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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

4.3.5 Completing project schedule activities

Activity 3

An extensive list of tools and techniques have been developed to support project management. This activity requires you to access, analyse and bookmark resources and tools you find most useful for project management.

General approaches:

• Australian Institute of Project Managers http://www.aipm.com.au
• Mindtools excellent overview and resources http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_PPM.htm

Specifically on the BOK approach:

• Project Management Institute, USA http://www.pmi.org
• Association of Project Managers, UK http://www.apm.org.uk/
• International Association of Project Managers http://www.ipma.ch

Activity 4

Read and complete the activity associated with the following scenario on how to break down a project.

The cost of a project is derived from a work breakdown. One way to breakdown a project into its component parts is by a network tree or family tree breakdown. Like a family tree, this breakdown consists of many branches that meet at the trunk. Each branch represents a task or collection of tasks towards the completion of the project

You have been asked to organise a one-day conference. You will require:

1. Five different speakers to speak for about forty minutes each confirmed four months ahead of date
2. A conference venue (say an auditorium or hotel facility) confirmed four months in advance
3. Morning and afternoon tea for 150 attendees ordered 3 days in advance
4. Copies of the speakers' speeches one week ahead of the conference date
5. Lunch for 150 attendees ordered 3 days in advance
6. An overhead projector and screen in the auditorium to be ordered the week before the conference
7. Three conference advertisements, one per month, commencing three months ahead of the conference date
8. A brochure with conference information to send to prospective employees; ready ahead of advertising
9. A bookings system and personnel to take attendees names and issue fee receipts ready when advertising
10. A fee collection method of $250 per attendee including bank card which has to be approved by a bank a month prior to the brochure being printed
11. Bookings to close one week prior to the conference
12. Parking on site for speakers to be confirmed the day before the conference
13. Microphone and podium on site one day in advance
14. Arrangements with an airline to offer discount flights to the conference city one month prior to brochure print to be confirmed the day before the conference
15. Arrangements with a hotel to offer discount accommodation for interstate attendees one month prior to brochure print
16. Attendee registration and name cards on the day to be ordered one week prior to conference
17. A chairperson to chair the conference confirmed one moth ahead of the brochure print
18. A wallet with notes and pen for each attendee (Wallets take four weeks to deliver)
19. Phone lines in and out on the day to be arranged two weeks prior to conference
20. Letters thanking speakers sent within one week following the conference

Use the Family Tree to arrange these tasks into sequences:

Note: The above Family Tree Breakdown is only an example and you will need to derive your own diagram. After you complete the tree consider the sequence of event you went through. [Did you allocate hours first, did you draw a rough chart and then rearrange the factors? Was it easier to establish times and work from the end of the day backwards?] How you complete this is relevant to any project planning phase. Managers develop their own approaches and over time start to understand common project tasks will require similar time and cost factors. This is often called a technical estimate where calculations are not as exact or defined but represent professional judgement. This is possibly what other people would call a "calculated guess"!

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