water Development: a one-week job which could be started as soon as the sites had been decided by Bill. (d) Detailed planning: the preparation of detailed plans and schedules, a two-week task which could be started once the design concept had been finalized and the sites secured. (g) Printing field work routing charts: an outside printer could be given this job as soon as the designs for field work routing had been prepared by the design department. The printer usually quoted a four-week delivery from receipt of the designs. (h) Printing the display posters: again depended on the preparation of the designs for field work routing but could be delivered within two weeks of the designs being ready. (i) Ordering the exploration vehicles: a trailer truck and ancillary vehicles were needed which could be ordered on completion of the detailed planning; delivery of the vehicles would take about six weeks. (j) Writing the customised graphic display software: contracted out to a software house, it would take about four weeks but could only be started after the computer graphics had been specified by the project engineer and chief designer. (n) Final testing and Kickoff: the project planning department were finally responsible for getting the ‘whole act together’ immediately prior to explorations. Testing could only start once the field work routing charts had been printed, the vehicles fully fitted out and customized and the exploration staff trained. Final tests and kickoff should take around a week but, if things went wrong at any stage, could take longer. The workshop’s responsibility was: (k) Customizing and fitting out the vehicles: after the exploration vehicles are delivered and the designs for field work routing agreed and the computer-graphics software finished, the vehicles could be fitted out and customized for the explorations; this would normally take around two weeks. The personnel department was responsible for: (l) Recruiting the exploration staff: these were the people who did the actual work in the field; they could be recruited as soon as the detailed planning was completed. Usually it took two weeks to recruit all the exploration staff. (m) Training the promo staff: once all exploration staff had been recruited they would need training – a one-week task. Requirements: (a) Prepare an Activity Logic Table for this project. (14 marks) (b) Can Bill get the project together in time to start explorations on schedule? Show workings. (16 marks) (c) Name the jobs which Bill will have to manage particularly closely? Why? (10 marks) (d) What other general advice would you give Bill to help him to manage this project? (10 marks)

Answer 1

Project Description: LS Hydrogeology is a water and minerals exploration company. It was recently commissioned by the Zambian government to make hydrogeological maps which would be obtained at different locations around Zambia.
					Project Engineer-Bill Kalinda
Activity	Duration	Start Time	End Time	Dependent Variables
Start of explorations		30-May
A final targeted site would be explored		31-Jul
Hydrological maps are required		31 July-30 Aug
Bill had only been allocated the job		01-Feb
The project engineer’s responsibilities
Scheduling the Sites	Two weeks	01-Feb	15-Feb
Defining the fieldwork routing	four weeks	01-Feb	28-Feb	would need discussions with the chief designer
Specifying computer-graphic displays	One week	01-Mar	08-Mar	would need discussions with the chief designer
Design Departments Responsibilities
Producing designs for field work routing	three weeks	01-Mar	21-Mar	start after completion of detailed planning
Secure exploration sites from the Ministry of Minerals and Water Development	one week	16-Feb	23-Feb	start on finalizing of the site by bill
Detailed planning	two weeks	16-Feb	28-Feb	start on finalizing the design concept
Printing field work routing charts	four weeks	21-Mar	20-Apr	dependent on fieldwork routing
Printing the display posters	two weeks	21-Mar	07-Apr	dependent on fieldwork routing
Ordering the exploration vehicles	six weeks	01-Mar	15-Apr	ordered on completion of the detailed planning
Writing the customized graphics display software:	four weeks	08-Mar	07-Apr	could only be started after the computer graphics had been specified by the project engineer and chief designer.
Final testing and Kickoff	one week	around a week
Customizing and fitting out the vehicles	two weeks	16-Apr	30-Apr
The personnel department
Recruiting the exploration staff	two weeks	01-Mar	15-Mar	they could be recruited as soon as the detailed planning was completed.
Training the promo staff	one week	16-Mar	23-Mar

b. According to the activity, tracker bill has a buffer of 30 days for crisis management or unexpected delays, if he follows above schedules to the T.

c. Bill have to closely manage the finalization of design concept, the detailed plan and the field routing based on which the entire activities are based.

d. I would advise Bill to follow above schedule, keep in touch with planning, design and recruiting on a daily basis and analyze the tasks achieved on a daily tracker. He should also advise all teams to report to him in case they see any delay or unexpected failure in meeting the dateline/ deadlines.