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• Module overview
• 1. Introduction to planning
  • 1.1 Types of plans
    • 1.1.1 Some definitions
    • 1.1.2 Domains of planning
    • 1.1.3 Users and levels of planning
  • 1.2 Completing a planning cycle
    • 1.2.1 A planning process
    • 1.2.2 Tactical and operational planning
    • 1.2.3 A participative planning process
    • 1.2.4 When to complete business planning
  • 1.3 Implementing an operational plan
    • 1.3.1 Define the plan's purpose
    • 1.3.2 Setting the planning period and scope
    • 1.3.3 Why plans fail - The strategic level
    • 1.3.4 Why plans fail - The operational or project level
  • 1.4 SMART goals
    • 1.4.1 S.M.A.R.T. Goal statements
  • 1.5 Contingency plans
    • 1.5.1 Why contingency plan?
    • 1.5.2 Contingency plans and risk
    • 1.5.3 Contingency planning actions

• 2. Plan and manage resources

  • 2.1 Plan and manage human resources
    • 2.1.1 Recruitment
    • 2.1.2 Selection
    • 2.1.3 Induction
  • 2.2 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
  • 2.3 Purchasing resources
    • 2.3.1 Tangible and intangible assets
    • 2.3.2 Acquisition costs
    • 2.3.3 Depreciation costs
    • 2.3.4 Planning resource acquisition and utilisation
    • 2.3.5 Estimating resource needs
  • 2.4 Manage Capacity
    • 2.4.1. Planning capacity
    • 2.4.2. Measuring capacity
    • 2.4.3. Matching operations plans with capacity
    • 2.4.4. Capacity analysis and economies of scale
    • 2.4.5. Capacity and performance effectiveness
    • 2.4.6. Determinants of capacity
  • 2.5 Aggregate and Master Planning
    • 2.5.1 Master Schedule
    • 2.5.2 Operational control and resource planning
    • 2.5.3 Demand and scheduling control

• 3. Risk Management

  • 3.1 Risk Management
    • 3.1.1 Potential benefits from an effective risk management
    • 3.1.2 Classifying risk
    • 3.1.3 Risk and ANZS4360:2004
    • 3.1.4 Risk analysis
  • 3.2 Estimate the risk attached to a corrective action
    • 3.2.1 Risk analysis categories
    • 3.2.2 Prioritising risks

• 4. Planning projects

  • 4.1 Planning the project
    • 4.1.1 Setting the project plan
    • 4.1.2 Setting achievable outcomes
  • 4.2 Controlling Projects
    • 4.2.1 Personnel resources
    • 4.2.2 Managing project costs
    • 4.2.3 Value of managing project costs
    • 4.2.4 Estimates
    • 4.2.5 Cost Coding
    • 4.2.6 The time factor
  • 4.3 Scheduling project tasks and activities
    • 4.3.1 Project timelines and deliverables
    • 4.3.2 Critical Path Analysis (CPA)
    • 4.3.3 PERT
    • 4.3.4 Seven steps to project scheduling
    • 4.3.5 Completing project schedule activities

• 5. Problem solving and decision making

  • 5.1 Problem solving
    • 5.1.1 The problem solving process
    • 5.1.2 Solutions search
    • 5.1.3 Removing root causes
    • 5.1.4 Solutions implementation through inclusive communication processes
  • 5.2 Decision making
    • 5.2.1 Decision making model and leadership styles
  • 5.3 Decision making approaches
    • 5.3.1 The logical systems
    • 5.3.2 Contingency approach
    • 5.3.3 Quantitative - schematic and mathematical approaches
    • 5.3.4 Critical Path Analysis
    • 5.3.5 PERT
    • 5.3.6 Group quantitative approaches
    • 5.3.7 A qualitative approach
  • 5.4 Context and the influence on the decision processes
    • 5.4.1 Factors in decision making
    • 5.4.2 Rational decision making
    • 5.4.3 Creative decision making
  • 5.5 Scenarios for team decision making and problem solving
    • Problem scenario number 1 - Lost in the bush
    • Problem scenario number 2 - Toothpaste blues
    • Analysis of personal behaviour in groups

3.1.3 Risk and ANZS4360:2004

The Australian and New Zealand Standards on Risk Management ANZS4360:2004 provides the most rigorous standards for risk management. They also provide a useful model for non-standards based approaches to risk management. Note while the first two reading give an overview and online tutorial to risk management both are based on 1999 version of the standards. The reading and online tutorial does, however, introduction the variations to the August 2004 update to the standards.

Reading 1

Boradleaf (1999) Tutorial Notes: Australian and New Zealand Standards on Risk Management AS/NZS 4360:1999, Boradleaf Capital International. Sourced May 2004, from http://www.broadleaf.com.au/tutorials/Tut_Standard.pdf .

Reading 2

Office of Communications and Information Technology (2004) Project Risk Management Guideline - Summary , Department of Commerce (NSW): Sydney . Sourced November 2004 at http://www.oit.nsw.gov.au/Guidelines/4.3.24.a-Project-RM.asp .

Reading 3

Kloman, HF (November, 2004) 'Australian/New Zealand Risk Management Standard', Risk Management Reports , Vol. 31[11]. Sourced November 2004, at http://www.riskmanagement.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=177 .

Activity 1

Complete reading 1. While the program is targeted at project level, especially ICT implementation, it has excellent value to any manager. Work through all the components of the risk management guideline and then answer the following questions.

1. Is risk management a response to problems or problems requiring immediate decisions?
2. Is risk management a component of wider planning processes? If not, why not?
3. What is the ultimate aim of risk management?
4. Is risk planing about management per se, or is it about control? Be prepared to discuss and justify your position.
5. What is a risk event?

Dangers

• Failing to accurately determine the exposure to risk
• Not enough time allocated to identify risks
• Insufficient resources (time, finances, etc) to isolate and assess risks
• Failure to priorities
• Over reliance, or sole reliance on data and statistics rather than human elements
• Failure to lean lessons from previous projects/activities
• Selecting the wrong tools or instruments to measure and manage risk
• Ignoring the cost of managing risk(s)
• Focus on the process, not the outcomes
• Risk management is a means to an end, not the end in, and of, itself.
• Risk is used as a threat or reason to not make the optimal decision

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